End of Jan The worst dent in the upward curve I traded 17 futures contracts at different intervals. Absolutely going to limit myself to maximum of 2 trades per day.
Got to my computer at 9 am , missed the best trade(s) (didn't sleep well, abd cramps, diarrhea). Not good trading conditions. There was a good one yesterday that I didn't take because I had already done 3 round turns, which is not necessary... Also I don't leave positions on over night.
2 down days trading last couple of days last week Back to about 33k Fuck this really just fuck it Friday trend was basically up but I kept wanting to short, but knowing that has happened several times in the past I only did one trade.
Lots of self loathing in this thread. Are you sure you really want to be a trader? What attracted you to this profession?
I do hate myself. I hate myself because I can't study this full time and I am still a breakeven trader (trading part time for 5 years - there's good and bad). I love also myself (answer to question 2) because I am good at visual interpretation and got a 30 in math - my highest score - on the ACT so trading is something I believe I can be very good at. I hated myself the past 3 trading days. Today I love myself. I have to credit handle and dbpheonix on this particular trade (and probably future trades). My old plan told me to take a loss on this trade. However, today I tried to consider other S/D, S/R and PA that might influence my trade and that I have neglected previously in my trading. Only the future will tell me if I'm right.
Just like it took me 5 yrs to become good at my day job, it's taken me more time to get better at this. The reason it takes so long is that both fields - and many others - are dynamic and even though there are similar patterns/situations that repeat, no particular point in time is exactly the same as one before it. One can only hope after enough time they are ready to react to anything that is thrown at them, that's why the more time you spend in a profession generally the more money you make. Sold 5 pre open and made $800 Gave $500 back with 2 x 1 lot trades One I wasn't able to realize price was telling me I was wrong and demand was taking over supply. Held on way too long. The second one I opened at 2 pm and really shouldn't have even bothered. No need to trade more than 2 times per day. If you haven't made money by then somethings wrong.
1 Loss, 1 win. No more after that. Studying the balance between supply demand as it's happening seems to be well worth it instead of looking at just one side of the market as I was before.
I'm questioning the usefulness of posting here. It seems to just make me angrier on days I screw up. I should have made money today, which would have been the fourth day in a row. Instead I was selective and picked 1 of 3 trades I have planned. I had a planned long around 1120 that I decided I shouldn't take. For some reason I froze as the market began to ascend. No possible explanation except for the fact that I am used to losing every so often and my instinct tells me to stop after doing well the last 3 days. Therefore didn't want to lose. I don't think there was ever a time I made money 4 days consecutively. Stick to the plan, stick to the plan. Had I taken 2 trades and finished I would have net around $3k again today. Trying hard to remember there is always tomorrow. I'm pretty sure at this point I will never have to worry about money eventually. The ideas I am using have been around since before I was born. The one trade I took today lost $900. Price action I saw unfold made me want to exit sooner. Still up around 3k for this week (trying to remember the positive). I may continue to post or may not. I keep logs at home of trades and am writing frequently in a paper journal to hopefully purge my trading imperfections.