•Transitioning From Part-Time to Full-Time Daytrading: Ensuring Sufficient Income
One of the toughest times of my life – that threatened my own psychological wellbeing as well as the potential safety and security of my family – was in early 2004, when I first made the leap from part-time to full-time trading.
I had the required knowledge. I had the required skills. I was a great technical analyst. And I had some demonstrated success in the markets.
But I was lacking in other areas. I was grossly undercapitalized. And despite my appearance as being someone with a positive...
•A Trading Psychology Lesson From a Nine Year Old
I was driving in my car the other night with my twin daughters when the conversation somehow turned to what they wanted to do when they grow up.
Naturally, being only nine years old, they had many ideas. There were those that I was very happy with – an astronomer, a veterinarian, a professional soccer player, or a guitarist in a rock band. And there were some suggestions that I just didn’t like at all. Not that it’s my decision! I’ll naturally support them in whichever path they chose for...
•Trading Risk Management - Tight Stop Losses
Here's an extract from a great email conversation with one of the YourTradingCoach readers, in which he discusses the use of tight stops:
"I adopted this approach in the beginning, but got stopped out of the market so many times I started to widen them. I've had on too many occasions the market pull back on my stops only to find that it went on to do what I thought it would. Meaning, I lost out again on a good trade. However, I do admit the financial risk is higher. But expecting the market to...
•Three Trading Losses in a Row
Three losses in a row are tough. That’s about the most consecutive losses that novice traders are psychologically prepared to accept before they feel compelled to take action and ‘correct’ the situation.
If you’re anything but a total newbie, I’m sure you’ll recognize the symptoms:
• Frustration – Why me? I’ve worked so hard. Everyone else in the forum appears to be getting good results with this strategy? Nothing ever works out for me.
• Anger – That strategy developer is a liar and a...
•Trading Risk Management - Rule of Three
Would you like to discover a quick and simple risk management strategy that is easy to apply to any trading plan, and has the potential to vastly improve results? Excellent!
I’m not talking about the placement of stop losses, which is what most people consider as ‘risk management’. Rather, this is a simple tool for managing the risk in your trading business.
Effective trading requires focus and discipline. There are many external factors that can interrupt your focus, and destroy your...
•Support and Resistance - The Greatest Trading Tool
Despite all the hype from the internet marketers who try to sell you the latest trading ‘secrets’, the fact is there are NO secrets.
* Identify setups which provide the potential for lower risk and/or higher probability trades.
* Enter and manage those trades in a consistent and disciplined manner.
* Minimize risk.
* Manage your money.
* Manage your emotions.
* Journal your results, and review them to identify what’s working and what’s not working.
* Keep doing what is working, and
* Improve...
•Trading - A Common Indicator Mistake
I love it when I read forum entries from people suggesting trading strategies along the lines of:
- Enter long when the RSI(14) is above 50, the stochastic (14,5,3) has crossed positive, and the Williams %R(14) is rising from the oversold area
- Enter short when the RSI(14) is below 50, the stochastic (14,5,3) has crossed negative, and the Williams %R(14) is falling from the overbought area
(Disclaimer: I just made up that strategy, so don’t trade it without testing it first – the fact is...
•Why Price Moves - An Introduction
You’ll find in many trading books, websites or courses a statement to the effect that ‘price rises because there are more buyers than sellers’, or ‘price falls because there are more sellers than buyers’.
While I understand what the author is trying to say, it’s not quite correct.
There are not more buyers than sellers, or more sellers than buyers. Any transaction involves both a buyer and seller. The number is the same – one buyer and one seller. So, across the whole trading session, the...
•Trading Timeframe Selection
Well, I’ve had a frustrating week. No opportunity to trade until Friday, and no opportunity to work on my website and newsletter service. NOT HAPPY!!!
But then, that happens to us all from time to time. Life has a habit of failing to consult with us, prior to messing with our plans.
What happened? Well, before I was trading I used to work as a pilot, with a specialty in aviation safety. I’ve maintained a link to that industry, and still do some work on a part-time basis. Usually it’s not a...
•Stop Losses - My Biggest Downfall
One of the common email questions I get through my website relates to difficulties in sticking with stop losses.
Some traders don’t place one in the market at all, promising that they’ll get out when price hits a certain level. Of course, when price gets to that level there’s no shortage of reasons why they should hang in there just a little longer. If they let it run just a little further it’s sure to move back into profits.
Other traders have no problem placing their stop. But for some...
•Trading Problems - Maintaining Focus
I once heard a statement by Rebecca Fine of www.scienceofgettingrich.net that says something along the lines of “If what you’re thinking about isn’t something that you want to have happen in the next three minutes… get rid of the thought and think something else.”
