Is THIS what trading's all about ??

Originally posted by ThoughtfulFog
No. I am the worst trader on this board. Lost the last 14 of 20 days. Average daily loss about twice my average win.

My trades go one of 8 ways:

1. No fill
2. I get stopped out at the low/high, right before it makes the move.
3. I decide it's not going to move or it's not worth the risk and get out. I'm usually the last print or within the last 3 prints before it gaps in my original direction.
4. I'm wrong and it immediately gaps against me .15 to .50.
5. I'm right but get spooked out for scratch or 5 cents.
6. I'm right and try to cover but it gaps .20-.30 and I get out even.
7. Every once in a while I get sick of getting stopped out at the low so I say fuck the stop and it rips against me .50-1.00 and I panic out at the high/low.
8. Approximately 15% of the time I'll be right and be able to get out at a decent price.

The number of highs/lows I catch is utterly amazing. It's beyond probabilities. Check out ABC yesterday. I bought both lows at 67. Scratch trades on both because I got spooked out. I also bought the high in ABC yesterday and lost .20 or so. Not to mention the many many intraday swing high/lows I caught. NOONE on this board can possibly come close. Good traders or bad. Look at the 5 minute chart. That was me at the end of each tail.

I give up. I quit. I will hire out my unique abilities though. If anyone wants to fade my every move, you'll make a mint. (I've tried fading myself, but I start fading myself at the precise point where my original idea would have been right.) There are no words to describe the consistent level of wrongness I've attained.

Don't lose hope: if you're sure you are at the high/low, but don't know which directions: trade straddles. That way you are always right.

What do you trade?
 
Originally posted by WCOMtrader


Don't lose hope: if you're sure you are at the high/low, but don't know which directions: trade straddles.

That is precisely when the market / commodity he is trading will go flat.
 
These last few weeks have been very tough.
Im happy just to be slightly positive.
Zero/rare follow through...very tough for my style.
Hang in there. Should balance out soon.
(Famous last words :D )

peace

axeman


Originally posted by ThoughtfulFog
No. I am the worst trader on this board. Lost the last 14 of 20 days. Average daily loss about twice my average win.
 
Originally posted by vegasoul
I have four losing days last week...

then went short at the EXACT low of

Monday..

Yesterday...and TODAY...three days in a row

(I really should go for the lottery..what sort of probability is that!!)

got stopped out...reverse and went long with a LARGE position

after that


got stopped out AGAIN at a intraday LOW..

Market make a new HIGH and I brought BACK all of the long

position and the market went through the roof...

at the end of the day...

my account is BACK where I was one week ago b4 the losing

streak...

some of the more expreience trader may think this is nothing...

but the whole experience is driving me nuts..

I felt like a guy who survive a plane crash of something ...

Is this what trading 's all about???
There's more to it than that.

two possibilities

1. Negative emotions (which get started after a few losses and then just keep growing) cause you do things wrong. But not just wrong, EXACTLY wrong. That's what causes you to buy at the top, take profits before the big move, trade small on the big winners and big on the big losers.

2. I seem to miraculousy free myself from all negative emotions and I can trade "in the zone" I mean I can see it coming and going, and I'm aggressive and good, when the market also seems to be in a readable trend.

So is it the emotions or the market?
 
Good point.

Today I reviewed my trades and decided that
I traded DAMN WELL. But I lost money.
So in my case, I think its the current market mismatching
with my style.

2 days ago, I made huge errors, but made money.
Luck + market matching my style.

Its the averages that concern me.

peace

axeman


Originally posted by profitseer
There's more to it than that.

two possibilities

1. Negative emotions (which get started after a few losses and then just keep growing) cause you do things wrong. But not just wrong, EXACTLY wrong. That's what causes you to buy at the top, take profits before the big move, trade small on the big winners and big on the big losers.

2. I seem to miraculousy free myself from all negative emotions and I can trade "in the zone" I mean I can see it coming and going, and I'm aggressive and good, when the market also seems to be in a readable trend.

So is it the emotions or the market?
 
I agree it's your emotions that make you exactly wrong. But how do you free yourself from the negative emotions? Or are you aware of them and just do the opposite from what they tell you?

eg. hoping the move will continue means get the hell out.
 
ThoughtfulFog I also experience these frustrations of being Exactly wrong, no matter how I may try to bet against myself.

It seems like there's some kind of signal that's transmitted to the exchanges whenever an order of mine is executed, to tell them that now is the moment to move, the direction being the opposite of whatever trade I just made.

If we can turn our exactly wrongs into exactly rights, we can get "in the Zone".
 
thoughtfulfrog,

you just reminded me of the frustrations i used to endure when i first started in this game. trying times to be sure!
the good news is most of the problems you mentioned CAN be corrected. hang in there - you may be a lot closer than you think!
 
Originally posted by hii a_ooiioo_a
If that's all there is to trading, then let's break out the booze

welcome, old timer. (or should that be, welcome back).


****
eyes off self, eyes on game. what if the market conspires against you? what if she knows what your next move is going to be? Are you gonna let her outsmart you? No. You're gonna manage yourself. You're gonna cut your losses. You're gonna WAIT for your edge to manifest. And you're gonna learn a little bit more each and every day. And you'll hang in there, and you'll get paid for your trouble. Sometimes more than others.
 
Originally posted by ThoughtfulFog
I agree it's your emotions that make you exactly wrong. But how do you free yourself from the negative emotions? Or are you aware of them and just do the opposite from what they tell you?

eg. hoping the move will continue means get the hell out.
oh man, there's books and books, and societies and religions, and therapies, and I don't know what all to try to help you free yourself from the destructive forces in your own head.

A lousy market is the result of bad thinking. That's why when the market is lousy, if you look around, you won't see anybody thinking right.
 
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