Trading Secrets Revealed: Mindset Shift from Beginner to Expert
In the today's post, we will discuss the evolution of a mindset of a trader as he matures in trading.
✔️Beginner
For some unknown reasons, beginners assume that a couple of educational videos and books about trading is more than enough to start trading successfully.
They believe that they got a comprehensive knowledge and that very few things remain to learn.
They start trading, but quickly realize that their knowledge is not enough to make even small gains.
✔️COMPETENT
After practicing a couple of years, traders come to the conclusion
that they know everything in that field. That they learned, tested and tried all concepts and techniques that are available.
They consider themselves to be the experts in the field BUT
for some unknown reasons, these traders still are not able to trade profitably.
✔️EXPERT
After many years of learning, training and practicing, eyes finally open.
Traders realize how limited is their knowledge and how much more there is to learn.
While they already have the skills to trade in profits, they understand now that even the entire life is not enough to learn all the subtleties of trading.
And here is a little lifehack for you:
if you are a beginner, embrace a mindset of an expert.
Start from realizing how little you actually know and how much more there is to know, that will help you a lot in your trading journey.
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Harsh Truth About Trading: In Books VS In Reality
Most traders start their trading journey by studying theory first, reading books or taking video courses before putting these newfound skills into practice. But once they start trading on a real market, they quickly realize that things are not as straightforward as the books make them out to be.
In this educational article, we will take a critical look at the difference between theoretical knowledge and practical experience.
📍And first of all, do not get me wrong. I am not trying to imply that trading books or courses are bad.
Theoretical knowledge is essential for successful trading, and of course the books are the best source of that.
The problem is, however, that books can be misleading. The examples in books are always tailored. When the authors are looking for the examples of the patterns, of key levels, they are looking for the ideal cases.
📍The problem becomes even worse, when one start studying the trade examples in books. And of course, the authors choose the brilliant winning trades with huge take profits and tiny stop losses.
I guess you saw these pictures of "sniper" entry trades with 5/1 R/R.
The inexperienced trader may start thinking that the markets are perfect and act in total accordance with the books.
That all the trades that he will take will bring tremendous profits.
That the identified patterns will work exactly as it was described.
📍The harsh truth is that books and courses are simply the compositions of different examples, cases and market situations.
In reality, each and every trading setup is unique.
The reaction of the price to the same pattern will be always different.
Please, realize the fact that books are only good for acquiring the knowledge. But in order to survive on financial markets, you need the experience. And the experience will be gained only after studying thousands of real market examples in real time.
📍Here is the example of a double top pattern that we were trading with my students on AUDJPY.
In books, double tops are always perfect. Once the market breaks the neckline, the price retests that and then quickly drops.
So the one can set a tiny stop loss and a big take profit.
However, after a retest of a broken neckline, AUDJPY bounced and the market maker was stop hunting the newbies. Our stop loss was way above the head, and we managed to survive.
Even though the pattern triggered a bearish movement, the reaction of the market was far from perfect.
Be prepared, that the market will much different from what you see in the books.
Good luck to you!
Learn The Main Elements of The Trading Strategy
There are hundreds of different trading strategies based on fundamental and technical analysis.
These strategies combine different tools and trading techniques.
And even though, they are so different, they all have a very similar structure.
In this educational article, we will discuss 4 important elements every trading strategy should have.
1️⃣ The first compontent of a trading strategy is the list of the instruments that you trade.
You should know in advance what assets should be in your watch list. For example, if you are a forex trader, your strategy should define the currency pairs that you are trading.
2️⃣ The second element of any trading strategy is the entry reasons.
Entry reasons define the exact set of market conditions that you look for to execute the trade.
For example, trading key levels with confirmation, you should wait for a test of a key level first and then look for some kind of confirmation like a formation of price action pattern before you open a trade.
3️⃣ The third component of a trading strategy is the position size of your trades.
Your trading strategy should define in advance the rules for calculating the lot of size of your trades.
For example, with my trading strategy, I risk 1% of my trading account per trade. When I am planning the trading position, I calculate a lot size accordingly.