While that’s a great way to live your whole life, and I certainly try to do so, it equally applies to the process of trading, specifically ensuring that we maintain focus during the conduct of our analysis.
Maintaining focus can be...
•Dealing With Market Uncertainty
The nature of the markets is uncertainty. Human beings do not like uncertainty. In fact we fear it at the very depths of our soul. Much of our society has evolved in an effort to reduce the uncertainty we face in day to day life, through controlling the environment, and implementing a structure of laws, rules and regulations. This has been largely successful. Although uncertainty in life cannot be totally removed, we have managed to create a structure in which people can live with relative...
•The Hidden Secret Of Technical Analysis
Did you know that there is a whole ‘other world’ of technical analysis that most novice traders are either totally ignorant of, or fear to go due to the fact that it might actually require some work?
Well, there is! And I’d suggest that if most novices fear to go there, then perhaps it might be worth some investigation.
What is technical analysis? For most novice traders it seems to be one of, or a combination of, the two following approaches:
a.The art of defining recent price action...
•Price Analysis – A Top-Down Approach
In a previous article I mentioned that my analysis involves monitoring price action, in order to gain an insight into the short term sentiment of the market. Determining who is in control at that time – the bulls or the bears. And assessing how they’re likely to respond to changes in the market.
I thought today I’d prepare a quick article to give an overview of how I analyze price. Those of you who know me know that I’m a great fan of candlestick charting. However, price analysis is much more...
•Trading Psychology - Doubt
I want to talk about a common theme that’s in many of the email questions I get through my website.
Many people have bought a trading system, or a couple of books, or attended a seminar, and just not achieved the success they thought they’d get. These people are now trapped in a constant cycle of doubt.
They’re frustrated. They’re not sure where to start, or how to get back on track towards success. In fact, many of them are not even sure if they want to be a trader.
Their self-talk is...
•My Favorite Trading Strategy
What I’d like to do in this very short article is give you an overview, looking at the strategic level, of how I trade my favorite setup, which will be the one referred to in most of the analysis on my website. We’re talking, ‘the big picture’.
Too many people make a critical error in focusing exclusively on their entry triggers, and trying to enter on every occurrence of that signal, without ANY consideration for where that trigger is occurring within the bigger picture market structure....
•The Beginners Guide To Affirmations!
Imagine what would happen if you approached someone and insulted them.
“I hate you! You're ugly! No one likes you! You're a really miserable person!”
Well, apart from receiving a slap on the face or punch on the nose, you're also quite likely to hurt their feelings.
What about saying something positive? Perhaps something like this:
“You are so beautiful. You're a really great person and a wonderful friend.”
Would you agree that this statement should produce a very different result? It...
•Build The Confidence To Approach Other People, Through The Power Of Compassion!
Do you often feel uncomfortable in a social situation? Perhaps you’re overly shy? Or your stomach ties up in knots at the thought of approaching someone even just to say “Hi!”
Well the good news is that there are many techniques which you can use to help you overcome this problem of social shyness or anxiety. I’m going to share one of my favourites below. But first, three important points that need to be highlighted (so imagine them covered by ink from a bright yellow fluoro highlighter pen)...
•Where To Find Happy People!
Happy people are found taking their children or grandchildren to the park. You’ll see them pushing the kids on the swings, and kicking a football back and forward.
You’ll find happy people with their family, preparing a picnic lunch by the lake, and throwing bread to the ducks and geese.
You’ll see happy people every day working in their garden, enjoying the satisfaction of creating a miracle of colour and fragrance.
You will find happy people playing a violin. You’ll find them performing...
•The Seven Day Life-Changing Happiness Challenge!
You are about to discover a simple technique for creating massive changes in your quality of life.
Do you want to be happier? This technique can help.
Do you want more time to spend with your family or friends, or even just time to relax by yourself? Then this seven day challenge is perfect for you.
And best of all, it’s really easy to do.
What is it?
For the next seven days, turn off the news!
Do not watch any news on the television.
Do not listen to any news on the radio.
Do...
•Rediscover A Natural Source Of Happiness.
Do you want to rediscover a natural source of happiness that many of us tend to overlook in this modern hectic world?
It’s available to all of us, twenty-four hours a day. It’s free. It’s as close as your own backyard. And best of all, it works.
I’ll reveal it to you in just a second, however first I need to point out one potential problem. Unfortunately this source of happiness is so obvious that many of us take it for granted. Many of you reading this article will dismiss the idea as too...
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