Shrink Rap: Leaning Into the Next Moment

For those traders who watch the market closely, who are monitoring streaming quotes and rolling Level II screens on a regular basis, one of the more captivating aspects of trading is the experience of time.

The "now-it's-here-now-it's-gone" nature of quotes flickering from moment to moment on the monitor coaxes me to come into the vibrant present. Even when I'm not actively trading, I like to have quotes running on one monitor as a way to keep me centered on the present. The boxes of color constantly changing from red to green in a random pattern keep me on my temporal toes.

Ask any trader what brings him back day after day to his trading platform. The need to process a lot of information quickly can be quite intense, requiring focused concentration for prolonged periods. Between the interactive excitement with the trading platform stimuli and having money on the line, it's easy to see how traders, given sufficient capital and a modicum of success, thrive on the action. ...