I think the issue is, who is trading for necessity and who is trading for thrills. I need to be in tune with the market, or I can't feed the people I love. If I get out of sync with the market, I will drop my size first, if I'm still out of sync, I will take time off and reflect. Some people are trading to see how much return they can make, or how to time the market perfectly, ego satisfiers. In the end, if you can't support yourself in this endeavor, you're not a trader.
Tell you what. Rather than stalk a 74 year old man in the real world, why not pay me a visit. I mean, we both know you won't, so why even imply that you might leave the annonymity and security of your keyboard only to get your ass handed to you by a septuagenarian. Seriously dude, people lost interest in your 'act' soon after you first hit the 'Enter key' on this web site. Give it a rest, or failing that, get a life. - Spydertrader
I posted this nearly two and a half years ago. I think it still applies today. In a word........ Discipline. Having the discipline it takes to keep after your trading education after putting in long hours to study, prepare, test, analyze and review the rules, software, trading vehicles and systems before ever placing your first trade. Having the discipline to start with small sizes as you continue to learn and trade. Having the discipline required to wait to trade real money with maximum leverage until you achieve proper capitalization for your trading goals. Having the discipline required to remain patient while waiting for the most opportune time before entering a trade. Having the discipline to exit a trade and take a loss when the market tells you you were wrong this time. Having the discipline to exit a trade when you reached your target by not permitting greed to influence your decision. Having the discipline required to control your emotions before, during and after a trade. Having the discipline to follow your well tested and proven trading system rather than override it simply because "you know better." It's rather easy to find the Holy Grail. Maintaining it is quite another thing. I know I fight the battle each and every day. Good Trading to you all. - Spydertrader
Who you seem to be is all that a bulletin board can reveal about anyone posting comments. It may be that no one, even the most earnest, appears as who he or she actually is. I only see from the point of view of problem solving. You need to look at the market and see immediately where the most money can fall into your hands. It is in the gyrations, that is in the ups and downs. You have to buy the bottom of downmoves and sell the top of upmoves. You need to do this as a sequence or serial procedure. The big money for an individual trader is not in any so called trend connecting 2 points spanning a day or longer. Lots of things get talked about on ET such as set-ups, bull/bear scenarios, backtesting etc and they appear to me as preferences in a vacuum. These are the vacuums of non-problem solving minds. They have views taken in defiance of what you should do first; you need to see first where the most money can fall into your hands. That is your starting point. But almost all, do not.
Great post, glad this guy is still around. Why? Because it confirms what I have already intuited for myself.