Quote from NihabaAshi:
Some of those traders you mentioned will tell you it has less to do with the method and more to do with the trader using the method.
I see this happen week after week with different traders that concentrate more on the method as you have been doing.
(Note: I'm only assuming you have not been concentrating on yourself as a trader because you never mentioned anything about such in your post...you only talked about the methods.)
If you ever get the chance to watch a successful trader trade for a minimum of a few weeks in front of your own two eyes while they use a particular method or several strategies...
It will be extremely difficult (I'm not saying it can't be done) for you to duplicate his/her success the following week on your own while using the same method or strategies.
The true goal for you should be to understand how that method is being used, how is it being manage from one trading day to another trading day that's different and how that trader interacts with the markets...
these are things you aren't going to find in books, seminars, scanners, indicators, chart patterns nor chat rooms...
all you can do is learn the strength and weakness of the method...
while concentrating more on developing yourself as a trader.
That's where you should be spending countless hours...on yourself as a trader and how that trader (you) interact with the markets.
Also...from all the different areas you seem to have traveled among...
I would suggest its time you spend time with a successful trader...in person...one-on-one...
watching how its done via whatever method he/she is using...
while spending most of your time analyzing who that trader is as they move in and out of each position.
Look there first to see what it is that your missing before taking on another method.
Have you ever seen comments like this by one trader to another trader at forums...
"That's a trend based system...it'll never make money over time because of the whipsaws..."
A successful trader will know when to use a trend system and when to be on the sidelines when those whipsaw conditions start appearing...
A successful trader will know when to increase their size during trend conditions while reducing their size or not trading at all during whipsaw conditions...
My point is this...the guy that made the above like comment will fail at using a trend based system because he/she has already programmed themselves to attempt to use it in a whipsaw market condition...
while another guy using the same system will continue making profits.
All the above about what I've said is subjective and philosophical....
but you truly won't understand what I'm talking about until you spend time with a successful trader...one-on-one...
as that trader makes profits from many of his/her trades in front of your own two eyes.
I guaranteed you'll see a trader that interacts differently with the markets than you do...
regardless if you know every indicator, every chart pattern, read every book, visited every signal chat room, attended every seminar et cetera.
Therefore...those few close trading pals you know in person or online that are successful...start spending more time with them during actual trading...
one-on-one to help you put the puzzle together.
Now you know where to go from here if you have not done the above approach during actual trading while watching that trader move in and out of each position!!!
Once again...don't be concerned about their method...you've probably have already read about it or even used it...they may even have the same books that you have or using the same chart patterns and indicators.
NihabaAshi
Those that can't, ask lots of questions.
Those that teach, answer lots of questions.
Those that can, real all this crap and just smile.