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3 Rules For Traders-Must Follow

  1. Never allow a profit to become a loss. If a profitable trade turns into a losing position, then you have lost twice. Consider taking a portion of the trade as a profit, and if your long term opinion is favorable, then let the rest ride for the duration of the trade.
  2. Always start the day with your focus on good trade execution and not on big money. Money will take care of itself. A rational mindset trumps irrational behavior every minute of a day.
  3. Oversee each day carefully, but let a profitable week be your goal.  Individual trades may go against you, but a week of stellar opportunities will await your mouse click.   In other words, don’t gamble on a bad set up just to get even for the day.   TRADER-GIF

Optimism & Pessimism

Optimism means expecting the best, but confidence means knowing how you will handle the worst. Never make a move if you are merely optimistic.

Optimism can be a speculator’s enemy. It feels good and is dangerous for that reason. It produces a clouding of judgment. It can lead you into a venture with no exits. Even when there is an exit, optimism can persuade you not to use it.
You should never make a move if you are merely optimistic. Before committing your money to a venture, ask how you will save yourself if things go wrong. Once you have that worked out, you’ve got something better than optimism. You’ve got confidence.

It is the way a man looks at things-Reminiscences of a Stock Operator

“It is the way a man looks at things that makes or loses money for him in the speculative markets”, states Livermore. It is the habitual attitude that sets the experienced professional apart from the beginner. The ego driven thought patterns, not unlike the thinking of crowds, tends to be shallow and superficial.

Three different examples of successful large-scale trading campaigns are given to illustrate the thinking and the attitudes behind the trade. The first case study relates the correlation between activity in different ag markets. The second is an example where Addison Cammack uses the information from a tipster as a means of playing for position in the general market. The third campaign centers around a repeating theme: the opportunity needed to liquidate a large, profitable position. Often, the large trader must liquidate when the market is there to absorb a large line. Days of high liquidity and high volume are opportunities that must be watched for and acted upon quickly. In each example, the thinking of the crowd (and that of the tipster) is contrasted by the correct assessment of the large trader – this is one of the most important themes that is repeated in every chapter.

It occurred to me that Larry always has a reference to where he learned his lessons. That is, he always has a story or an example of the actions of other traders to support the rational of his actions. I only just realized that he must have done the very same thing I am doing now… researching and learning all he could from others.

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