Here’s a great video about trading psychology, even though it’s not directly about the stock market, futures or Forex, and doesn’t reveal any day trading tips. But it does contain a secret most traders are violating every day.
Trading is a great business. I love it, I’m passionate about it, and it is so much fun that I’d do it even if there were no money involved.
But it’s not just me. We traders are a passionate bunch.
We spend a LOT of time reading, studying, trying different indicators, tweaking indicators, testing various strategies and looking at chart after chart after chart.
And then you add the money factor – and well, we can get to be a bit obsessive (just ask any trader’s spouse!).
Work ethic is good, and it does take a certain amount of experience in the markets to become successful. The problem arises when you take things TOO seriously. That causes a block of your mental and emotional energy. And in extreme cases, it can have negative consequences in the rest of your life.
This video isn’t about trading. It’s about life. And therefore, it is about trading.
Enjoy, and leave a comment below with your reaction to the video.
Eva says
Well, now that is one divine being having a fun human experience, if I may say so….hehehe…I might have to watch this every morning to get me starting in the right way. Thank you for the great share!
Julio Chacón says
I enjoyed a lot, it is a free and cheap laughting, thanks.
Jim says
Awesome video, I found it hilarious. Is the certain secret is not to take life (and trading) too seriously and to chill out and enjoy it? I am reminded of Bill Hicks’ – “Life is Just a Ride” piece. I also liked the part where the woman is looking at the billboard of people on a tropical beach, wishing she was having fun instead of being bored and serious.
nawaf asad says
that did make me laugh as i was working all today and i hardly said few words . i hope one day i could be laughing more when i m happy with my work as i ve been trading 3 years part time and now im full time in trading forex . without pain there is no gain.
Ali S. says
Your statements are so true. If you are not having fun with what you are doing (my previous job) then it’s difficult to succeed.
I remember a silly story which happened to me. When I finally became successfull at day trading forex and made a perfect trade which translated into big profit, I turned on the celebration song by cool and the gang and enjoyed the moment. Keep it fun and you will have more consistant results.
AT says
I won’t forget THIS video anytime soon!!! If this was an analogy of the markets it runs as follows: The “Bodhisattva” wanted to create a market for his laughs, and pretty soon he had the “herd” following along without them even knowing why. The last fellow to get on the train didn’t join in and kept his distance. He was the smart money. This was the signal for the “Bodhisattva” (also smart money) to leave. And we see him getting into another carriage laughing all the harder at what he had pulled off, and ready to do it again. Thank you BARRY!
AT says
PS: On further reflection, I now think that the “Bodhisattva” is representative of the shills on CNN and their like!!!!!!!!!!!
msmc says
That works for me… lollllllllll
joe says
Brilliant Dr Barry, thanks.
‘Tis my ambition to be that laughing instigator man.
rON sELLARS says
tHAT VIDEO SHOWS NOTHING MORE TO ME OTHER THAN A BUNCH OF SHEEP FOLLOWING ONE ANOTHER.
Steve H says
Wasn’t there an old saying”Laugh and the world laughs with you”. Top pick Barry. Love it! Thanks
Fred says
Love it,
It reminds me a quote from a friend saying that when lifes give you a 100 reasons to cry, show life that you have 1000 reasons to smile
Dougie says
Contagious laughter. Hee Hee. Sorry I don’t get it. Hee Hee. Socially inappropriate behaviour. Hee Hee. When ones privacy is violated, one responses. Something like the markets. Is wanting honesty and truth being too serious? What I see here is manipulated mass psychology. It is worth a good laugh though. Hee Hee. Very intense feelings and thoughts. I felt like I was there.
Brian says
I am sorry but i can’t even find how to turn the video on to view it or where it is.
tom nyerges says
what you say about not taking things too seriously is true and i agree with it , but i dont get the message in the video, it seems idiotic and irritating to me. they appear to be a bunch of psychos.
forced and ungenuine laughter has a sinister feeling to it.
Duane says
First, I must say that I am not doing it for the money because so far there isn’t any. However the harder I try the worse it gets so I can see that if I could loosen up, it might help. We’ll see. I did get a good laugh out of it.
AT says
Hi Barry. Perhaps I have presented you with a problem by taking a message from the video clip that you didn’t anticipate?!
It just leaped out at me, I’m afraid, even to the point of thinking that your real intention was to present the lesson of not “following the herd” in a really powerful way (Which, for me, you certainly did)!
I enjoyed all the laughter though, and smiled along as well, but there are quite a few indications that there is more to it than what appears on the surface. I DO agree with you about not taking things too seriously, very much so, but not to the mindless extent shown in the video!
