I'd like to become a better trader

Discussion in 'Journals' started by PO, Feb 2, 2011.

  1. emg

    emg

    the question to your thread is:

    I'd like to become a better trader


    not to post trade. u are better off posting your trade in ES Journal Thread
     
    #221     Feb 15, 2011
  2. PO

    PO

    long 1@24, stop 23
     
    #222     Feb 15, 2011
  3. PO

    PO

    out at b/e. I've made my planned amount for today and because of this I trade with the fear of loosing money that I've made and I've closed this trade prematurely.

    I need to take my trades based on signals, not fear. There is no need to fear because I had a good stop loss that would have protected me.
     
    #223     Feb 15, 2011
  4. PO

    PO

    somebody in this thread gave me a good advice to ignore posters I disagree with and not engage into a hostile battle with them. I'm going to follow this advice and let some comments go.
     
    #224     Feb 15, 2011
  5. PO

    PO

    I see your point, but I think i should give ES a bit longer of a try before I start switching and trading other instruments, because even if my methods work on them, it still take time to learn their price action, where to put stops, retracements, when to exit, etc.

    so, for now I'm going to concentrate on ES.
     
    #225     Feb 15, 2011
  6. PO

    PO

    and this is an example of why another trading instrument wouldn't make much of a difference. I had a trade on that was according to my set up, but I closed it before it had a change to make any money and it didn't even stalled or retraced, so I could have just trail my stop and make money, but I'm too preoccupied with not losing money

    I think I need to take it one step at a time and not beat myself all the time. I've learned some bad habits and it will take time to unlearn them.


    1. Always have stop loses. So far so good.
    2. Dont' trade congestion and flip trades around, so far ok, but need to work on.
    3. Realize that stop loss doesn't only mean for a trade, but also for a day. 600$ a day so far is my daily stop loss and I need to follow this too.
    4. keep my trades on until the target is reached or conditions of the trade changed drastically. Need to work on this.
     
    #226     Feb 15, 2011
  7. PO

    PO

    sell 2@24.75 - > vwap, dma rejected with a double top.
    stop move to b/e
    cover 1@24.25, second will hold for a day low test or stop out.
     
    #227     Feb 15, 2011
  8. PO

    PO

    stopped out, back in OR again.
     
    #228     Feb 15, 2011
  9. are you up from when you started? your my barometer if its all worth it
     
    #229     Feb 15, 2011
  10. PO

    PO

    if your question is up from when I started trading on and off 3 years ago, then the answer is not, if since I started the journal, then see above.

    don't look at me as a guidance, everybody is different, I know people who make money consistently and I know many more who lose it consistently.

    so don't quit your day job just yet :) unless you have enough money to support yourself and for trading for at least 1 year.

    And anticipate that it will be much more difficult and stressful then you think, especially emotionally. So if anybody asks me if they should be a trader, I would say if you have a good job and you don't mind it that much, then stick with it.
     
    #230     Feb 15, 2011