The market has its ups and down: bull runs can come to a crashing end, stock prices can unexpectedly pop and unforeseen events can leave the best laid plans in ruins. But despite the ups and downs, the best traders find a way to thrive whatever the environment throws at them.

Much of this is down to psychology. Top traders know how to maintain the right state of mind and keep a check on their emotions in stressful situations. In this report we examine the psychology of trading and the realities of making decisions under high-pressure, psychologically intense conditions.

To do this, we have surveyed a wide range of successful day traders and interviewed a host of experts from outside of the world of finance, including a chess grandmaster, a football referee and a military strategist, for their tips on making the right move when the clock is ticking.