Book excerpt: An honest depiction of the challenges of trading and a clear explanation of what it takes to succeed Trading tends to be a winner-take-all activity where a small number of traders are very successful, while the majority either lose money or generate relatively small profits. In The Mental Strategies of Top Traders, author Ari Kiev identifies and analyzes the characteristics of successful traders and shows you how to cultivate these same characteristics. Successful trading, Kiev asserts, requires an unusual and sometimes contradictory blend of intellectual and psychological abilities, including the willingness to take risks, but in a very controlled manner; the discipline to develop high-conviction trading ideas in the face of unpredictable markets and incomplete information; as well as a strong drive to win, but also accept failure. Here, you'll discover how to achieve all this, and much more. Provides advice and solutions for traders struggling with today's volatile and stressful markets Authoritatively identifies key mental strategies of top traders Written by Ari Kiev, a highly respected figure in the professional trading community Analysis is supported by comments from contemporary traders and portfolio managers, many of whom struggled with the markets of 2008 Designed with the serious trader in mind, this book will put you in a better position to excel in today's tumultuous markets.