Besides hitting a stop limit? I've had a few days over my the last ~14 years that I think I would have been best calling it a day. Twice had semi drivers try to do a turn around in a driveway where the wires were low and snag wires. I had the power go out and was on the phone and experienced pretty big losses for me. Power came back up before markets closed, and I jumped back in, and added to losses. I will add the trades when the power blew were profitable, but they hit my stops while trying to close on the phone, and then I was way to agitated and should have not traded again. I have had other situations similiar throughout the years, and admit I kept trading, and for me, it has always been a mistake. Today was another unique day and I am walking away. Bleeping, f'ing cats had a fight and disconnected my network connection. As I was on the phone closing 2 positions, the dog puked, on my foot, and no I am not exagerrating, on my damn foot. I actaully owe the dog, as for whatever reason, it made me stop and think. I am too fired up and need to at least take a break. It made me think, and take a break. Shit happens when you are trading for yourself, and I am curious if anyone else has seemingly bizarre guidelines to stop druing the day? I have added, literally to my trading plan, that I will stop for the day when the unexpected happens. Not limit up or down, but tech, or whatever stupidity can happen. I post now as I am done for the day. I closed my charts, and reprinted an updated trading plan. Stupid, maybe, maybe not. To me I think it is logical, as what I describe takes me out of my plan, and I am human, so being able to acount for it and have a plan of action, or no action is a good part of a plan.
I have touch screen for my newly made Platform. I went to restroom and come back to find I am long over 2000 contracts in ES, there was a fly in the room and it was on the monitor, the cat was pawing at it, each time he hit the DOM, it placed more orders. It was one lucky cat as I got a couple ticks out otherwise "Cat is the other white meat". That messed me up for a few hours. I have police tape across my door, GF came in under it to tell me the garbage is all over the front yard cause of the wind, that cost me several bucks but I am smart enough now to turn off the computer for a few hours so I can forget. I now use barbed wire. I was short couple years ago when that huge melt down occurred, I never saw a ten point one minute bar in ES before, got out and just watched remainder of the day. Some years back, lost my satelite feed while in a trade, called to get out. Went in back yard to find an illegal alien unscrewing the dish, he winced in pain when I kicked the ladder over and was sitting on his back waiting for the police. I use to throw things when I lost, one day I threw my ball, had thrown it thousand times and it never done this before, it must have hit brick that was exposed from all the previous tosses, it came flying back and hit my in head then broke the window. Fireman laughed so hard, one of them puked on me from his lunch. And any time I have a huge day, I trade lite next day or not at all, market senses over confidence to try to take it all away and then some.
Sorry I brought it up. I was serious, and should have known better. Was asking if anyone incorporates oddities into their plans. Oddities, being if it causes you to lose your cool can you identify it and walk away for the day. Go f*** yourself, and sorry I wasted your simulator trading time. Turd.
Luckily your Cat isn't a BearCat today I experienced similar once, currently I use this little app (download link near bottom of article after conclusion) http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/11570/disable-the-keyboard-with-a-keyboard-shortcut-in-windows/ edit: just realized this may not work for a touchscreen, but it may be useful for others...
Geez, what's that all about? You write a long story of your experiences, and if anyone replies in kind you shout obscenities? Perhaps your psychological issues extend past Trading.
Once I had to save orphans from a fire......so that forced me to call it a day. Hope that counts. I also had to rush to the hospital to perform brain surgery on a famous King....... once I was asked to play in the Super Bowl.....cost me a few ES points. Once I was up 85,000.....decided to leave 3 minutes early. stops are for people who don't like to work all day.
Only one thing comes to mind worthy of calling it a day, and that's "NOHK" "Nanny on her Knee's" Well maybe two things. "NOHB" is pretty compelling as well. "Nanny on her Back"
flash crash. when the market began to cut through supports like they were nothing, i got out and just watched..... my face probably looked like this :eek: