Quote from joneog:
2 things:
1) The psychological effects that can cloud judgement when losses grow exponentialy
2) There isn't a blow-up potential with small losses. There's too many things that can go wrong with any trade, regardless of how effective one's strategy has been. Personally, I assume the worst case scenario until the market proves me wrong.
Excellent points. Especially with regard to ES. Many people feel that since it does generally return to the mean or oscillate that there will be a bottom that can be bought. The problem is that on the days when it is a true trend day, there is no bottom to trade and the averaging will give up most, if not all, the profits from the back and forth days. It's better to trade and take small losses even in an oscillating market like ES every day. Also, to your first point: Yes, the shorter time that a trader is emotionally attached to a trade going against them, the better chances they will have to think clearly and make a good re-entry.