(Am I being too serious?! 🙂 )
Cheryl says
What a beautiful statement about life. Joy and laughter are what it’s all about and the gentleman did not even need words to elicit that feeling from everyone on the train. Emotions are infectious and can easily turn a crowd.
Thank you for sharing.
Ian Hutch says
Thanks Barry, I haven’t had tears running down my face like that for years. It is said that laughter can cure many ills,it’s also very catching. Not a word spoken yet what an affect, a great example of how connected we all are. I think I will be watching it regularly early in the morning, would have to be a great start to the day (trading).
Beryl says
Laugh and the world laughs with you. Great clip. I laughed with them.
Ajay says
Today, I was quite in a damp mood. I am in the middle of a financial crisis. Also that I have started trading the Indian Stock Markets recently. My crisis is not related to trading. After watching the video, I was amazed…b’coz I was laughing. I wish I had the attitude of the man who started it all. I will work on that.
It certainly has made my day.
Thanks.
Duane Kulikowsky says
That was fun. I was laughing with them. And do you know: I now feel a screw has been loosened on those very serious synapses. I’ve actually put in my favorites as a reminder that life is a very precious thing and we have the intelligence to heed that. The paradox that is, enyoy life or work hard for the life you want to lead. Which one have you chosen?
Tim says
As they say – laughter is the best medicine and it really is as infectious as illustrated in the video. Also illustrates how an individual can help to change the world with his attitude to life alone. Great post Barry and I am still laughing
Gary F. says
Great video Barry!
Just like greed and fear, laughing (happiness)is a basic emotion. Basic emotions can be triggered with the right stimulus. Researchers will site babies in this regard. At such a young age, they haven’t been tainted by a biased environment.
It’s no wonder black box systems are touted as solutions to a traders emotion. Hands on trading requires steely discipline.
With your next successful trade, how do you feel? To me, this emotion of taking on deep pocketed institutional money and winning is a satisfaction almost comparable to the monitary gains! Now there’s something to chuckle about!
Nick says
Laughter is contagious,that video had me laughing. Thank you, Nick.
Bob says
Laughing is contagious. Attitude is contagious.
This video shows the people you surround yourself with will affect your state of mind. Even after the “laugher” left the train the people on the train he left were still laughing.
A positive mind, picturing successful trades is the most important part of trading.
Best book, “Secrets of the millionaire mind” by Harv Eker.
Si says
Good stuff – a good reminder to not take ones self too seriously or ones job or life for that matter – thanks for the reminder to keep joy and lightheartedness alive.
TJ Young says
BE Happy :~) Pass it on!
Mike Farrell says
Barry
Just what the doctor ordered. Not taking life to seriously can be difficult at times but this is a pure tonic. I will keep this video close at hand! Keep Laughing!
Liz R says
Well, this was certainly refreshing, and good for life in general. Moods can certainly be contagious, and so, if we dare, we can be the one stepping out with some laughter. This video also reminded me of some of our better family gatherings when my Mom, sister, niece and I would get caught up in fits of laughing.
John says
Was reading an article in last few days about laughter as a great medicine. In response to a criticism that there was nothing to laugh about the writer suggested that you force yourself to laugh and soon yourself and all about you will be laughing and all will be a bit healthier. This video certainly got me laughing. It was a great way to make me “stop and smell the roses”. Thanks
Bill B. says
Great Video!! We all need to keep trading in perspective in the game we call “life”. I think if we all did a bit more laughing in life and a whole lot less complaining we would be alot happier. Trading is an on-going journey not a destination. Enjoy the journey.
San Diego Bob says
Hi Doc,
Thanks for the video, I enjoyed in the sharing of this enligtening moment with the people on that train. Anyway, in regards to drawing a compairison to trading what I got from this video was the way we are as individuals and as a collective consciousness are influnced by those around us. Likewise price movement/direction in the markets reflects how most people are influenced in their decisions when investing. The trick is not to take so seriously the outcome of our decsisons regardless whether we win or lose. Its all just a learning process.
Tony Sapsford says
So sorry but the video was blank all the way through
Mort says
Great video. I am guilty of taking life and trading too seriously. This video is a good reminder to relax and enoy life and trading.
Thanks for the video.
Edward says
That was just excellent!
The amasing thing is that there are good inexpensive pleasures in life that no money in the world can buy. It’s free.
Peter C says
Hehehhhehhhehhhehhhheeeeehhee!!!!
Lou says
Imagine having this attitude after a losing trade and a losing day. If we can be OK with whatever happens, we’ll have more access to our powerful inner resources to trade well. Great video.
moshe says
berry i dont remember laughing so much as i watched the video thanks a lot
Larry J says
Excellent film showing the psychological power
which may affect our minds and actions (trading
influences of herd mentality?).
