Day #8 - Slept well and ready for the day. Started off fine... then that darn chop. Once I figured out it was chop, I adjusted accordingly, but in the meantime would get the signal to get in.... only to get stopped out. Just no follow through. By the time CL started to open up, I was down quite a bit... then over the bit managed to trade almost back to breakeven. Then the decision... do I stop... or do I stick with the plan and trade a bit more. I went with the trade a bit more part, as I felt like I was fighting through the personal fear of losing. But not stupid fighting, just going in to trade what I was seeing in the market. One thing I just remembered, was when I was down I could feel that frustration... so I told myself to just take a break. Get away from the computer... and take a break. Can't trade frustrated. Looking back now, that was probably close to the turning point for coming out of the hole. My days are definitely feeling more manageable, and I think this is because I was willing to admit that I was weakened. Now it is out there on the table, and I have acknowledged it, and now am more aware of it. Tomorrow is going to be a good day. -290
Seriously, what was going on with our beloved crude today? It felt like two massive HFT robots were trying to outsmart each other most of the day.
Day #9 - Went to bed a bit later than normal, but slept well, and actually slept in about 30 mins. Was briefly tempted to stop my regular routine, and just get trading... but for what? So stuck with the plan. However, one thing I did differently today... a simple thing (and I will try it again on Monday), is that I didn't drink any coffee. I usually only have a cup or two, but I have been wondering if the caffeine could be a detriment to my trading. The day started off okay, but I was up a bit, down a bit. I found the first part a little challenging with the slow drift downwards. I could feel myself "fighting" a bit, and I then I asked myself why am I doing this. So took a break. Relaxed for a bit. Did some laundry. Then came back to the market. I was up about $100 and I was really tempted to stop for the day, but that was only because I wanted to have a profitable day. However, once I saw the market start to open up I saw the opportunity and started to trade again. Now this is where it got interesting... my first trade was a loss. Then my next trade I took a little heat, and I felt a bit of fear kick in... and I thought, "what the heck, this means nothing!"... "just trade". And I actually started to say that out loud to myself. I then started to just feel like it didn't matter. I didn't really care. And so I traded like that. It was a good feeling. Then the day was over, I was up for the day, but you know what... I didn't even feel pumped, or excited... just felt like the day was done and this is how it worked out. So maybe... maybe this a tentative step to eliminating this fear of loss. Actually finished the week positive... Hello you gorgeous sweet first weekend of May! +297
Nice job YK ! I noticed awhile back that coffee makes me a bit edgy. Not just when I'm trading. Didn't notice that when I was a bit younger. I drink decaf or low caf (mix decaf & caf beans) when I trade and at home. Yes, got off the caffeine. and now drink a beer, it's the weekend. Enjoy !
Until this mindset becomes default - really nothing else to say ============================ Zig Zag indicator forecasting a bad day tomorrow Absolutely not looking forward to reading about it (Note; good day..., bad day - has no reference..., whatsoever..., to PnL) RN
Day #10 - Had a good rest, and slept well... and passed up a healthy distraction for the sake of trading this morning. Reminded myself I was committed to this.... this is what I wanted to do. Then went and made tea, as I am not drinking coffee before trading. Today wasn't my type of day. However, once I realized what kind of day it was... I adjusted accordingly until the market showed me differently. At one point I could feel the frustration, because stupid CL wouldn't go anywhere... so I told myself to take a break. I walked away, and in about three minutes it hit me. CL doesn't have to go anywhere... "you are acting childish by being frustrated"... this is what CL is doing right now, and either trade accordingly or don't trade. Got my head wrapped around that, but it was still difficult to wait and put on the correct trades. I reminded myself that all I could rely on was my trading plan. I had to simply trade the plan. At one point I literally had to push myself through the fear of loss, and take the darn trade... and then just manage it.... but it worked, and glad I pushed through that. A bit later an interesting thing happened to me. I was sitting there watching the market, and it was like deja vu... I had seen this before. Felt like I knew exactly what was going to happen next. Get short, and market will drift down another 20 ticks. It was an intuition of some kind... almost like I could see what was going to happen. I never took the trade, because it didn't fit with my plan, but I did watch to see what would happen... and it was exactly that. Interesting. My trading time was now up, and I reluctantly stopped. For some reason, felt like I should have done better today.... not sure where that was coming from... As I feel like I stuck with the plan on a day that was tougher than normal. +242
What a delightful surprise Your effort caused the ZZ indicator to give off a false signal - Sweet!!!!! Btw - where the check mark(s) Side note; Seems lately we've veered away from check marking..., and toward the internal We need to quiet / set aside the internal - and get back to focusing on check marking - me thinks ====================== Good - me to I'm addicted to water As a trader - every day IS your type of day - just need the experience to manage through what ever day it ends up being Mkt is funny that way Good Job Mkt is neither stupid or smart..., good or bad - it simply a place where we exploit price movement for profit Bingo!!!! Once you get the discipline ingrained (consistent mindset) - you can then also rely on you..., and your actions to always act in your own best interest Intuition = where the subconscious is picking up on things - the conscious is blocked from We are the predominant cause of our conscious being blocked Removing the block is called getting out of our own way =========== As for not taking an out of plan trade - Good Job!!!! You have a hard time being satisfied..., and/ or patting yourself on the back? Go stand in front of a mirror...., look yourself dead in the eye..., and tell yourself - "Good Job" Repeat "Good Job" to yourself a few times - out loud..., and in an authoritative voice Dead nuts series about this YK You cut yourself down when you fuck up...., so..., and in the same vein - build yourself up when you do good Damn certain no one else will ========================== Today = Check Mark Now...., for the purpose of building consistency - make tomorrow one as well RN