Yup, too many BS artists on here... To answer the question in post 1, yes I am always improving... it's called experience, and I have got well over a decade's experience as a full-time trader...
Is the market easier this year? It seems like many of the ET members are happy to day trade. For those you provided negative feedback, keep working. You will improve sooner or later.
first three months were terrible for me, even outside of trading. Paid expensive tuition just to learn not to trade when I am not in a good mood. However, I have learned some really important lessons while killing HALF of last year's profits. So far, I've fought back to only 16% down for the year (up from about 52% down)! But more importantly (only because I'm assuming it will make me $$ in the long term), I've learned 1.) to keep a hand-written journal, 2.) capital preservation, 3.) how to affect prices, and 4.) emotional effects to trading and trading effects to emotion (the latter I had a firm grasp of before all of this). jeeze, I wish my platform would hurry up and get fixed. I tend to ramble when not trading........
The old saw that it's capital preservation that saves the portfolio is true for me. My strategy picks tops and bottoms OK, it's the failure to stick to my stops that erodes the balances on trades that are placed too soon. As for the learning curve and am I getting better, yes, slow but sure. But I'd hate to have to count on trading only to pay the bills. I'm not good enuff yet.
I don't really know.... still losing money.... real money and in the simulation platform :-( I don't have either a good technical edge nor a mental edge (may be mainly) this is my conclusion. In days like today I really think I'll never achieve it, I know I have not to say this but it is what I feel now... no problem admiting it. I'll keep working hard. Good trading to everyone B_M_S
I hope to provide some insights to help those ET members improve on trading. This is just my theory. In order to be successful in trading, one must be disciplined, have a set of goals and work hard. You have to be dedicated and willing to adapt to market changes. Find what works best for you and see how you can improve on your skills. This is my favorite. YOU HAVE TO BE HUMBLE. If you have an attitude that you are better than the market, you will always lose. Ask any great traders out there and they will tell you. Hope this helps!