Sticking to the Plan...NOT!!!

[SimpleMeLike]

I am so F** mad at myself. I deviated from my plan today and took trades that I basically created out of thin air. ARRGH, still made $ this week, but so what. Did great all week until today and this very old bad habit came back to haunt me. I am not even happy about the "out of system" trade that I took that made $$... it is not good trading.

ARRGHH...

anyone else suffer from this? any solutions ?

John9999,

Don't worry about the profit or loss, Worry about the why of the trade.

Do not be mad at yourself, rather try to understand why you did this? Was it gut feel, in the moment or just some silly old revenge trading "I will show you who is the boss market", etc.

If the trade was logically and you felt from experience the trade made sense, then I say go with it and learn from it.

I am learning to not be soo systematic/mechanical with my trading, rather read the bars on the left and act and don't make stupid trades that will cost me alot of money.

Also, keep in mind (like me) you are gaining valuable experience every day reading the chart.

You will be fine and keep on going. We in the same boat.

 

[fan27]

Automate your plan, and automate order submission.

Exactly! It's 2018...I don't get why someone would aspire to staring at a screen all day and trading. It's like someone looking to become a floor trader in the late 90's or early 2000's.

 

[CrytpoTrading]

It happens, don't feel too bad and learn from the experience!

 

[wrbtrader]

Exactly! It's 2018...I don't get why someone would aspire to staring at a screen all day and trading. It's like someone looking to become a floor trader in the late 90's or early 2000's.

Actually, if you're not automated...you do not need to "stare at the screen all day".

In fact, if you see people say they "stare at the screen all day"...they aren't just talking about trading. They are talking about learning, studying, hanging out online at social media trading sites.

The last newbie that said they stare at their "screen all day" and worried about getting burnt out...

After questioning him further...I discover he actually only traded 2 hours per day, 1 hour surfing Elitetrader.com and ForexFactory.com, 1 hour reading articles online about the financial markets at CNBC.com & Bloomberg.com, 1 hour of lunch and then heading off to his part-time job for 3 - 4 hours of work.

That's the typical schedule of those that stare at their "screens all day".

Yet, reality is that if you're efficient in your trading...you really only need to put in about 2 - 3 hours per day of trading even if you're not automated. Therefore, those that stare at their screens all day are actually doing other things not related to actual trading via the example of one particular trader.

Think about that statement very carefully...stare at the screens all day. Everybody has to eat and then go to the toilet and later sleep. Just not possible to stare at the screens all day. Its a statement often misused by us traders to validate (merit) traversing into automated trading.

Today's trading environment much different then that 20 years ago...less full time retail traders...more part-time retail traders with another job. Besides, we all know what happens to a person that attempts to stare at their screens all day...they'll become a zombie by end of week due to the lack of sleep, lack of exercise...resulting in randomly pushing buy/sell orders after easily getting confused by 1 tick in the DOM or 1 interval on their charts...crazy emotional swings, mood swings and then they can't figure out why they can't get an erection when there's a hottie lying next to them in bed...in the nude.

Yet, those that work as professional traders at an institutional trading firm...they are the ones that can come close to staring at the screens all day althought they really only work 8 - 10 hours per day plus a mandatory 1 hour lunch break.

wrbtrader

 

[EsKiller]

John, you post too much. Spend less time in front of this keyboard, and more time meditating and doing activities that will increase discipline.

Complaining to a board about your lack of self restraint solves nothing. Don’t be a soup sandwich and tell these boards your every thought, feeling, emotion. I’ve seen your type through the years. That personality doesn’t work well in trading. If u can’t figure your “sh@t” out on your own you will never make it.

Now if you need help with strategy creation, that’s a whole other story.

 

[qlai]

John, you post too much.

I like his posts, they bring out interesting answers to common problems. Just because someone posts a question, doesn't necessarily mean he/she is looking for answers from others. Sometimes thinking outloud helps.

 

[Turveyd]

Actually, if you're not automated...you do not need to "stare at the screen all day".

In fact, if you see people say they "stare at the screen all day"...they aren't just talking about trading. They are talking about learning, studying, hanging out online at social media trading sites.

The last newbie that said they stare at their "screen all day" and worried about getting burnt out...

After questioning him further...I discover he actually only traded 2 hours per day, 1 hour surfing Elitetrader.com and ForexFactory.com, 1 hour reading articles online about the financial markets at CNBC.com & Bloomberg.com, 1 hour of lunch and then heading off to his part-time job for 3 - 4 hours of work.

That's the typical schedule of those that stare at their "screens all day".

Yet, reality is that if you're efficient in your trading...you really only need to put in about 2 - 3 hours per day of trading even if you're not automated. Therefore, those that stare at their screens all day are actually doing other things not related to actual trading via the example of one particular trader.

Think about that statement very carefully...stare at the screens all day. Everybody has to eat and then go to the toilet and later sleep. Just not possible to stare at the screens all day. Its a statement often misused by us traders to validate (merit) traversing into automated trading.

Today's trading environment much different then that 20 years ago...less full time retail traders...more part-time retail traders with another job. Besides, we all know what happens to a person that attempts to stare at their screens all day...they'll become a zombie by end of week due to the lack of sleep, lack of exercise...resulting in randomly pushing buy/sell orders after easily getting confused by 1 tick in the DOM or 1 interval on their charts...crazy emotional swings, mood swings and then they can't figure out why they can't get an erection when there's a hottie lying next to them in bed...in the nude.

Yet, those that work as professional traders at an institutional trading firm...they are the ones that can come close to staring at the screens all day althought they really only work 8 - 10 hours per day plus a mandatory 1 hour lunch break.

wrbtrader

I'm generally watching a film/tv show on 1 screen or little cos on ipad while waiting for setups, then i pause and off all good to plan back to tv show 5mins later and 100+ bucks up.

Sometimes i can be walking around the town or local hills.

Its really bit that bad, beats working, which as a programmer works have me staring at a screen all day lol

 

[SimpleMeLike]

John, you post too much. Spend less time in front of this keyboard, and more time meditating and doing activities that will increase discipline.

Complaining to a board about your lack of self restraint solves nothing. Don’t be a soup sandwich and tell these boards your every thought, feeling, emotion. I’ve seen your type through the years. That personality doesn’t work well in trading. If u can’t figure your “sh@t” out on your own you will never make it.

Now if you need help with strategy creation, that’s a whole other story.

John,

Please John post as much as you want anytime you want.

EsKiller,

Be kind, be nice, be respectful at alllll times. Those things are free in life. John needs help, help him , or don't say nothing , but never be rude. You never know how your words could effect someone day.

 

[ironchef]

John, you post too much. Spend less time in front of this keyboard, and more time meditating and doing activities that will increase discipline.

Complaining to a board about your lack of self restraint solves nothing. Don’t be a soup sandwich and tell these boards your every thought, feeling, emotion. I’ve seen your type through the years. That personality doesn’t work well in trading. If u can’t figure your “sh@t” out on your own you will never make it.

Now if you need help with strategy creation, that’s a whole other story.

1. Many here said trading success was mostly keeping emotion/psychology under control? If so, he asked the right questions.

2. Who among you are willing to discuss or reveal your strategy?

 

[themickey]

Nothing out of the ordinary with posting too much, it happens with many noobs.
Like children, they love to chatter, it's all part of the growing experience.
As one grows older, we learn to to say less and think for ourselves more.
Carry on.