Quote from Trapper:
I'd rather see a sermon than hear one any day;
I'd rather one should walk with me than merely tell the way.
The eye's a better pupil and more willing than the ear,
Fine counsel is confusing, but example's always clear;
And the best of all the preachers are the men who live their creeds,
For to see good put in action is what everybody needs.
I soon can learn to do it if you'll let me see it done;
I can watch your hands in action, but your tongue too fast may run.
And the lecture you deliver may be very wise and true,
But I'd rather get my lessons by observing what you do;
For I might misunderstand you and the high advise you give,
But there's no misunderstanding how you act and how you live.
ET chat room has been open for many years and I have always wanted to see this method in action to accurately judge its merit.
Best regards,
Trapper
Delightful post!!!
Moreso for the various lines if those experiences have come your way.
Seeing the before and after for another person ranks high as well.
There are many many ways to trade profitably. Occasionally, some of those kinds of traders are in the same room.
What delights these kinds of people is that they really never see each other as competitors. they simply know and understand that trading is not a competitive thing.
Personally, I have a really nice list of these kinds of individuals. in an order of listing, I would note those who appear on panels under the title of "Great Traders You Have Never Met". One caveat though. I've never observed a panel that had a great moderator.
The good news is, though, the moderator usually hangs it up pretty soon and the panel "takes care of business" on its own.
A more general caveat is that a great trader is always able to recognize another great trader.
With respect to live trading, say in a forum at an Expo, if several traders are going at it on one market, the great guys always size up the screw offs in a New York minute.
The best guy at this is John Netto, a high school guy who became a US Marine sniper and later an embassy guard. After that he did go through university in China. His book: "One Shot, One Kill" is out of print and now sells for more than the original.
I remember once in San Diego he interrupted his intro to say he had to ENTER "ALL IN" right then and there. the moderator had NO CLUE what the market was about to do and neither did anyone else, some of who took the opposite side. LOL.... Priceless.
An ex GS guy who is above average in energy....shows a lot of "chicken" in real time......but he likes big blocks to make up for it. Netto has been seen laughing at him.... again the moderator doesn't have a clue.
what are these audiences like? they do not get it either.
the caveat is this.... If you can't trade you can't recognize a great trader anyway.....
Here is a before and after. ecently in NYC there were about a dozen people who , a while back and in a conference room where the ES was projected in real time for a few days, got to see Todd do his first ES trading day live and in real time. They also saw him in NYC last month several years later. Here I posted a 40 car trade he did last JUNE to make 43,500 dollars in 146 minutes. All of this has been real for a lot of people in one way or another.
In a few years, all forums will be what you want all the time. It just hasn't happened techniologically speaking for most web sites. A lot of people invite others to skype and the host usually has the screens up for everyone while the dialogue ensues.
A lot of people archive their screens on camtasia type videos. They are fun to review; it takes about 40 minutes to do a day using camtasia. A lot of these recordings are available on web sites to listen to as they unfold. Todd's first day was recorded thusly in JUNE 2006.
What is the dark side like? It is equally available to those who want to view it. In ET there are a lot of people who do not trade but they occasionally suggest that they do. When others chat about these people it is usually in a humourous vein.
finally there are the vendors who are terrific support people for traders. Sos @ Think or swim comes to mind. He really helps people through his knowledge of IT and making money.
I like watching the "Great Traders You Have Never Met" go back and forth after the "stock moderator questions" disussed at a prior lunch prep have been exhausted.
Last caveat. You brought it up and it is a stumbling block for someone such as yourself.
What you want to see is going to be hidden from you. The reason is widely known.
What it would take on anyone's part who is in your boat is also true: "that it is difficult to get to a place to be able to deal with it."
Todd addressed that in NYC with the group he met with. To go to that meeting you have to apply, or be invited. Several people made up to three passes to sneak into the deal. Others who were invited couldn't manage to recognize the opportunity and elected out of the opportunity.
What did it take for every skilled great trader to get to and take the first step? Everyone in the poem who is an example did what it took as well. What did all of those persons do? What did Todd say to everyone to explain what he did?
Not many people can think up the punchline. Who really cares anyway? A person can see, as typed words, the punchline or, better still, hear it or see it. But so what?
To not have the Black Swan possibility that is not part of great traders and their many approaches is something that is poetic as you point out.
The boot camp was able to make the point via the host. It happened in the litany. Everyone is able to not have to be on the side of the question (or the line in the sand) that you are on. The host is gone now for good reasons. It worked out for him.
