Staying focused while trading

But that level of passion = addiction to trading, been there, doesn't really make for a good trader either, hard balance.

I manage 15mins if nothing looking promising I'll wander off then 4hours later kick myself for moves lost.
No wonder you've been so uptight lately. :D
 
If i where having a conversation with a girl i would be doing something so i wouldn't get bored.

Unless she would be talking about Trump, then i might still leave.

Some look good, but very few you'd want to talk to! LOL
 
I am trading ES and probably get 2 or 3 trades a day and i find myself getting very distracted during the waiting, sometimes even missing trades because of it since i often leave my desk to do something. It sometimes results in me running out of patience and taking on trades that i shouldn't take on.

I tried playing some games but i am not really in to gaming. I do play some guitar and also work on and off on automated trading but nothing to serious so far.

What do you guys do to keep yourself entertained without losing to much focus?
Learn Python/R and write code with the IB API.
 
It's simple. You lack passion for the market. If you were in love with a girl you're seeing, would you just walk out on her in the middle of conversation? No, you would take interest in everything she does, in every word she utters, in every movement she makes. If you don't find interest in her, then it means you don't find her attractive. It's the same thing with the market. If you were passionate, you will find meaning in all its moves. Why was it that this candle is above the previous candle? What's up with the lagging volume when it "should" be doing otherwise? Etc, etc. Questions and answers should be swirling through your head.

However, if you can't focus on trading and rather prefer on doing something else, maybe this isn't right for you. You should move on and find something more meaningful, something that you're REALLY passionate about. Forget about money and listen to your heart.

That's a really good point. My trading is on the side (and mostly automated) -- I have a full-time job I like on its own merits -- and I sometimes wish I had more time to just watch the markets move to news, chart lines, etc.
 
That's a really good point. My trading is on the side (and mostly automated) -- I have a full-time job I like on its own merits -- and I sometimes wish I had more time to just watch the markets move to news, chart lines, etc.

Having time to watch the market is something different as sitting behind your desk for hours and hours day after day until a good setups comes up. It has absolutely nothing to do with having a lack of passion.

His comparison would have been fair if it was about waiting for a girl, waiting for her to get home and have nothing to do while waiting. Would you just sit and wait all day? No, you want something to do until she gets there.

I want something to do until my setup is there to trade.
 
Last edited:
It’s not a good strategy to be focused 8h non stop. Because you probably won’t be focused more than 45 min anyway.

That is why i am looking for something to do ...

I get distracted now, so much that i leave my desk too often. If i had something to do at my desk i could keep an eye on the markets while doing some other preferably useful stuff and get right back to the markets if necessary.
 
I am trading ES and probably get 2 or 3 trades a day and i find myself getting very distracted during the waiting, sometimes even missing trades because of it since i often leave my desk to do something. It sometimes results in me running out of patience and taking on trades that i shouldn't take on.

I tried playing some games but i am not really in to gaming. I do play some guitar and also work on and off on automated trading but nothing to serious so far.

What do you guys do to keep yourself entertained without losing to much focus?
Monitoring trades on one computer screen, reading ET posts on the other computer screen.
 
Back
Top