Mental Ceilings and self fulfilling prophesies

Quote from candletrader:



When put that way, I fully concur (but bear in mind that the "crazy risk taking" enhances, not reduces, my average... albeit at the expense of larger drawdown magnitude and volatility along the equity curve)...

Yes. I understand.

The question that comes into my mind is how to continue to capture those extra points while reducing the risk from what you call crzy to acceptable levels if that makes sense??? (Purely a rhetorical question - not expecting an answer.)

Best

Natalie
 
I think a lot of people settle for a less then they could make and then justify it by saying that is all you can do. It is scary to commit 100% to anything, to go all out and give it your all. And I think people have a fear that if they have this higher goal and after having given it their all, if they don't make it they would feel very bad about themselves. So, this is used to justify settling for less. I know that for myself this was a trap I fell into for a long long time.

Brandon
 
Quote from Girlpower:



Yes. I understand.

The question that comes into my mind is how to continue to capture those extra points while reducing the risk from what you call crzy to acceptable levels if that makes sense??? (Purely a rhetorical question - not expecting an answer.)

Best

Natalie


I don't maintain a constant trade risk... depending on my discretionary assessment of a given trade, I can put anything from 0.25% (sensible risk) to 2% of risk on (what I term "crazy risk")... a clustering of 2% and 1% losses (albeit on a sliding absolute $ scale) can result in some rapid and volatile drawdowns...
 
Quote from Brandonf:

I think a lot of people settle for a less then they could make and then justify it by saying that is all you can do. It is scary to commit 100% to anything, to go all out and give it your all. And I think people have a fear that if they have this higher goal and after having given it their all, if they don't make it they would feel very bad about themselves. So, this is used to justify settling for less. I know that for myself this was a trap I fell into for a long long time.

Brandon

Totally agree... its imperative to:
1) strive to maximize a given days gains by following the plan with discipline...
2) continue to build size (my ambition is to one day be trading 100 lots)...

 
Quote from candletrader:




I don't maintain a constant trade risk... depending on my discretionary assessment of a given trade, I can put anything from 0.25% (sensible risk) to 2% of risk on (what I term "crazy risk")... a clustering of 2% and 1% losses (albeit on a sliding absolute $ scale) can inflict some severe damage...

Thanks so much. I appreciate your comments.

With the capital that you have, do you have several trades in a variety of things going on at once??
 
Quote from bubba7:



Thanks so much. I appreciate your comments.

With the capital that you have, do you have several trades in a variety of things going on at once??

I used to when I primarily traded stocks... given that my primary vehicle is now the emini, it was necessary to enhance individual trade risk in order to compensate for the lack of multiple positions, and the aggregate risk through having them open simultaneously (these trades would, for me, invariably be executed in the same direction, resulting in no mitigation of overall risk through negative correlation)...
 
Quote from damir00:



what are the odds ES trades 2 pts higher than it is right now at some point over, say, the next three days?

what are the odds ES trades 2 pts lower than it is right now at some point over, say, the next three days?

think through the implications.

So do you use hard stops? Do you use time stops? How often do you get stopped out for a big loss that just keeps on going and going?
 
Quote from candletrader:




I don't maintain a constant trade risk... depending on my discretionary assessment of a given trade, I can put anything from 0.25% (sensible risk) to 2% of risk on (what I term "crazy risk")... a clustering of 2% and 1% losses (albeit on a sliding absolute $ scale) can result in some rapid and volatile drawdowns...

If by risk, you are referring to the point at which you would exit a trade that has failed and the maximum loss, that does make sense, because the failure point for every trade is going to be different anyway, so having a fixed stop on any trade seems like a recipe for disaster to me.

Also, are you talking in terms of % of capital in this. In which case using sizing models and scaled entries could make a difference couldn't it? Another thought on the subject.

Best

Natalie
 
Quote from Girlpower:



If by risk, you are referring to the point at which you would exit a trade that has failed and the maximum loss, that does make sense, because the failure point for every trade is going to be different anyway, so having a fixed stop on any trade seems like a recipe for disaster to me.

Best

Natalie

By risk, I am referring to % impact on account... for a given % risk and a given account level in two different trade scenarios, the $ impact of a full stop on the account will be similar, irrespective of any differences in the the absolute point size of the stops in the two scenarios...
 
Isn't it interesting how the thread has moved from discussing the original thought, to now more discussing the mechanical nature and considerations? Looks like a natural progression for this thread anyway which is healthy isn't it...

Best

Natalie
 
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