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Trading commandments

ten_commandments1.) Respect the price action but never defer to it.

Our eyes are valuable tools when trading, but if we deferred to the flickering ticks, stocks would be “better” up and “worse” down. That’s backward logic.

2.) Discipline trumps conviction.

No matter how strongly you feel on a given position, you must defer to the principles of discipline when trading. Always try to define your risk and never believe you’re smarter than the market.

3.) Opportunities are made up easier than losses.

It’s not necessary to play every day; it’s only necessary to have a high winning percentage on the trades you choose to make. Sometimes the ability not to trade is as important as trading ability.

4.) Emotion is the enemy when trading.

Emotional decisions have a way of coming back to haunt you. If you’re personally attached to a position, your decision-making process will be flawed. Take a deep breath before risking your hard-earned coin. See related link.

5.) Zig when others zag.

Sell hope, buy despair and take the other side of emotional disconnects. If you can’t find the sheep in the herd, chances are you’re it. (more…)

Tony Oz Trading Wisdom – The Stock Trader

Tony Oz: ‘The Stock Trader – How I make a living trading stocks.” Page 163-164

[…] The thing that drives me crazy about traders is that they always tell you about a great pick they had, and how they have left so much money behind. It is always about how much money they leave behind. I used to participate in these conversations myself, and I would share my grief about the trades that got away from me. In fact, I would even do so unintentionally while teaching a seminar. Now, every time I am about to tell a story about a trade that got away from me, I take a deep breath, and I tell myself, “No one really cares!” As they say,”Misery loves company.” You might be in pain for letting a big winner go early, and you feel you have to tell the world about it. It is not going to get you anywhere. Stop feeling sorry for yourself. It is impossible to be right all the time. When you are right and you have not capitalized on being right, you are simply wrong.

One of my dear friends bought XYZ stock at 70. The stock went up to 85, and he sold it. He never told me he was in the stock prior to him selling it, and after the stock has already declined back to 75. He was so proud of himself, because he bought it at 70 and sold it at 85, especially after the stock dropped back to 75; consequently, he did everything right. He then said to me, “keep an eye on it and buy it if it trades higher than 85. I have a stop buy order on it at 85 1/2 myself.” I never really followed XYZ stock; however, every time I spoke with my friend he would say, “did you see XYZ stock today? It went up a couple of bucks. It is my pick of the year!” A few months go by, and XYZ stock took out the 85 level. It was now at 180. My buddy is glowing. “I told you, it is my pick of the year,” he says. XYZ goes up to 240 and announces a 3 for 1 stock split. “It is my pick of the year,” my buddy says. The stock ten folds, it was a great pick. My buddy was right.

No! He was wrong! Although he made a great call, he never bought XYZ back once it hit his buy target! It was his pick of the year, and he has zero dollars to show for it. Moral of the story, put your money where your mouth is. Do not use the “I should have done…” phrase. Only speak about your actions, learn from your profits and losses.

Trading Commandments

Respect the price action but never defer to it. 
Our eyes are valuable tools when trading but if we deferred to the flickering ticks, stocks would be “better” up and “worse” down and that’s a losing proposition. 
Discipline trumps conviction. 
No matter how strongly you feel on a given position, you must defer to the principles of discipline when trading. Always attempt to define your risk and never believe that you’re smarter than the market. 
Opportunities are made up easier than losses. 
It’s not necessary to play every day; it’s only necessary to have a high winning percentage on the trades you choose to make. Sometimes the ability not to trade is as important as trading ability. 
Emotion is the enemy when trading. 
Emotional decisions have a way of coming back to haunt you. If you’re personally attached to a position, your decision making process will be flawed. Take a deep breath before risking your hard earned coin. 
Zig when others Zag. 
Sell hope, buy despair and take the other side of emotional disconnects (in the context of controlled risk). If you can’t find the sheep in the herd, chances are that you’re it. 
Adapt your style to the market. 
Different investment approaches are warranted at different junctures and applying the right methodology is half the battle. Identify your time horizon and employ a risk profile that allows the market to work for you. 
Maximize your reward relative to your risk. 
If you’re patient and pick your spots, edges will emerge that provide an advantageous risk/reward profile. Proactive patience is a virtue. 
Perception is reality in the marketplace. 
Identifying the prevalent psychology is a necessary process when trading. It’s not “what is,” it’s what’s perceived to be that dictates supply and demand. 
When unsure, trade “in between.” 
Your risk profile should always be an extension of your thought process. If you’re unsure, trade smaller until you identify your comfort zone. 
Don’t let your bad trades turn into investments. 
Rationalization has no place in trading. If you put a position on for a catalyst and it passes, take the risk off—win, lose or draw. 

Socrates on Success

“Once A young man asked Socrates the secret of success. Socrates told the young man to meet him near the river the next morning. They met. Socrates asked the young man to walk with him into the river. When the water got up to their neck, Socrates took the young man by surprise and swiftly ducked him into the water.

The boy struggled to get out but Socrates was strong and kept him there until the boy started turning blue. Socrates pulled the boy’s head out of the water and the first thing the young man did was to gasp and take a deep breath of air.

