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Three Ways to Know You Shouldn’t Trade

  The question of whether someone really should not be a trader is one that’s not often brought up in discussions between market participants. It’s almost as if the baseline assumption is that the sole criteria is that you want to trade. While I’m a believer in the view that just about anyone can learn, there are limits to that. Ignoring the obviously physical and mental disabilities, here are the ones I think are most important.

Lack of Impulse Control
If you cannot keep yourself from acting on impulse – meaning making snap decisions without a plan – then you’re likely not going to do well in trading. Successful trading means applying a consistent edge. That, in turn, requires a plan that is being followed, not making random trades when the mood hits.

There is probably some confusion here when the subject of gut instinct comes into play. Here’s the deal, though. If you’ve only just started trading, you have no gut instict. That comes from long experience. If you’re a rookie making gut trades, for your own good you should stop now. Any success you’ve had to this point is almost certainly a function of luck, not skill.

A Troubled Emotional State
We all go through periods when we’re in a mixed up emotional state. It could be relationship issues, family difficulties, the death of a loved one, stress at work, or any number of other things that put you off your game. These are not good times to trade. Granted, trading can be an escape from the emotional strains in some cases, but that’s only if the trader can consistently execute their normal work and strategy without it being impacted by what’s going on in the rest of their life.

Trading has a way of really exposing emotional problems, even among the most stable of individuals. If you’ve already got some mental strains going on, trading is likely to either make it worse, or to see you feed on that emtion in destructive ways – like trading angry. It is best to stay clear of the markets when these sorts of things happen if there’s any chance of spill-over or distraction.

Looking for a Quick Buck
Trading is not a get rich quick program. Any systems or broker ads that lead you believe otherwise are being deceptive. As any trader who’s been around more than a year will tell you, trading is a marathon, not a sprint. If you come into the market looking to make a fast killing you are almost certainly going to blow your trading account up because you’ll end up taking much too much risk. Basically, you’ll be a gambler rather than a trader. (more…)

Presenting The 10 Most Spectacular Financial Speculations Of The Past 300 Years

Sometimes it seems like the investment community operates on the assumption that the world started in 1929 – or at least that the financial booms, busts and speculators preceding the 1920s are irrelevant to the modern investor. We think this is misguided. Just consider that this common worldview ignores an age where speculators lived in sprawling mansions on Fifth Avenue (as opposed to apartments in the same place measuring about 1/100th the size)! We imagine that there’s a lot to learn from looking at the past 300 years as opposed to the past 80. With this in mind; here we present what we believe to be the best trades of all time.

15 Types of Traders-Challenges Specific to Each one

1)Strategic Trader :This type of trader has a great chance of success but is (a ) likely not to recognize emotional mistakes ,(b ) lean toward perfectionism  ,and (c ) have a strong desire to be right

2)Planning Trader :Again ,this type of trader has an excellent chance of success.Your major challenge is the desire for excitement and the need to be right.You easily could become bored with trading and do things to lessen the boredom and thus limit your profits.

3)Detailed Trader :The detailed trader has a good chance of success,but you could be so into details of what you are doing that your miss the big profits.

4)Administrative Trader :You may be overly critical of yourself but not recognize mistakes that are right in front of your eyes.Furthermore ,under stress your may question your commitment to trading because your don’t find it satisfying.An administrative trader also has a good chance of success.

5)Facilitative Trader :This kind of trader has an above average chance of success.However ,you could have a problem with logic and ideas because you are always finding something new.Furthermore ,you may need external confirmation of your ideas ,beliefs ,and systems.

6)Innovative Trader :You have an above -average chance of success.However ,you probably want external confirmation for everything you do and have a strong need for a mentor.Furthermore ,you may  tend to abandon a good system prematurely if it goes against you because of your emotional reactions.

7 )Value-driven Trader :You have an above -average chance of success in trading but find that you must do things your way.In addition ,discipline ,follow -through ,and attention to details will always be a problem for you.You also may find trading boring and do things to fulfill your need for excitement.

8)Independent Trader :You are driven by logic and could easily reject systems that work well because you don’t understand them logically.Furthermore ,your trading could dominate your time and leave you socially isolated.That said ,you have a good chance of success if you apply yourself.

The remaning 7 types have a much more difficult time becoming successful in trading arena. (more…)

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