oh yeah, definitely have considered that. Today I felt good so not sure it was a factor. It has been on some other Mondays. Things I will start watching for going forward and will have to track. 1) performance on Mondays compared to other days. Could be fatigue or too eager. 2) performance around contract rollover week. Still in that window. jas
Mine was too hyped up / anxious (dare I say..., exited to be back trading) What I was - was not nearly focused / patient / detached enough The innocuous shit that trips us up RN
It's a funny thing weighing how much of the performance is due to me or the market conditions. Ideally it would all be market conditions but the reality is I am still part of the system. At least now I can usually tell where the mistakes if any are whereas in the past I was just left with a WTF just happened feeling. For me too much detachment leads to lack of focus also. there's that balance to maintain. But I'm aware of it and getting better with the whole mental game. Fun stuff but I love it. jas
Almost everyday I trade pre-market, very consistent for me. Most traders unaware or can't function, but pre-market currencies, Indexes, almost all other markets trades just easier than day session, much more games during the day. Take for instance in Crude Oil at 2:12EST (yea, I don't sleep well) until 2:27, flat bottoms stair stepping higher, BB very tight which means due for expansion and BAMM, eventually goes up a buck which is approx ave swing for crude oil. Of course I guess game was played on steep move up, but at night volume really strinks. Because violent nature of the move and no real reason for it going up other than Europe open, it slides on back down. I trade ES pre-market one hour early, but certainly can't do volume unless a report day, but it is consistent.
There was a time when no matter what type of day it was choppy or trending I would lose $$. Then it got to when on the 'easier' trending days i would see what to do but didn't have the discipline to execute properly and i would lose. Then most recently on the 'easy' days i was able to see the trades and take them and start making consistent but not huge $$. The thing I'm missing from my system or my discipline is the not so easy days. Like today and yesterday. Trades were either getting no follow through or going +10-15 then back to BE or a couple tick loss. Throw in some full stops on some and it's not a good day. The 5 minute chart looks pretty clear so i need to be sure I'm using that properly and paying attention to it. Taking some of those +10-15 trades when they stall needs to be done. Figuring out these kind of days (when i struggle) i think is the last thing i need to do to have the consistent results i want. (there will always be something to learn though) I think part of this is adjusting my expectations or eliminating them. That is not every trade is going to go to target and not every trade will move in a smooth trend. So it's just some review and adjustments to my management, my recognizing proper context and my discipline. I've sort of trained myself to not exit trades early. Don't get shaken out on normal pullbacks and pauses. Now i need to recognize the context where it is OK to manage trade differently and exit earlier. I need to recognize context when i should not be trading and have the discipline to follow through. Just trading half day tomorrow and if it doesn't go well then either sim or review rest of week. -58 ticks
J, You wish to break these last two days down..., and discuss - or let it ride for now In all reality - it could go either way It'll depend (as it always does) on PA (chop / trend / range) ..., and you ability to quickly define / adapt / trade accordingly What's the higher TF look like RN
Rootin for ya man. Don't be discouraged. The results simply indicate there are things left to learn...as you've already pointed out. That's good. It's also good you're still really willing to learn. -JS
60 min clearly down but coming into multi day support from a few weeks back. that was creating a battle between bulls/bears no doubt. Thanks let's let it ride for now. There were a couple entry mistakes I made that in better conditions the action would have bailed me out. No room for error today and I acknowledge that I messed up a couple. Don't want to waste your time on me not doing my job. Several 10-15 tick moves gave enough clues price had stalled I should have exited too. 5 minute chart attached ;without trades. The 7:00-8:15 is choppy down but rest of day should not have been as difficult as I made it. On one hand I'm frustrated, then next puzzled as how to prevent happening next time, then thinking this shouldn't have been this difficult. Either way I've got some review to do. thanks RN
Thanks JS. It's discouraging but the set backs make me a better trader. Still no fun when I can see the weakness revealed. Both in me and my plan. oh well , getting closer
True. Don't look at it as weakness. Opportunity to learn to do things better. As you learn to objectively identify and flawlessly execute, I'd bet some answers will slap you in the face. Like you said you've trained yourself to let 15 ticks turn into a BE. Maybe you can set up a regime that systematically takes profits according Douglas. Pg 189 I think. Around there. Anyways, opportunity for growth here not discouragement.