I am not and never will be a “trader,” in the sense of a stock-picker/market-timer.

However, on the suggestion of my financial advisor, I recently ordered and read a copy of a classic trading book called The Disciplined Trader , by Mark Douglas (New York Institute of Finance, 1990).

Personally, my only interest in the topic involves hedging downside risk: taking actions that limit some downside, at the expense of some potential upside. What surprised me about this book — which bears the subtitle Developing Winning Attitudes — is how much space was allocated to psychology and mental attitudes.…