How to change from futures book scalper to longer term trader

[illiquid]

I'm finally working through a similar process right now in deciding which time frame I should stay in, weighing the advantages and disadvantages of pure intraday setups and longer time-frame directional trades. I thought I needed to settle upon either/or, but in the process of figuring out which, I've decided upon doing both.

It's a struggle trying to mix time frames in the same market, having conflicting sets of mental parameters in holding longer term positions as well as reading the short term. But after a bit of mental adjustment, I think I've arrived at a good place where I can benefit from both sides -- as it turns out, the advantages from one side cancel out the disadvantages of the other in terms of patience and selection.

 

[murray t turtle]

Quote from downtickboy:

I have been watching and trading a system for a little while now that I believe to be viable and fairly accurate. It is not a black box or automated, but just gives signals on when I want to participate and which direction. However I am having some difficulty trading it like I should be. Part of the big problem is that I have a background of scalping and trading futures intraday mostly by relying on the order book for timing entry and exit. However this point of view directed clashes with what I am trying to do in that the book is not reliable or relevant in what I am now trying to accomplish. Also I am having to use larger stops then I have had in the past which has been difficult to adjust too. Basically the scalping habit/technique is clashing with what I am trying to accomplish which has the potential to be much more profitable and less stressful if I can get over these hurdles. The problem is I get in based on my signal but then switch to scalper book trader mode which messes up what I am trying to do.

Anyway I wanted to see if there are other ex-scalper or book traders who have made the successful transition to longer term intraday trading where you are going for moves of several ticks rather then trading for 1 or 2 ticks. If you have made the move what helped you make that transition and change your perspective and break the scalping habits.

^^^^^^^
Downtickboy;
dont know if this will help lengthen/strengthen your derivatives time frame but it helped me do the same in high liquid stocks.

Look , record data much on time frames longer than my average trades;
my average trade isnt months, but study a lot of monthly candle charts.

For sure for me longer time frames are less stressful, but;
we need fast MM/specialists also.

 

[GATrader]

I too, am at that juncture of having to evaluate if there are better timeframes that suits my personality, risk tolerance and life stage. The conflict is pretty pronounced between scalping and swing and the only way I can see resolving or managing this conflict is to automate the short term and be "present" for the long term trades. I am sure there are talented ones out there who can do both w/o much conflict and those are truly the superstars of this field.