Dr. Gary Dayton

Dr. Gary Dayton stands apart as a trading psychologist in his use of the Mindfulness-Acceptance-Commitment (MAC) approach to peak performance, a model of human behavior based on cutting-edge psychological research. In his thought-leader article, Fear Not: A Mindful Perspective for Traders published in Stocks, Futures, and Options Magazine (December, 2009), Dr. Dayton introduced traders to the practice of mindfulness to help them overcome fear and other unwanted trading emotions and explained how mindfulness can help traders develop the concentration and focus needed to trade successfully. Dr. Dayton published another article in the June 2010 issue of SFO Magazine, Take Control of Your Trading: Focus on High-Value Actions, where he shows traders how to stay focused on critical trading actions rather than succumb to ‘emotional hijackings’ while trading.

After learning trading strategies, Dr. Dayton found that the number one challenge for traders is the struggle with the mental and emotional side of trading. Nearly every trader tries to control his or her emotions, but this is usually ineffective and often becomes problematic for the trader. The struggle with unwanted emotions and the erratic trading actions that result may be a primary reason why 90% of all aspiring traders fail. Dr. Dayton uses the MAC model to help traders focus on what matters most for his/her trading and avoid engaging in distracting emotional and mental chatter.