Gordy says
Have you ever seen a travel trailer behind a hearst, no? Well, money isn’t the most important thing in life but it does help! But, laughter is one of the most important because if you can laugh you can always come back and trade even after some of your own dumb mistakes. Besides, laughter is the best medicine for a healthy lifestyle and I have laughed my way through life and will on the way out the door!
Pamela C says
That was so so good. Isn’t laughter just the best medicine. Will be sending it to all my friends Thank you
jac says
Laughter stimulates endorphines the body’s feel good drug, which in turn counter act cortisole the flight or fight drug, trading encourages flight or fight responses and cortisole, which can lead to ill health not just poor trading.
The good news is that to stimulate endorphines through laughter, it does not have to start out real, it is the face muscles which provide the positive feed back, so you can genuinely fake it till you make it, unlike trading.
If you want you can google “laughter club”s which meet near you and join in faking it till you make it.
In fact I think the people in the video belong to a “Laughter club”
Nick says
Funny? More like Hideous, irritating, annoying, ridiculous. Emperors new clothes.
Vicki says
Another example of how something you ‘put out there’ can become viral. Laughter is contagious for sure, and feels so good. We online marketers can use this as a lesson to create content that is worthy to become viral.
Terence W says
thank you Dr. Barry .. for the good laugh .. for your honesty and kindness .. and most of all for helping me conquer myself
Bob Shannon says
Loved it. We need to laugh more, especially in these trying times. There’s something about humor and laughter that can be contagious. I watch old Dean Martin roasts, Carol Burnett shows, Honeymooneers, Johnny Carson, etc that crack me up. The new comics like Letterman, and these late night schmucks are a turn-off, but I guess that is my age showing. The video reminded me of a day when a friend and I were riding home from Wayne State in Detroit and started laughing about something insignificant and it became so infectious that practically the whole bus was laughing.
Spruce says
Ha. Hahaha. Ah . . hahahahahah . . . . hmmm . . hahahaha . . . .HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA . . . AHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA . . . . . .
Steve says
Great video Barry, Laugh and live happier and longer.
djw9262 says
What a fun video….I was laughing along half way through by myself…..someone in an eairlier post mentioned how through laughter, we are all connected!!!! I think we could all afford to lighten up a little and enjoy our selves and each other!!! (I’m still laughing!!!) Great post!!!!
frank says
Monkey see monkey do.
Lori says
I just got back from a short holdiay in New York city and we road the subway every day. It was interesting to watch the commuters… most would not make eye contact with you. I can see how this situation could happen on a subway’s confined environment…as laughing can be infectious.
Thanks for posting this…sometimes we get too serious when we trade.
willie says
don’t get it
Carol Collins says
Hee, hee, hee. Whether it was “mass psychology,” “crowd manipulation,” or just plain stupidity, I laughed with tears running down. I do take myself too seriously, and worry too much about not making money, and get discouraged, and this little bit of nonsense helped me get a better perspective. And “following the crowd” isn’t necessarily bad, you just need to be able to decide when to follow and when not to. I think this is a crowd I would be happy to follow. Hee, hee, hee. . .
nat says
that is amazing
lanell says
So apt. laugh and the world laughs with you. Weep and you weep alone.
Infectious and just what we need. I laughed and laughed. Great video. Mass psychology is just amazing. I go to a laughter yoga class and we laugh, it is so infectious.
Thanks
Mark says
i cried!? strange as it may be. couldnt tell you how watching that video would increase production levels of trading. However, it was very moving to see people smile in a seamingly realistic video of people portraying unhappy/depressed people on a subway. cheers
Adrian says
Not to rain on this feel good party but where I came from if a guy started laughing like that it was time to move and move quick. The guy was loosing it and would be pulling out an automatic weapon any minute and open up on everybody. Nice to believe that if you laugh the world laughs with you but sometimes it just ain’t so.
David says
Having watched the video, I agree that when starting out, we shouldn’t take trading too seriously and become obsessive. When we do, it can effect our day.
Jim says
Great. (Definitely not the Pelham 123 line.)
Doug says
A great many thanks for posting this…
The world is full of Bodhisattvas – they are easy to miss. Glad that this skilled filmmaker created one for all to see.
There are small miracles every day – I lived in NYC for 10 years and have one or two (true) stories that this reminded me of; spontaneous acts of grace, charity, humor, compassion.
No it doesn’t mean there isn’t violence & pain as well; it just helps to remember that that isn’t all there is & that the world always has the possibility for joy. It always will.
Thank you!
Bruce says
I’ve actually seen two variations of this happen , on the New York Subways .
