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The 14 Stages Of Trader

1. OPTIMISM – It all starts with a hunch or a positive outlook leading us to buy a stock.

2. EXCITEMENT – Things start moving our way and we get giddy inside. We start to anticipate and hope that a possible success story is in the making.

3. THRILL – The market continues to be favorable and we just can’t help but start to feel a little “Smart.” At this point we have complete confidence in our trading system.

4. EUPHORIA – This marks the point of maximum financial risk but also maximum financial gain. Our investments turn into quick and easy profits, so we begin to ignore the basic concept of risk. We now start trading anything that we can get our hands on to make a buck.

5. ANXIETY – Oh no – it’s turning around! The markets start to show their first signs of taking your “hard earned” gains back. But having never seen this happen, we still remain ultra greedy and think the long-term trend is higher.

6. DENIAL – The markets don’t turn as quickly as we had hoped. There must be something wrong we think to ourselves. Our “long-term” view now shortens to a near-term hope of an improvement.

7. FEAR – Reality sets in that we are not as smart as we once thought. Instead of being confident in our trading we become confused. At this point we should get out with a small profit and move on but we don’t for some stupid reason.

8. DESPERATION – All gains have been lost at this point. We had our chance to profit and missed it. Not knowing how to act, we attempt to do anything that will bring our positions back into the black.

9. PANIC – The most emotional period by far. We are clueless and helpless. At this stage we feel like we are at the mercy of the market and have absolutely no control.

10. CAPITULATION – We have reached our breaking point and sell our positions at any price. So long as we can get out of the market to avoid bigger losses we are content.

11. DESPONDENCY – After exiting the markets we do not want to buy stocks ever again. The markets are not for us and should be avoided like the plague. However, this rare point marks thepoint of maximum financial opportunity.

12. DEPRESSION – We drink, cry and/or pray. How could we have been so dumb we think to ourselves. Some start to correctly look back and analyze what went wrong. Real traders are born here, learning from past mistakes.

13. HOPE – We can still do this! Eventually we return come to the realization the market actually does have cycles (shocking). We begin to start analyzing new opportunities.

14. RELIEF – The markets are turning positive again and we see our prior investment come back around. We regain our faith (although small) in our ability to invest our money. The cycle start all over again!

10 Mental Errors

The weakest link to any trading strategy is the trader that is suppose to be executing it. It is usually the mental and emotional errors of the trader that cause the 90% of unprofitable traders to lose money. Trading success is determined more by the mindset of the trader than their skills with math, economics, or macro knowledge.

  1. The ego takes over the trader and being right becomes the #1 priority. This causes the trader not to take losses becasue they don’t want to be proven wrong.
  2. Greed causes traders to trade too big because they want to make a huge amount of money in one trade.
  3. Fear causes a trader to exit to early with a very small profit because they are afraid it will disappear.
  4. Discouragement causes a trader to quit before they have given themselves or their systems enough time to win.
  5. Coat tailing is when a trader follows a guru’s trades instead of learning to trade correctly themselves.
  6. Style drift is when a trader changes their method instead of sticking to it and letting it play out when the right market environment emerges.
  7. Arrogance leads a trader to trade too big and take on too much risk, this usually happens after a big winning streak or outsized win. (more…)

Dream world of the compulsive gambler

This is a question that is standard in all the Gamblers Anonymous websites around the world. Reading this can be a shocking reminder of how close to the edge trading can be to gambling. We really need to know what the difference is. Are you a trader or a gambler? Notice once again it is pychology that means the difference, and not just following a system. Many gamblers have a system. Read on:

What is the dream world of the compulsive gambler?

This is another common characteristic of compulsive gamblers. A lot of time is spent creating images of the great and wonderful things they are going to do as soon as they make the big win. They often see themselves as quite philanthropic and charming people. They may dream of providing families and friends with new cars, mink coats and other luxuries. Compulsive gamblers picture themselves leading a pleasant and gracious life, made possible by the huge sums of money they will accrue from their “system”. Servants, penthouses, nice clothes, charming friends, yachts and world tours are a few of the wonderful things that are just around the corner after a big win is finally made. Pathetically, however, there never seems to be a win big enough to make even the smallest dream come true. When compulsive gamblers succeed, they gamble to dream still greater dreams. When failing, they gamble in reckless desperation and the depths of their misery are fathomless as their dream world comes crashing down. Sadly, they will struggle back, dream more dreams and of course suffer more misery. No one can convince them that their great schemes will not someday come true. They believe they will. For without this dream world, life for them would not be tolerable.

The 14 Stages of Trading Psychology

1. OPTIMISM – It all starts with a hunch or a positive outlook leading us to buy a stock.

2. EXCITEMENT – Things start moving our way and we get giddy inside. We start to anticipate and hope that a possible success story is in the making
.
3. THRILL – The market continues to be favorable and we just can’t help but start 
to feel a little “Smart.” At this point we have complete confidence in trading system

4. EUPHORIA – This marks the point of maximum financial risk but also maximum financial gain. Our investments turn into quick and easy profits, so we begin to ignore the basic concept of risk We now start trading anything that we can get our hands on to make a buck.

5. ANXIETY – Oh no – it’s turning around! The markets start to show their first signs of taking your “hard earned” gains back. But having never seen this happen, we still remain ultra greedy and think the long-term trend is higher.