4️⃣ The fourth element of any trading strategy is trade management rules.
By trade management, I mean the exact conditions for closing the trade in a loss, taking the profit and trailing stop loss.
Trade management defines your actions when the trading position becomes active.
Here is the example.
I took a trade on Friday, following my top-down trading strategy.
I was trading Dollar Index (the instrument that is in my trading list).
Entry reason was a test of a key level on a daily and a formation of a horizontal range on 1H time frame.
The position was opened on a retest of its broken neckline.
Position size of this trade was based on 1% of my trading deposit.
Stop loss and targets were structure based.
Make sure that your trading strategy includes these 4 elements.
Of course, your strategy might be more sophisticated and involve more components, but these 4 elements are the core, the foundation of any strategy.
Patience is a Virtue in Trading! Learn Why:
In trading, timing is everything. Winning traders are patient. They know how to control their impulses so as to act decisively at the opportune moment. Rather than acting on a whim, they carefully devise a detailed trading plan, in which precise entry and exit strategies are specified, and strictly follow it. Discipline is the key to successful trading. Although discipline can be learned, some people are more disciplined and self-controlled than others. It is useful to determine where you stand on this trait, and if you’re impulsive, developing psychological strategies to compensate for it will allow you to trade profitably.
Research studies have demonstrated that some people have difficulty delaying gratification. In the jargon of behavioural economics, they “discount delayed rewards.” That is, they would rather take a small profit now, instead of waiting for a larger profit later. Depending on your style of trading, discounting a delayed reward can be a problem.
For a long-term investor, for example, it is necessary to buy-and-hold long enough for one’s long term strategy to play out. There may be minor fluctuations during the waiting period, but seasoned investors have learned to wait it out. Most novice investors, in contrast, impulsively sell as the masses panic and buy the stock back at a top, which usually results in a losing trade.
If you are a long-term investor, it is necessary to be able to control your impulse to make a profit and allow the price to rise over time. Even shorter-term traders, such as a swing trader, must fight the urge to sell early. Although trades are held for much shorter windows, a swing trader must know how to wait patiently for the optimal time to sell. Selling a winner too early is not going to allow one’s account balance to increase exponentially at an ideal rate.
The scalper is at the opposite end of the spectrum. Most scalpers feel an overpowering need to take a quick profit as soon as they can get it. To some extent, it may be wise for a person who has trouble patiently waiting for the price of an investment instrument to increase to become a scalper.
The conventional wisdom these days, however, is that decimalization has made scalping less viable. It is useful to take other steps to work around one’s inclination to sell prematurely. For example, one can use the automatic settings on one’s trading platform to specify an exit strategy. It has often been said that looking at one’s screen during the trading day is like sitting in front of a slot machine and trying to resist gambling.
It’s hard. Just as the one-armed bandit tempts recreational gamblers, charts and indicators on a computer screen tempt seasoned and novice traders alike to make hasty trading decisions. It may be useful to refrain from constantly looking at how a particular stock or commodity is doing while you’re waiting for your trading plan to play out. If you have to walk away, while having the automatic settings on to manage risk, then, by all means, turn off your screens or walk away.
It is also useful to objectify the trade. The more you can learn to view the trade objectively, as if you just don’t care what happens, the more you’ll be able to resist the temptation to close out a trade prematurely. A cold, rational approach to trading, along with a detailed trading plan, is the best defence against impulsive trading decisions.
Patience is a virtue when attempting to trade profitably. It is useful to remember that humans have a strong, natural tendency to avoid risk and loss at all costs. This tendency often protects us from harm, but there are times when it can compel us to act impulsively. We are naturally inclined to avoid losses at all costs, even if it means selling a potentially winning trade before it reaches fruition. Unless one can let winners increase in price sufficiently, profits won’t balance out losses. The ability to control one’s impulses and wait for larger, delayed rewards is vital for long-term survival. It’s worth developing this ability.
Hey traders, let me know what subject do you want to dive in in the next post?