MarkB says
Barry,
It is interesting that this video created such a diverse range of responses and interpretations. I know of a trader who looks at an inspirational video at the start of each day to get into the right mindset. I think that I will add that to my daily routine as well. Thanks for the reminder that we all tend to take life and trading way too seriously at times.
automatic trading courses says
Lighten up Adrian. It just some laughing. No guns, no violence. Just fun. Why turn it into some psychotic episode in the making?
poksal says
I need to send that to some people… it is good release.
TOM says
Laughter is contagious and good for you.
Thanks for sharing an inspirational moment.
adam says
thanks John for sending this to me. I laughed seconds after the guy got on the train. “It did my heart good.” ( a Louisiana expression)
Pete says
Laugh and the world laughs with you .
Fart and your on your own.
Peyman Fahimi says
Trend Following
Mark Stewart says
I just love that video. Its just so true to driving home on a bus or train after a hard days work. But loved they way that guy comes on and cheers every one up.
Good Job Man
Andreas Foerster says
Love this video: The guy in it brought joy to all the people in the train – and to me 🙂
James says
I don’t know… These artsy fartsy films are kind of creepy.
pete says
Hi Barry
Now I cant see the screen for tears of laughter! That saved me a bad trade I might have taken so theres another laugh Fantastic so many lessons to be taken from this clip.
Many thanks
Pete
mike says
Thank you Barry,I saw one complete episode of swing trade in this vedeo, institution(s) decide(s) when to start the laughter(entry) and leave the train(exit) while the party is still going on to hop on another train(swing trade), I’d like to figure out how to send the video to people by e-mail.
Nevio says
It is a fantastic video to start a positive day. It shows that the tendency of the mass can be changed by a single person. It is just a matter of attitude
robraven says
That’s how people (red. crowd ,mass) can be easily influenced by one. That’s good example mass action, one starts, then another copy it, than all. We always will act more brave in group with no matter of rightness importance. Mass movement – you can find in trading those moves 🙂
cheers
Peter Newton says
Anyone laughing at this has hope.
Geoffrey Salvage says
This looks like a Parisian art video…Jean Luc-Godard etc.
You could have several views on this.
a. A day-out for the local lunatic asylum.
b. Everyone is so stressed-out in modern life, that it only takes a trigger to revert back to humanity.
c. Like flu, laughter is contagious.
d. If he got on my train, I would move to the next carriage ASAP.
e. Via Top Dog Trading, I feel it reverts to herd-instinct; stay focussed, but don’t get obsessional etc. Very entertaining and disturbing.
Gary F. says
This is an experiment in basic human nature, much like yawning. There is a degree of certainty as to what a crowd should do. Market psychology, being an example, is much bigger than many realize. Try it yourself! Try a little body language in a public area, nothing lewd of course! Can you get the desired effect?
Stewart says
I love the laughing video … I’ve got to find a train and try it out
tamrat abokor says
free-hugs is some thing i like it also the man in the train it is a good axport of hapines i injoyed it
tanks a lot you tub
francis says
Made me laught a lot. But what is the connection on the psycology side.
Dot says
Dear Dr Barry
Thank you very much for this greatest theraputic video of all time. I loved every second of it and will play it over and over, it has brought so much insight in the way of how I view things and an understanding of some of my family members who take themselves too seriously. Thanks again one does not need couselling after watching this video, it does it for you – laughter is medicine
Your Dot God Bless you.
Ben Blue says
Great video, As you said Dr. Barry .. It’s not about trading but its life so in a way it is. I can see the many ways it could resemble trading but also a lot of ways that it doesn’t. The way the masses react together is what indicates trading but the laughter and people letting go of tense fullness and uneasiness and just having a good laugh is something else all together. Great video made me laugh also.
stuart says
this video is reminiscent.the start of it anyway , of any day ,of people travelling on public transport, very few people smile or converse with each other .when the smiling guy started laughing ,everyone thought he was not in this world ,then it dawned on them that it was a humorous interlude in their dreary and monotonous part of their day .when trhe straight faced man got into the railway carriage.he formed an opinion that it was a day trip from the funny farm and baled out fast . even if anyone was unable to visually see which many of those in front of the guy where ,would laugh .the straight faced man that came into the carriage to really understand what was taking place had to be there from the start.a nice video to see . great
s cropper
Nimmi Bragg says
Thank you Barry! Now that’s a master for you! Absolutely fabulous! Living in complete joy is contagious and he could access and exercise it at will. Now that’s a true yogi for you. Thank you.. How enlightening!
Daniel Weaver says
Thank You,
This is the most useful thing I have found
In two years for the forex market. If I
must continue losing money it is nice to
find a little joy now and then.
Lar says
*****
This clip is a balance to remember, for all the challenges we face in life.
******
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