6. DENIAL – The markets don’t turn as quickly as we had hoped. There must be something wrong we think to ourselves. Our “long-term” view now shortens to a near-term hope of an improvement.

7. FEAR – Reality sets in that we are not as smart as we once thought. Instead of being confident in our trading we become confused. At this point we should get out with a small profitand move on but we don’t for some stupid reason. (more…)

5 Emotional Stages of a Loss

Stage 1: Denial
This is when you have the first sign of a loss. However, you justify this loss. You deny it’s true form and decide that it could be a winner…but you just have to “wait it out.” “Afterall, I bought a lot of time on my option.”
Stage 2: Anger
The loss judt got worse. Now you look to place blame. Freakin’ blog! I hate the marketcast anyway!!! Why didn’t I do my own analysis????

Stage 3: Bargaining
If somehow this stock can move in your favor, you promise you won’t do it again. Or even worse, you start to think of ways to salvage. Desperation sets in.
Stage 4: Depression
It couldn’t get worse huh? WRONG! Now this makes a huge mark on your account, your spouse is going to kill you, it is going to take forever to make it back, and you start to panic.
Stage 5: Acceptance
Alright, I will take the loss.

The 14 Stages Of Trading Psychology

1. OPTIMISM – It all starts with a hunch or a positive outlook leading us to buy a stock.
2. EXCITEMENT – Things start moving our way and we get giddy inside. We start to anticipate and hope that a possible success story is in the making.
3. THRILL – The market continues to be favorable and we just can’t help but start to feel a little “Smart.” At this point we have complete confidence in our trading system.
4. EUPHORIA – This marks the point of maximum financial risk but also maximum financial gain. Our investments turn into quick and easy profits, so we begin to ignore the basic concept of risk. We now start trading anything that we can get our hands on to make a buck.
5. ANXIETY – Oh no – it’s turning around! The markets start to show their first signs of taking your “hard earned” gains back. But having never seen this happen, we still remain ultra greedy and think the long-term trend is higher.
6. DENIAL – The markets don’t turn as quickly as we had hoped. There must be something wrong we think to ourselves. Our “long-term” view now shortens to a near-term hope of an improvement.
7. FEAR – Reality sets in that we are not as smart as we once thought. Instead of being confident in our trading we become confused. At this point we should get out with a small profit and move on but we don’t for some stupid reason. (more…)

Every mistake a trader can make

MISTAKES-TRADERSSymptoms:

  1. Trading with “scared” money

  2. Trading from a state of desperation and fear
  3. Ruled by emotions and unable to take a loss
  4. Changing her trading plan often
  5. Trying to be perfect
  6. Looking for medication to deal with emotional issues over trading
  7. Adopting a trading technique (scalping one futures contract) that is beyond her level of trading competence
  8. Attached to the outcome of each trade
  9. Not committed to the process of learning to trade—using trading as a temporary “stop-gap” source of income until something else becomes available.
  10. Acting out personal dramas in the financial markets

Winning Attitude

winningattitudeOne of the most important tools that a trader possesses is his or her mind. Attitude can either make or break you as a trader.

To become a successful trader it begins with believing in yourself and having a winning attitude.

Everyone wants to be a winner, at least they think so. Unfortunately, most are not willing to perform the tasks necessary to become a consistent winner.

Winners generally achieve success by being focused on a goal. Being focused allows winners to remain committed to the tasks at hand. Most winners perform a lot of hard work, including a willingness to deal with sometimes mundane duties. Most of all, winners perform with an “I am responsible for both my failures and successes” attitude. (more…)

The Stock Trader's circle of Sucess and Failure

The following graphic describes two types of traders.  The first (the circle on the left) describes what I believe to be the characteristics of all beginning traders, most of which end up quitting.  There is a progression here from bad to worst.  However, if the beginning trader can break through this cycle somewhere around undisciplined fear (#3) and paralysis of analysis (#4), the chances of his success improves exponentially.

TWOTYPETRADERS

THE LOSER’S CYCLE OF DESPERATION

Simply put, a trader enters the stock market with little if any knowledge about what to expect.  How can he?  No experience = no knowledge.  Not only that, but his expectation of untold riches distorts his perception of reality.  Once in the market he seeks the holy grail that will make him rich.  When he doesn’t find it he continues his search as fear begins to shackle his feet.  The fear leads to paralysis of analysis or the thinking that the more indicators and patterns and candlesticks etc. that he uses the more likely he will win.  Wrong!  (more…)

The 5 Emotional Stages of a loss

Stage 1: Denial
This is when you have the first sign of a loss. However, you justify this loss. You deny it’s true form and decide that it could be a winner…but you just have to “wait it out.” “Afterall, I bought a lot of time on my option.”

Stage 2: Anger
The loss judt got worse. Now you look to place blame. Freakin’ blog! I hate the marketcast anyway!!! Why didn’t I do my own analysis????


Stage 3: Bargaining
If somehow this stock can move in your favor, you promise you won’t do it again. Or even worse, you start to think of ways to salvage. Desperation sets in.

Stage 4: Depression
It couldn’t get worse huh? WRONG! Now this makes a huge mark on your account, your spouse is going to kill you, it is going to take forever to make it back, and you start to panic.

Stage 5: Acceptance
Alright, I will take the loss.

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