I had a pretty odd an peculiar experience after I decided to combine different trading ideas from different books. After reading Profit Strategies by David Stendahl, I figured I would try to trade as a discretionary trader but act like a systems trader. Problem is, when SPWR started tanking I decided to insist on following the system (MACD on a six month chart with help of a tight moving average crossover system to act as a drawdown support, later learned I was doing something close to swing trading). Anyway, I got crushed trying to buy all the dips when the stock went from $164 to $109. I thought about what I read in the market wizards series by Jack Schwager and figured I should try to think of some trading rules to avoid that in the future.
First one is, allow myself to over-ride the system if the situation changes in an important way. Second one is, instead of making all kinds of "adjustments" (trying to buy every freakin' dip), minimize your moves. In other words, I'd only buy like one option on a dip and refuse to buy more if the stock keeps on tanking. But, the part where I say I should allow myself to over-ride the system is where I'd come in an either get out, cut my position size or hedge myself.