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.
Through seminars, workshops, and coaching, Dr. Dayton, and his company Peak Psychology Inc., help traders overcome the psychological pitfalls unique to trading, while at the same time helping traders develop the optimal mindset needed to be successful. He focuses on both correcting problems as well as teaching specific proficiencies required to build mastery in trading. Dr. Dayton applies state-of-the-science knowledge in mindfulness-acceptance, cognitive-behavioral, and sport psychologies, along with research findings from behavioral finance, to help individuals systematically develop peak performance skills and abilities. His ultimate goal with each individual is to instill the ability to become one’s own peak performance coach.
A trader himself, Dr. Dayton understands what goes through a trader’s mind and can effectively communicate with them. He integrates his knowledge of advanced psychology with trading to make it easier for the trader to understand. His approach to trading psychology is focused on helping the trader build the metal skills necessary to trade successfully. In his work, Dr. Dayton guides the trader through the elements of deep or deliberate practice, a model of elite performance based on 35 years of research in individual performance.
An active trader since 1999, Dr. Dayton has traded equities, commodity futures, the financial index e-mini futures, and options, e-mini S&P futures markets, applying Wyckoff method of market analysis. He is an expert in Wyckoff analysis and the lost art of chart reading, in which the technical aspects of the market are read with price bars and volume.
A featured speaker in workshops and seminars, Dr. Dayton helps traders learn the mental and emotional side of trading through enjoyable and enlightening hands-on exercises.
Dr. Dayton is a psychologist and holds a doctorate in clinical psychology and a certificate in human performance/sport psychology from Rutgers University. He is President of Peak Psychology, Inc., a consulting firm that specializes in developing “peak” performance in traders.
