Tell you what, to celebrate my own trading success today, I’ll give my copy of Ten Zen Seconds to whoever sends me the Best Email of the Week.

So send me your trading stories… tell me a joke… make me laugh… get in touch…

sally@sallynicoll.com

Astonishing news. i think I am finally getting the hang of this spread betting thing we do.

My ‘Apprentice’ picks are again showing a healthy profit. Remember how I went back into Petsmart last week, and upped my trade size, even though I was in a losing position? Er, my strategy worked! Moreover, last week’s trade on Nike - I’m in at 1.50 a point, in the wake of the hideously entertaining design-a-trainer episode - is also going the right way.

But enough about me.

Today, I would like to introduce you to an American author called Eric Maisel. So far as I know, he has never placed a trade in his life. He specialises in the creative process (is trading an art of a science? Answers on an email to sally@sallynicoll.com) and his latest book is called Ten Zen Seconds.

According to the blurb, Eric’s book delivers ‘instant calm in only ten seconds… a powerful antidote to stress that can be used at any time to centre yourself before an important meeting or conversation, accomplish things that seem difficult or painful, create positive attitudes at any time, and conquer procrastination or pessimism.”

Can you see where I’m going with this?

You got it. Can we use Ten Zen Second help us to become more profitable traders?

First of all, you sit comfortably. Then we begin. Basically, you take a deep break - five seconds in followed by five seconds out - and focus on a particular thought, which Eric describes as an incantation.

Enough already. I put two pertinent questions to Mr Zen. See if you recognise yourself in either:

QUESTION ONE
Me: A surprisingly high number of people open a spread betting account, but never use it. Not even at 1p a point! It’s as though they have trader’s block. Any advice?

Eric: Opening your account involves no risk. As soon as real risk enters the picture, a substantial number of people do not actually want to proceed any further, even if it might be to their financial benefit to do so.

Ten Zen Seconds can encourage anyone who is hesitating on the sidelines to deal mindfully with the risk they are about to take. If you’re holding back on placing your first-ever trade, use the book’s Fourth Incantation, which is about trusting your own resources, and remind - or convince - yourself that once you are prepared, it’s time to proceed with confidence. You might want to say, “I am equal to this challenge and I am taking action.”

QUESTION TWO
Me: I know that when I’ve just had a big loss, in the past I’ve run away and hidden, rather than getting back into the market. Another of my bad strategies is to try to take revenge‚ which means I’ll make an emotional decision to trade, and wind up with even greater financial damage. Can your book help someone who’s as daft as me?

Eric: In the first case, to ensure your next move is made mindfully, you could try Incantation Seven “I am free of the past,” to quickly let go of the negative experience of losing money and to allow for a considered next move, whatever that move might be. You could also use Incantation Twelve, “I return with strength,” to help motivate yourself to return to the trading arena minus your anxiety or fear.

In the second case, in order to avoid an impulsive act that might lead to significant losses, you need Incantation One, “I am completely stopping,” to give yourself a chance to get over your anger and upsetness. Follow up on this with “I am doing my work”, as a strong reminder to do due diligence before rashly rushing into any further trades.”

You can find out more about Ten Zen Seconds by following this link:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Ten-Zen-Seconds-Incantations-Purpose/dp/1402208537/ref=pd_rhf_p_1/203-9936532-1612712

The book’s on my desk right now. I’m shuffling through it to discover how not to panic when I’m showing a decent profit, and tempted to cash in prematurely.

Here we go.

Deep breath in.

“I sit on my hands and resist the temptation to hit SELL.”

Deep breath out…

Remember how my dad got me into this spread betting thing, via my Alternative Education?

Now history repeats itself! Over to Oren, who writes:

“Today I, Oren Fingerhut aged 13, went to a Famous Author, Sally Nicoll, who has just written bets and the city, which I recommend you buy, but don’t give her all that crap and say “oh I am your biggest fan” because you’re not, I am.

“I went to help her with Spread Betting. I thoroughly enjoyed it and what made it even more enjoyable was actually winning.

“I don’t usually win anything, and when I do, they are not usually very good prizes, like a pack of stickers or a chocolate bar, not anything like money. Now I have done spread betting twice, and both times I have won, probably a bit of sheer luck, or it could be that I am a very talented young man. I can’t wait until I am eighteen, then I will be able to open an account of my own.

“I am actually in the process of writing a book about a boy who turns into a spy. It is a bit like Alex Rider. You think I am being very irrelevant but actually I am not, this young boy has been told to spy on Finspreads and learn how to spread bet. Now I think I am giving too much of my book away, so I guess you will just have to wait until I am famous and then you can read my book yourself.”

In the unlikely event that any literary agents might be monitoring my blog, I recommend: Sign this kid up now!

