The Invisible Hand That Limits Your Trading

Arthur Deco · Feb 3, 2011

I think the gun ranges are few and far between in civilization. We may have to come up by me where I have a membership. You have concealed carry or will you be "Castle"-ing it? Regardless, if there's anything you want to shoot, I have an arsenal. Against my better judgement, I just reopened private messaging. I am trusting this time thast no lonely women looking for love will importune me. I have no resistance.

You ever hang out here:

http://www.texaschlforum.com/index.php

I do my best to entertain there, too.

(My apologies to the Opie. The assholes here do this to my best threads, too. I'm just spreading the joy.)

Roark · Feb 3, 2011

Quote from Arthur Deco:

Don't you know old codgers don't take advice well?

Rednecks often express this as "you can't teach an old dog new tricks." The reason is because biological organisms are conservative in nature, i.e., they do not expend energy without a definite purpose. The default state is thus sedentary for adults, which is one of the reasons why it is so difficult to maintain a rigorous exercise program.

I will turn your assertion on its ear. You are calmer and more relaxed when you are smarter. And you know you are smarter because you made a system better than random entry.

That's just an alternative way of stating that you planned for all scenarios in advance. If you get rattled during a fast-moving market, i.e., flash crash or whatever, you have your trading plan to rely on. Basically notes that you wrote when you were in the smart state for yourself to follow while in a panic or stupid state.

There is no you that you are all the time. Think of a personal computer booted with MS Windows and thereafter booted with Linux. The hardware appears the same, but the machine behaves very differently.

ammo · Feb 4, 2011

Quote from Rande Howell:

By J. Rande Howell, MEd, LPC

"There seems to be an invisible hand that is guiding.... my .....trading, and ......I....... don't seem to have much say-so in the matter," a trader laments to me. She continues, ......"I'm..... buying your book because .....I ......do not understand why..... I .....keep on doing the things that...... I..... do, when..... I...... know what...... I ......am supposed to do. But it is not what .....I'm .....supposed to do that .....I .....do. Rather it is what...... I'm ......NOT supposed to be doing that .....I .......do.

( I )......hold on to trades too long in both directions......( I) .....know what ......(my ).......rules say about.....( my)....... stops and......( my )......targets. But.......( I'll )........be there one second, then..... (my)....... evil ......(twin)....... takes over...... (my)....... mind. And......( I)....... do things that......( I )......know are not good trading. It's almost like.......( I )......get possessed, and when ......(I ).......wake up from the trance, all......( I ).......can do is kick...... (myself .......)for not following.......( my.......plan.

What's going on? Don't lecture...... (me) .......about discipline and putting.......( my ).......emotions down at the door of.......( my) .......trading room.......( I've)...... heard all that, but this invisible hand seems to creep in and all the discipline....( I )......have in other areas of ......(my)......... life seems to vanish in the mist."

The Elephant in the Living Room

.

B]

could be distracted

Roark · Feb 4, 2011

A couple of final questions, if the key to success as a trader is a profitable system with psychology having no role, why hasn't anyone bought that Trend Harmony system that is touted on ET and traded their way to financial freedom? Is it because the system is a piece of crap?

Why is the failure rate so high at prop firms? Does Bright Trading fail to teach any of its trainees a profitable system? Are the opening orders and pair trading systems at Bright bullshit?

RCG Trader · Feb 4, 2011

Quote from Roark:

A couple of final questions, if the key to success as a trader is a profitable system with psychology having no role, why hasn't anyone bought that Trend Harmony system that is touted on ET and traded their way to financial freedom? Is it because the system is a piece of crap?

Why is the failure rate so high at prop firms? Does Bright Trading fail to teach any of its trainees a profitable system? Are the opening orders and pair trading systems at Bright bullshit?

Richard Dennis showed long ago that a winning system can be given to a group of traders, and the results will vary very widely. Why? People cannot follow precise instructions. They overthink. When they start to lose, they start to tinker. Ultimately, they bring the house down on themselves.

Roark · Feb 4, 2011

Then Art Deco is incorrect in his assertion that the only thing necessary for success is a profitable system.

Redneck · Feb 4, 2011

Quote from Arthur Deco:

I think the gun ranges are few and far between in civilization. We may have to come up by me where I have a membership. You have concealed carry or will you be "Castle"-ing it? Regardless, if there's anything you want to shoot, I have an arsenal. Against my better judgement, I just reopened private messaging. I am trusting this time thast no lonely women looking for love will importune me. I have no resistance.

You ever hang out here:

http://www.texaschlforum.com/index.php

I do my best to entertain there, too.

(My apologies to the Opie. The assholes here do this to my best threads, too. I'm just spreading the joy.)

That is a cool site, and first I've seen of it..... I'll check it out more this weekend

Donât have my CHL â simply been too lazy to goâ¦

I also have a bit of an arsenalâ¦.

The place I frequent to blow things upâ¦.(sporting clays/ rifle / pistol / bow)

http://www.alpinerange.com/range_information.htm

A site you might find interestingâ¦..

http://www.ar15.com/

I can go north, no problemâ¦ just not too far north â Iâll get skeeerd much past the Ole Redâ¦.

The only gun I have not shot, but would love too, is a Barrett - other than that - I'm up for anything

RN

Redneck · Feb 4, 2011

Quote from Roark:

Then Art Deco is incorrect in his assertion that the only thing necessary for success is a profitable system.

Roark

If you have your head screwed on straight â then itâs all academic

If you donât - then you have work

AD focuses on the systemâ¦ I focus on the psychology

Why â probably because he is interested it the systemâ¦. Iâm interested in the psychology

Being right or wrong is sooooooo overrated

Being profitable - Well that is another story.....

RN

Rande Howell · Feb 4, 2011

Quote from DanS:

Describes me to a "T". I can put a buy down on the chart, but when it comes to pushing the buy button, I wrestle with an 800 lb gorilla.

And that 800 lb gorilla is "you" also. This is where a trader has to develop emotional regulation skills to keep the body and brain from emotionally sweeping your mind away; develop mindfulness skills to distinguish between uncertainty, worry, and fear; and develop the heroic aspects of the self to actually do the trading -- rather than trade from a fear-based state of mind.

Rande Howell

Rande Howell · Feb 4, 2011

Quote from olias:

Good stuff here, not just for trading, but for life.

True. I view trading as life on steroids. It's nearly impossible to continue the avoidance of your psychological demons though. Your trading account always holds you accountable for the beliefs with which you engage the uncertainty of the market.

Rande Howell