Socrates asked him, “what did you want the most when you were there?” The boy replied, “Air”. Socrates said, “That is the secret of success! When you want success as badly as you wanted the air, then you will get it!” There is no other secret.”

10 trading commandments

1.) Respect the price action but never defer to it.

Our eyes are valuable tools when trading, but if we deferred to the flickering ticks, stocks would be “better” up and “worse” down. That’s backward logic.

2.) Discipline trumps conviction.

No matter how strongly you feel on a given position, you must defer to the principles of discipline when trading. Always try to define your risk and never believe you’re smarter than the market.

3.) Opportunities are made up easier than losses.

It’s not necessary to play every day; it’s only necessary to have a high winning percentage on the trades you choose to make. Sometimes the ability not to trade is as important as trading ability.

4.) Emotion is the enemy when trading.

Emotional decisions have a way of coming back to haunt you. If you’re personally attached to a position, your decision-making process will be flawed. Take a deep breath before risking your hard-earned coin. See related link.

5.) Zig when others zag.

Sell hope, buy despair and take the other side of emotional disconnects. If you can’t find the sheep in the herd, chances are you’re it. (more…)

Inexorable Change

Since change is ubiquitous and permanent, we might as well become experts at adapting. We can get comfortable with change and look forward to its permutations and surprises. We can train ourselves to become adept at learning, unlearning, and relearning.

On the other hand, we don’t want to be whipsawed back and forth through too rapid repositioning. Nor do we want to keep switching methods and systems.  We need to find the balance between being steady and too speedy a responder. We need to comprehend that markets, like the ocean, have waves, tides, and tsunamis. Each needs to be handled differently.

We want to make change an acceptable reality rather than a soap opera. We need to be flexible and versatile. In being flexible we observe reality clearly and adjust our actions. In being versatile we utilize our trained ability to perceive and react effectively.

Volatility in markets can be embraced as opportunity or feared as danger. That shot of adrenaline you feel as you trade can be exciting or terrifying depending on how you view the situation. Interpretation is at the essential core of our trading.

A good way to start each trading day is by asking some questions: Where are the opportunities today? Are there any impending risks to my positions? Where might the opportunities or risks develop?

In the midst of unfolding turmoil or stagnant stalling, we need to distinguish between the fundamental and technical changes that are structural and therefore important and possibly extensive, and those that are merely headlines passing through and therefore only interesting and probably short lived.

In any event, accept whatever is happening, utilize your methods and guidelines, take a deep breath, and do your best. Remember, as it has been said, “All you can do is all you can do, and all you can do is enough.”

FEAR

How to prevent Fear in trading ?

you have decide to trade a particular system. you get an entry signal, and put on the trade. You put in your protective stop, and you know what will be your signal or target for exit. There is nothing more to you need to do or worry about. The market will do the rest for you. You are along for the ride, and you know when to get out. So there is nothing to be fearful about …

“There is hardly anything productive about worry or fear when you cant do anything about the circumstances” by Buzz Aldrin

Fear is an emotion. It is created by us and therefore we can uncreated it. Fear is created when we think that our trade will lose a lot of money or things that will prevent our trade from losing. The keyword is think which is thoughts in our mind. When you keep on thinking of the thoughts of losing money and fearful of it. STOP!! Take a deep breath to break your connection. Then ask yourself, “Is this probable?” Continue to challenge the thought by asking, “What are the probabilities right now?” Then choose to take control of your thoughts and think term of the current probabilities.
Fear will lead you to disaster if you do not know how to release it. Another way to release fear is to have a shower to calm down yourself. (more…)

8 Trading Tips

1. Know that you can’t control the markets: but you can be well-prepared.

2. Set aside time to prepare: Block out an hour before the markets open through the first hour of trading to make final plans for the day and focus only on your markets.

3. Generate a Trading Plan: Create a Trading Plan and stick to it! Having a plan in place can ease your mind, give you direction and help focus your efforts for profitability. It allows you to control how you will use your trading time.

4. Take a deep breath: You know you can’t control the markets so take a deep breath knowing what you can control – your trading decisions – and don’t let emotion or anxiety get in the way. You can also take a few moments to clear your mind with relaxation and meditation exercises.

5. Turn off all potential distractions: Avoid all potential distractions. When your day starts, make sure you don’t begin it with a potentially distracting activity like Twittering and checking email. Start with a focus on the markets and on how you will perform today. You will feel good about yourself for being well-prepared.

6. Stay positive! There is plenty of research proving the power of positive thinking and general thought on one’s life. Creating a positive approach right from the start of the trading day will have a positive influence on your trading during the rest of the day.

7. Separate emotion, anxiety and the facts: The one reason people feel like trading failures is because they allow their emotions and anxiety to control their actions rather than sticking to the facts of charts and information.

8. Admit that you will win some and lose some: Not everyone can win every time in the markets, but allowing yourself to accept that you will win some and lose some will help you brush off any emotions and anxiety that you feel so you can focus back on winning.

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