Trading properly is SATISFYING & RELAXING

[capitalMan]

Quote from illiquid:


IMO, pride is the source of just about all of the psychological pain you place on yourself while trading -- from not getting out of a losing trade to beating yourself up for not taking the most out of a winning trade -- it's all due to ego. There's a fine line between "motivation" and "revenge-seeking", and it all comes down to how one deals with the ups and downs of the profession. And don't get me wrong and think I'm lecturing -- I know exactly where your coming from.

But overall its hard to say whether good trading should be comfortable/boring/exciting. For me, it's when my trading becomes most comfortable and satisfying that I need to be most careful, and that a big drawdown just might be around the corner. The dissatisfactions, pains, and sufferings keep me on edge, and those I'll gladly take in place of a bottom line loss anyday. Perhaps I'll never truly ever be satisfied and comfortable while I trade for a living, but if that's the case it wouldn't surprise me.

of course..that's not the "not cutting losses and admitting you are wrong " pride..but about winning in a game where 95% of people loses ..it's about the pride of being doing something other people can't do..

The problem is the dissatisfactions, pains, and sufferings when you down doesn't balance out with the joy, eurphoria and rush when you are winning...as you yourself said, when my trading becomes most comfortable and satisfying, something is WRONG..
and I think most pro traders have condition themselve NOT to dwell on the comfortable and satisfying emotions..I don't even feel too excited when I am up 150k a day... on the other hand, I don't feel too bad when I down 30k too..anymore than that, I start to feel the pain...

so it is not symmetrical, and trading ends up a emotionally negative sum game..

 

[DT-waw]

Quote from vegasoul:


...either none of you guys have traded on a professional level or

simply have no pain sensors...

My guess is that you guys is either not accepting the realities of

trading or you are not treating trading as a business..

My conclusions are exactly the same.
No pain, no gain.

 

[candletrader]

My objective (still working on it) is to make trading neither satisfying & relaxing OR painful & stressful... my aim is to make it as emotionless as possible... a tough aim, but a good one...

 

[DT-waw]

I agree, it's a good idea.

 

[Girlpower]

Quote from candletrader:

My objective (still working on it) is to make trading neither satisfying & relaxing OR painful & stressful... my aim is to make it as emotionless as possible... a tough aim, but a good one...

Yes, turn it into a job you do just like any other and maybe that makes it easier?

Best

Natalie

 

[candletrader]

Quote from Girlpower:



Yes, turn it into a job you do just like any other and maybe that makes it easier?

Best

Natalie

Exactly... very well put..

 

[maxpi]

Quote from Girlpower:



Yes, turn it into a job you do just like any other and maybe that makes it easier?

Best

Natalie

That's it in a nutshell 4 sure. I reached a point after a few years as a technician where I just looked around one day and realized that I could do any task thrown at me and do it well and enjoy it. It was a good feeling. I'm just getting to that point with the markets.

 

[Girlpower]

Quote from maxpi:



That's it in a nutshell 4 sure. I reached a point after a few years as a technician where I just looked around one day and realized that I could do any task thrown at me and do it well and enjoy it. It was a good feeling. I'm just getting to that point with the markets.

And as the competence level increases, so the stress of doing the job decreases?

Best

Natalie

 

[dbphoenix]

Quote from vegasoul:

The problem is the dissatisfactions, pains, and sufferings when you down doesn't balance out with the joy, eurphoria and rush when you are winning...as you yourself said, when my trading becomes most comfortable and satisfying, something is WRONG..
and I think most pro traders have condition themselve NOT to dwell on the comfortable and satisfying emotions..I don't even feel too excited when I am up 150k a day... on the other hand, I don't feel too bad when I down 30k too..anymore than that, I start to feel the pain...

so it is not symmetrical, and trading ends up a emotionally negative sum game..

How long have you been trading?

 

[Scientist]

Quote from Girlpower:



Yes, turn it into a job you do just like any other and maybe that makes it easier?

Best

Natalie

I really wonder who ever said anything else?

Trading is a job. Period.

Anybody who thinks anything else, is pursuing a hobby and is soon going to devote his time to a different one.

There's nothing glorious or special about trading. I wonder why there are so damn many myths about. Maybe it's cause so few people succeed.

I'd speculate that as a general cause-and-effect conclusion of applied extreme darwinism, people think those who succeed are glorious and superior heroes, since there are so few of them.

So their next conclusion is that you have to be a wizard, win at every trade and make literally boat-loads of money. What a bunch of crap, but so widespread, it's ridiculous.

There are so many jobs out there where you can make so much more money with so much less risk, honestly.

How about medicine or law, for example?

My lawyer charges $50/minute for phone consultation, and $700 to draft a letter. There are many worse out there.

Microsoft's lawyers make $150,000 per minute in court. McDonald's lawyers make $250,000! (guess why)

Medicals can make a lot, too. There's an obstetritian here were I live. He got very well-known since he was portrayed by Australian TV as one of the least-tax-paying people in the Country...

He makes $35,000/h in surgery. He does 3-6 surgeries in an average day.

Regarding the fact that he pays little tax and probably doesn't have drawdowns compared to those omnipresent in our business, chances are he's doing better than any of us ever will.

By the way, this MD just bought a $25,000,000 Villa off a Quantas executive - Right on the Water in Sydney - And he goes there there 2-5 days a year - for easter holidays...

All those that think trading isn't just a job, or even a particularly profitable one - Just think about it. It's a bit world out there.


All the Best,
~The Scientist