Simple, sure it is, just... Buy when prices are falling; Sell when prices are rising; Manage the "inventory" and you'll always be in the "strength" of the moves. When you're "buying" as price rises, who do you think is selling it to you and why? When you're "selling" as price falls, who do you think is buying it from you and why? Oh, thats right, you're the smart money...sure you are, keep it up!
Ill say it again. Anyone who thinks trading is so simple, is a f-ing idiot who doesnt know a damn thing about trading. Trading is probably the most difficult challenge you will ever face in your life. Talk to anyone who has truly been doing it for a long time. There are 2 types of traders who make money 1. Noobs who so far have been purely lucky, who therefore conclude trading is simple. 2. Pro's who know how difficult it is and have put countless amounts of time and energy into being profitable Type #1 will post to forums about how easy trading is, until a couple of years later they have lost everything, and dont come back to correct themselves. This gives other noobs the impression that there is some simple holy grail out there. There isnt. Type #2 - will work their asses off forever to make money, and only then will they continue to make money. If you post that trading is simple, you are a type #1 fool who is currently on the end of the bell curve, that will eventually lose.
there is a difference between SIMPLE and EASY trading is not EASY it *is* simple. don't get me wrong, you can do all sorts of advanced analysis, spreads, etc. etc. etc. but it is NOT rocket science some of the best traders ever have not (necessarily) been super cerebral. trading is difficult, but overcomplicating it is not a good idea. i use no indicators and a rather basic methodology (futures trading) that is very successful. it is not complicated
When I say its not simple, im talking about the entire process. E=MC squared is a damn simple equation. But discovering the equation, was by no means simple. Yes some of the mechanics of my trading, once you know the rules, is "simple", but it would be very misleading to call "trading simple" just because the final outcome may be simple, even though it took 5+ years of work to discover it. So when we talk trading, I mean everything, the whole shebang. It is by no means simple. Look at the failure rates as evidence.
look, i train traders. im well aware of how and why they fail. it is not because trading is complex it is for a host of psychological/risk management/money management/emotional reasons, primarily it is not rocket science. it's really not
What a bunch of mushy touchy feely emo crap. The #1 reason is no edge, all that other stuff is your typical gobble-de-gook vendor crap for sale. Its not rocket science eh? Why do these big hedge funds that trade with super comuters have teams of PHD's from the top schools in math, comp sci and physics, running simulation on server farms consisting of 20,000 hosts??? Oh yeah, dont worry, competing against them is simple, really it is, you just have to master your psychology, emotions, and money management. *vomits* I can see the reality I just posted will get every touchy feely it know it all flaming me soon, so im out. Go ahead and believe the idiots who think this is an easy simple job, if you dare. There is nothing simple about it and one day, sooner or later, you will agree with me. If its later, it will cost you a bunch of money to come to this conclusion im giving here for free.
no, the #1 reason traders fail is NOT edge because even WITH edge, a trader with poor emotional control, risk management, and money management is almost certain to fail you can have positive expectancy setups, but if you don't have the discipline to stick with them (even when they are not working. cause by the law of probability even a 70% probability setup will have many strings of 3 or more losses in a row), the discipline to use proper money management, the discipline not to overleverage, the patience to wait for setups and not overtrade etc. the person will still fail this is true over and over again. trading is simple, but it is not easy. i've spent at least as much time studying other traders as i have trading itself. this is a near universal occurrence
i need to qualify my last statement. i am specifically referring to futures trading. futures trading, the pitfalls of poor money management, discipline, etc. are more dangerous imo than stocks, because of the increased leverage and the nature of these markets
Edge trumps all other variables. The rest can be learned, but if you never find edge, all the rest dont matter. Stop saying trading is simple. If it was so simple, your guys wouldnt be failing to due poor money management, psychology and risk issues. Its all trading. Trying to define it into a narrow definition so you can call it simple is misleading. Its not a simple profession, no matter how many people try to say it is.
This gives other noobs the impression that there is some simple holy grail out there.THERE ISN'T. to call "trading simple" just because the final outcome may be simple, even though it took 5+ years of work TO DISCOVER IT. What you are saying is you discovered something which isn't there?? Now imagine what happened to me. It took me 7 years to discover THE EDGE but it disappeared after I used it for just 1 week! So now I am searching for another EDGE. And I am pissed as much as you because I am an excellent trader otherwise!