1. Make sure you paper-trade before you risk real money.

2. Don't make your trading system more complicated then it is.

3. Never trade when you are tired, sick, anxious or worried..

4. Do Not get greedy. As they say… "Hogs get fed, pigs get slaughtered."

5. Always put a protective stop in place.

6. Losses are part of this game and you must be able to accept them. If you can't stomach the idea of losing money, then don't trade.

7. Decide on your exit strategy, before you enter the trade. In other words, where and how will you get out? Also decide how many contracts you will trade and whether you will scale out of your trade. The bottom-line is make sure you plan your trade and trade your plan!

8. If the risk is too big on a trade then don't take it.

9. Don't bail out of your trades prematurely. Ride them until you hit your target.

10. Never force trades that aren't there. There is no need to rush into a trade as there are always new ones forming.

11. Don't sit at your PC more than 60 - 90 minutes without a break. You need to get up and stretch and move around. This will keep your mind sharp and focused. It will also relieve trading stress and tension.

12. The hardest time to take a trade is when you have just had a few losers in a row. This however is exactly the time you need to jump right back in there as odds are that the next one will be a winner.

13. Never trade if you are using the rent money or are down to your last few dollars. Trading with "scared money" never works out. I have learned that the hard way.

14. Don't be unrealistic. While trading can provide some amazing returns, don't expect to turn $2000 into $20,000 in a month. (Please read rule #4.)

Dr. Jeffrey Wilde, a trading veteran with 16 years of experience is a trading coach to over 5000 traders in 63 countries. His new blog http://www.askjeffwilde.com offers free trading articles, tips and advice. He also teaches a variety of courses found at http://www.win-at-trading.com