A week of sim trading, then a week of real trading. Market orders and reversals. Open to close. No stops.
The sim trading was characterized by consistently disappointing performances, careless omissions and reckless mistakes.
I reasoned that problems would iron themselves out once I transitioned to the real thing.
They didnât.
I thought a temporary abstention from ET would give me clarity.
It didnât.
Now thereâs really no difference between sim-trading and the real thing as far as Iâm concerned. If anything, my real trading was permeated by a bland indifference which wasnât present beforehand. A kind of gross insensate detachment, like sitting in a favela lighting hundred dollar bills.
Thursday, I went from double the ATR intraday to about break-even by the close, largely through a stubborn attachment to the What-Must-Come-Next that didnât. Fridayâs blundering clumsiness was an even louder message that I was unequipped and ill-prepared.
A lackluster week had ended in disgrace.
Itâs readily apparent why the majority of IR posters stick to an entry/exit mentality and presumably use stops. Mistimed reversals can be very costly. Mistimed reversals during parabolic trends can be devastating, particularly if followed by a late return to the right side of the market. Two such trades can evaporate an entire dayâs worth of gains.
So I regressed to sim-trading today, and after the numerous cautionary experiences, pared back the trading frequency and enforced EOB action.
And another sub-par, sub-ATR day.