Originally posted by darkhorse
I may be an exception to the rule, but I don't really understand the discipline dilemma.
I have a given set of rules that I always follow during the trading day. If the market does A, I do B. If condition ABC occurs, I take action XYZ. No decisions made in mid stride, only automated responses based on pregame planning.
I guess what I'm saying is, why not develop a set of flexible rules so that you don't have to make fresh decisions under duress?
The need for "freedom of the moment" is overrated in my opinion. If you can't write out your reasons beforehand then your reasons weren't all that clear to begin with (in my opinion). A finely tuned system also enables you to handle more activity / more positions at once. I couldn't do half of what I do if I had to constantly think on the fly.