Overtrading is a common challenge. How do you deal with it? Note the definition varies widely from trader to trader. My average number of daily trades may be overtrading for a new trader, but undertrading for another longtime trader. I love the action and tend to overtrade, as many as 60 trades/day. Anyone else? My solutions: Avoid 10:30 to 3pm Don't trade inside market days and charts Limit to rockstar charts only, eg gap continuations and 2day high breakouts If I'm red on the day by 10am, I reduce size per trade Slow down if TRIN is close to 1 I had custom desk signs made that say "Rockstar charts only" and "Stop overtrading" What do you do? Thx...
NO COMMENT If you are still asking these incredibly amateur questions, after being involved in the financial markets for 20+ years, something is off...
OK, maybe ask @themickey He is an incredible market participant!!! https://www.elitetrader.com/et/thre...-trading-anything-but-a-gamble.345731/page-17
Mainly it's trading when you don't have a strong edge, a strong setup. Or trading when there's a just ok breakout or pivot. Or because you're impatient and tired of waiting for great setups
because all of us are not perfect yet, lol. break of discipline no plan ...etc, etc, A solid trading plan https://elitetrader.com/et/threads/what-would-you-say-belongs-in-a-solid-trading-plan.340340/ Every Trading Method Known to Man and Beast? Right Here Baby! https://elitetrader.com/et/threads/...t-right-here-baby.335635/page-10#post-5014575 Suppose your paycheck was based on percent entry triggers correctly taken? https://www.elitetrader.com/et/thre...ercent-entry-triggers-correctly-taken.343345/ ChipShotTrader, tell us how you do on the little game above.
I've noticed that and wondered why myself. It's impossible to know why any trader does what they do. As for your solutions they apparently are not working as you are still overtrading. My suggestion would be to post your entry rules then have to explain why you broke them. I would assume that having a trading plan and the discipline to follow your plan would be one of the first things you teach.
Thanks. If that's the definition of overtrading, then I do not have a problem with overtrading in my trading. I do not have any lessons learned to share because I do not overtrade.
@KCalhoun I backtest my system to tune my entry and exit variables as precisely as possible then never deviate from that. I never move a stop loss nor take profit and I never take a trade unless the setup is optimal. I don't overtrade because I never trade outside of these principals. Perchance it were that easy; aye, there's the rub. As an aside, the problem with fine-tuning variables in a backtest is Heisenbergian. The more precise and numerous your variables, the more likely random noise reinforces and creates the outperformance you see practically guaranteeing underperformance in the future. This being one of the many reasons backtesting fails to meet expectations. Ironically what works for me and this is only me is to not stick precisely to the optimally tested formula. After finding something that backtests well, I use a bit of informed discretion going forward to introduce subtle randomness so I'm not just connecting the dots of an overfitted function. In short, using iron will in following a well backtested strategy while deviating only slightly to oil the machine and nothing more or less keeps me from trading too much.