Good point. I would add that the main reason we won't get any details from those 10 yr + sucessful traders is because they're not on ET. There are some here that are "old guys" who've succeeded quite well, but the vast majority of "making a living doing it" guys aren't posting on ET.Quote from TraderZones:
Yes, but you are very unlikely to get details out of them!
Quote from IanMacQuaide:
Good point. I would add that the main reason we won't get any details from those 10 yr + sucessful traders is because they're not on ET. There are some here that are "old guys" who've succeeded quite well, but the vast majority of "making a living doing it" guys aren't posting on ET.
Quote from ivanbaj:
It is easy to code the mechanics of a trade. It is more difficult to code the context.
Quote from ivanbaj:
My trading style has morphed to the simplest of things. I determine that a trend has ended and that a new one is in place. Wait for the 1st substantial dip and I jump in. Small stop and target at least back to the top or more.
It works well but it is so simple even a monkey can do it. I am afraid everybody can do this.
Is it my contextual understanding that is better or my money management or my discipline? Where is it at? What will make me better than the last guy? (The lion eats the last guy.)
Quote from cabletrader:
Not necessarily.
Most losing traders don't necessarily lose because they're on the wrong side of the market, they lose because they lack the discipline to manage risk and they don't fully appreciate the concept of probability.
You don't need to be doing something unorthodox or different to profit, if anything you need to be more orthodox and follow some of the traditional trading wisdoms.
The OP's strategy is a classic example. It's extremely simple and obvious which he admits himself even a monkey could trade. Nothing unorthodox or different about it but it works, so why isn't everyone making money? Because it's not the strategy which makes money, it's the way it's traded and the way money and risk are managed, that's what makes money.
90% of the alleged 95% losers probably spend most of their energy and focus on searching for an indicator or system to tell them which direction the market is headed, but even if they found it they probably still wouldn't be able to make any money!
Quote from Eric215:
It seems cabletrader is still running around here giving out advice on how to be consistently profitable and successful when he himself is not. Got to love it. He and his advice are the reason that most follow book taught trading methodology and still lose. If those people who are reading this want to learn how to unprofitably scalp for two pips 50 times a day and still come out only marginally profitable, at best, then please do follow his advice. If on the other hand you want to learn how to set yourself apart from the losing heard and one day become a very profitable trader and money manager, then follow mine.

Quote from Eric215:
Yes, simplicity is always the best. I'm sure that there are some quant algo guys that would disagree, but for the average retail trader simplicity is best. If your strategy is working then it would seem silly to change it.
What sets consistently profitable traders apart, and I stress the word consistently, from the average trader is that they are willing to buy and sell when most traders aren't. I know this sounds kind of simplistic but it is true. They have figured out a way to frame the markets in a way that allows them to enter and exit based on the emotional reactions of most losing traders. This point should be obvious in the fact that the majority lose and so a trader certainly has to be doing something different or unorthodox from what the majority is doing. So to be consistent you have to be on the opposite side of the inconsistent traders trades right? Look for situations that would cause other traders to panic (and you will learn this from panicing yourself several times) and take the opposite trades as them. If they are panic selling, then you buy, and visa versa. In the beginning I would recommend you stay with the trend until you can get a feel as to when a trend is due for a pull back. This type of trading will get you started in looking at the market in a different way. To be a successful consistent trader you have to be able to not be afraid when everyone else is afraid. You want ultimate control over your actions but not through fear. If there are any points during your trading that you notice fear, then take note of them, and realize that most people were afraid there also, which caused them to make a poor decision. Then figure out how you could have done the opposite and made money from them. And the beautiful thing about this type of trading is that it never goes out of style because fear and greed will always rule the markets.
Lastly, I realize that this advice is unconventional and not taught by most teachers or authors, but I don't teach or write books, I make my living actually trading the FX markets every day. Hope it helps.
Quote from lindq:
Very well put. A mechanical system has to be considered in the overall context of the market environment/personality/trend.
You can code that to some extent. But not to the extent that improves on an experienced brain.
Engage brain. Think.
Quote from Eric215:
Yes, simplicity is always the best. I'm sure that there are some quant algo guys that would disagree, but for the average retail trader simplicity is best. If your strategy is working then it would seem silly to change it.
What sets consistently profitable traders apart, and I stress the word consistently, from the average trader is that they are willing to buy and sell when most traders aren't. I know this sounds kind of simplistic but it is true. They have figured out a way to frame the markets in a way that allows them to enter and exit based on the emotional reactions of most losing traders. This point should be obvious in the fact that the majority lose and so a trader certainly has to be doing something different or unorthodox from what the majority is doing. So to be consistent you have to be on the opposite side of the inconsistent traders trades right? Look for situations that would cause other traders to panic (and you will learn this from panicing yourself several times) and take the opposite trades as them. If they are panic selling, then you buy, and visa versa. In the beginning I would recommend you stay with the trend until you can get a feel as to when a trend is due for a pull back. This type of trading will get you started in looking at the market in a different way. To be a successful consistent trader you have to be able to not be afraid when everyone else is afraid. You want ultimate control over your actions but not through fear. If there are any points during your trading that you notice fear, then take note of them, and realize that most people were afraid there also, which caused them to make a poor decision. Then figure out how you could have done the opposite and made money from them. And the beautiful thing about this type of trading is that it never goes out of style because fear and greed will always rule the markets.
Lastly, I realize that this advice is unconventional and not taught by most teachers or authors, but I don't teach or write books, I make my living actually trading the FX markets every day. Hope it helps.