We trade to achieve positive results, to grow our account balance. As such, it’s quite easy to fall into the trap of thinking more about all the pips we can make rather than all the pips we could lose on a given trade. A good trader thinks about both at least equally, and if you listen to some of the elites in the business they indicate a clear focus more on the potential negatives. If you’re thinking to yourself “I prefer to be optimistic” then you’re being naïve. Trading first and foremost is about making sure you don’t expose yourself to the chance of getting taken out of the game because of big losses. After all, you cannot make gains if you can no longer trade. Traders with an “optimistic” mindset have a tendency to take on too much risk.