Ability to adapt as a personal trait

I think different as I started making paper charts back in 1978, I learned the old fashion way of charting. To me adaptings' definition is reading the speed of price relative to where price is of a swing and memorization of patterns.

Memorization of patterns, knowing Instantly if a pattern is supposed to be there in relationship to an average swing. Memorizing to the left of current structures that may negate a signal.

In other words, adapting is memorizing good patterns that developed early and in middle of a trend for trend trading. Adapting can also mean not taking a trend trade when an extreme might be developing or coming upon long term trend lines. One's own rules, if price is beyond the nature of rules, adaption can mean to stop trading if volatility is not a friend.

We all born with gifts of awareness and developed between ages 2-3, some are slow and others are geniuses. But regardless, you learn what makes sense to you, backtest and do stats to prove your ideas work first.
I'm complete opposite.
Don't care about chart patterns.
It was so long ago when I last backtested I've forgotten how to do it.
Don't memorise anything other than just experience, ie, I don't attempt to learn patterns.
I just glance at charts and if you asked me later what price they are couldn't tell you.
Use no indicators.
I bought about 15 positions last week and never looked at the charts.
I just trade off data sheets.
Don't own a charting package, did once but that a few years ago.
 
There may be some lucky ones who are born with this master skill called adaptability but for most of us, it’s not easy to adapt to different situations. The only way I know is to rigorously follow my rules and constrain myself from violating them.
 
There may be some lucky ones who are born with this master skill called adaptability but for most of us, it’s not easy to adapt to different situations. The only way I know is to rigorously follow my rules and constrain myself from violating them.

I don't really understand "adapting" so much a skill, but
more a biological and intellectual form of growth.

All of us at some point in time had to change in order
to learn how to trade. In my understanding we all
had to adapt in our personal journey.

When we started trading, none of us knew we needed
to use rules. Did we not adapt to learned knowledge?
Of course we all did. The whole process of learning
is adaptation to new knowledge and skills.

All human nature adapts at some point, or it would perish.
 
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Most of us adapt to walking when crawling just ain't gettin the job done anymore.
mj.jpg
 
That’s a nice suggestion. However, for a trader, it’s easier to make rules, but it is difficult to follow them. I feel traders have to find an approach for them to stay more disciplined. It’s more like training your brain.
 
are there any actual psychologists or psychiatrists here who practice or practiced in the past?
I wanted to discuss this in relation to trading success

What i noticed based on my limited data and my own experience is that trading success relies alot on one's ability or inability to adapt to changes and how fast they are able to do so

And being able to tailor your trading style to your "adaptability"
Take for example scalpers, they have to be able to adapt to new market conditions instantly and not hold on to "what seemed to work" 5 minutes ago
While long term investors need to be able to not break during the daily fluctuations of the stocks they hold for years.

what i noticed in myself is in general i adapt slow, i hold on to shitty relationships that are not working, i hold on to beliefs that dont work, i hold on to all the trash that does not work anymore naturally
And also hold on to shitstocks that were bad investments and i should have sold long ago at a small loss
But i can weather long term hodl without problems or stress.
And when learning to day trade naturally i have to let go of old patterns and reset my mindset faster than i naturally can. So i end up consistently overstaying my welcome in stocks that i was supposed to day trade and not hold.

What im trying to see if theres a way to change your mindset from being a slow adapter to fastee adapter that will suit me better for short term trading

First of all, I and someone else (can't remember the user name) listed several areas that you should research (e.g. buy books, online research) involving Behaviour Finance and Cognitive Decision Making Process to you in a prior thread.
  • I did mention that you should see a psycho-therapist if you need professional help in changing how you view trading/money.
It's a great place to start if the trader psychologist sponsor that Elitetrader.com use to have is no longer here.

With that said, I'll give you a great example of a trader that lacks "adaptability"...it involves most traders.

Pretend you love trading Bitcoins but there are other trading assets you know about...Treasury Futures, Emini Futures, and Stocks. Yet, you hate EuroFX nor do you follow it... it's boring to you.

You then backtest and simulate trade your trade method on all the above...you discover that EuroFX is the most profitable trading instrument when you apply your trade method and that trading Bitcoins is consistently losing when you apply your trade method.

A trader that lacks adaptability will continue trading Bitcoins in an effort that they believe their trade method needs to be re-designed to get it to work on Bitcoins...so much that they're willing to go broke in doing it...

Yet, you never took a look at EuroFX. Thus, they forgot that the name of the game is to make money.

You'll be surprised by how many markets are out there to trade and most will not be suitable for you to trade while a few are suitable for you to trade. That's why there's that old saying in investment/trading...don't fall in love with a trading instrument.

Another common issue of a trader that lacks adaptability is a trader that's consistently profitable in the morning trading session but then consistently loses most of their profits in the afternoon trading session... completing the trading day at a loss.

The trader then refuses to stop trading in the afternoon trading session because they're focused on trying to fix their trade method or trading problems in the afternoon trading session that they keep trading the afternoon trading session.

wrbtrader
 
That’s a nice suggestion. However, for a trader, it’s easier to make rules, but it is difficult to follow them. I feel traders have to find an approach for them to stay more disciplined. It’s more like training your brain.
It is indeed very difficult to follow rules especially when they are opposite of our personality. Like it’s very difficult for a lazy person to develop punctuality as a habit.
 
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