In the more likely event that Camden Council continues to monitor my blog to discover what bad things I’m saying about them…. yeah, yeah, yeah…. but in fact, Oren is home-schooled, and while we know he is not - yet - able to trade on his own account, in the space of a one-hour binary bet, we covered mental arithmetic, risk management, singing, decision making, share price analysis, and FUN.

“Spread betting should become part of the national curriculum: Discuss!”

Finally, we learn the truth about Jose Mouinho. He own a Yorkshire terrier.

Dow Jones can’t stop laughing.

I, on the other hand, am making a dog’s dinner on my Apprentice-inspired £1 a point Petsmart trade. Having banked earlier profits, I went back into the market. Then, while I was out of London last week, the share soared magnificently - and I naturally failed to cash in. Then it gapped, and has since fallen back three cents, which in spread betting land, means I’m currently £234 down.

Not closing the trade just yet, as it shows signs of recovery since the market opened 15 minutes ago, and I’m on the June contract. Question is: Am I sufficiently reckless to add another 50p to my position, banking on a recovery?

Er, I suspect the answer is yes.

Meanwhile, I have again proved that you should NEVER take a holiday in the West of England (it was Bath, this time, as opposed to Penzance) while trading £/$. Except this time, there’s a twist in the tale.

Will tell you more about that soon, along with the latest - good - news on TT’s Forex Profit Alert.

Meanwhile, the more I think about it, maybe the Special One’s choice of cainine companion IS appropriate. In which case:

Sam Allardyce owns a boxer

Wenger has something intelligent, probably a Belgian Shepherd

And McClaren has a guide dog

This just in from Rob N:

“Hi, Sally. You asked me to let you know whether I signed up for the forex alert
from Tom Tragett. Indeed, I signed up Tom added me to the alert list.

I’ve received several trade-watcher emails and lo and behold today there’s a sell
opened on XXX/XXX. I jumped right in, and so far I’ve managed to swim
in the same direction as the market, or whatever the phrase is.

On top of the (so far) winning trade I am pleased not to be deluged
with ‘make 2 grand a day from your armchair’ adverts which beset so
many of these online offerings. All good thus far. My experience
over the years with a couple of the black-box trading systems and
alert services has not been good but I decided to give this one a try.

Thanks for the pointer!”

You’ll see I’ve XXX’d out details of the trade, because my agreement with TT is that I am only allowed to talk about them once they have happened.

But if you want to know more about the service, and how you can try it risk free for three months, just email me: sally@sallynicoll.com

Bets and the City is rocketing back down the Amazon best seller list! They put up the price (you’ll do better ordering it via the Global Investor link on my home page) and I am poised for revenge. Watch this cyberspace and I’ll tell you when it’s time to short their share price!

Now I am no longer Famous, I have time to watch tv again. I am a zillion episodes behind with Heros, Boston Legal, Veronica Mars and even the Sopranos. But in lieu of Tony and the Gang, I did manage to catch up with SrAlan and HIS gang over the bank holiday.

Is it just me, or is this series of the Apprentice rubbish? I was delighted to see Odious Army Boy get his marching orders - no wonder we’re losing The War - but the tasks are too sameish, and the contenders are too dull even to be enjoyably incompetent.

In the wake of the Food to the French episode, I am stalking the CAC index. If there are any signs of an upward trend tomorrow, I’ll buy. But as I’m out of London for the rest of the week, caution is the watchword…. no more rash trades, just for the sake of being in the market. Oh no!

I ended up with a modest profit of eleven quid on Starbucks (which I am about to go spend in J’s cafe!) and while my trade on Petsmart soared into profit, it then sank into the red…. at the time of writing it’s about £40 down, but I anticipate profit before the June contract ends, so I’m keeping it in place.

Basically, there’s too many things going on at the moment for me to find even the hour a day I need to identify promising new trades, so I’m keeping my powder dry until life gets back to normal again.

Meanwhile, in Primrose Hill, Camden Council is up to its usual tricks. I’ve been happily going to the Chalcot Square Festival every year for the past decade. A greasy hamburger is all part of the fun. But guess what? They are now saying Barbecue Man has to go on a Training Course to learn to deal safely with charcoal. Or else…

As if that weren’t daft enough, this morning, the police were out in force, apprehending Criminals on Bikes. That is, commuters who take a short cut by cycling across the park, in defiance of the stupid bylaws.

Me and Dow Jones couldn’t believe it. A posse of FOUR yellow jacketed Community Policemen captured a woman in her fifties. They gave her a good telling off, issued her an on-the-spot fine, and then….

…And then all four brave law enforcers got back on THEIR bikes, and, er, CYCLED out of the park.

“You cannot be serious,” I yelled after them. (OK, so those weren’t my exact words, but they were too far away to book me for foul and abusive language.

I am out of London for the rest of the week. So advance apologies if I am slow in responding to your messages. And if i’m even slower than usual, then I guess the police have worked out where I live…