Size is just percentage... you have to keep in mind... that while the upside is THOUSANDS of percent, the downside is always only -100%. The actual number of dollars is irrelevant.
I usually enter all at once. Try to risk "x" for "2X+ perceived potential profit"... sometimes the sights are much bigger than 2X, depending upon the charts.
Gnome: In reading all the posts so far, can I deduce that you are not a fan of the Hedge Fund industry?...more specifically, H/F strategies, not H/F profits.
Thanks for the generous offer gnome. It's a very personalized issue but are there any techniques that you use to emotionally detach yourself from your trading? "Not liking to lose" gets in my way and my goal for 2008 is to solve that. Having losing trades doesn't bother me as it's part of life, but when i mess up to create a loss it irks me and it affects my trading for a little while. I'm spending a lot of time in the Psych forum as well as reading Michael Douglas and others. Any tips appreciated.
I can sympathize. I was a "world beater" locally at 28 and developed chronic tendinitis.... had to retire. Was voted "Bowler of the Decade" by local bowling newspaper. I was confident that if I could avoid injury and have a normal length career, I'd be in the ABC Hall of Fame some day... didn't happen, of course. I didn't bowl collegiately... was already a pro.... Was a military World Wide Interservice Champion and junior phenom. I haven't bowled in years. They ruined the game with technology.... too bad.
I don't know for sure, but I presume the concept of "hedge fund" is mostly a misnomer... actually "a leveraged directional play to take a shot at BIG profits so that the managers can earn their 2&20"... wouldn't mind making that myself, but would like to think I'd go about it with more of a sense of accountability.
That's a tough one. I always think of "how would Mr. Spock trade?"... he'd study the situation and do what's "most logical"... try to get your head around that.
1. Of the current or past ET posters, who are/were your 2 or 3 favorite? 2. Is there any current of past ET poster that you think trades like you? Any published person via a book or magazine article trade like you? 3. If you were suddenly unable to trade due to particular circumstances, and your family and friends asked you to recommend someone to watch over and grow their assets, who would you recommend? TIA GF
Gnome, You've achieved a lot of success, obviously, so let's do this backwards. What would you say are your weaknesses or areas that you would like to improve? And then, what strengths do you feel that you possess that have been essential to your success?