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Defination of Great Trader

Great traders that we have had the pleasure to know and to be around, on exchange floors and on trade desks, had certain repeatable traits that all level traders can learn, or take something from;

  • Empathy and the ability to listen.
  • Faith in their own ability to get things done, if life and in work.
  • Humility, and a willingness to accept defeat as graciously as accepting success.
  • Desire to work towards, and not to just expect, having more success than defeat.

They listened more than they spoke. They had two ears and one mouth and had learned to use them in the right proportion. The ability to listen, either to a mentor, to your inner self, or to the market, is critical for success.

They had an undying faith and belief in their own ability, and accepted that most things that went wrong were probably outside of their control, because they planned their work. Their brutal honesty with themselves and with others allowed them to develop a faith in their own ability that was beyond the norm.

They were humble, and understood that they were not smarter, stronger, nor wiser than others; they just knew that there were few others that had more faith in their own ability to follow something through and to achieve their goals. (more…)

Defining A Great Trader

Great traders that we have had the pleasure to know and to be around, on exchange floors and on trade desks, had certain repeatable traits that all level traders can learn, or take something from;

  • Empathy and the ability to listen.
  • Faith in their own ability to get things done, if life and in work.
  • Humility, and a willingness to accept defeat as graciously as accepting success.
  • Desire to work towards, and not to just expect, having more success than defeat.

They listened more than they spoke. They had two ears and one mouth and had learned to use them in the right proportion. The ability to listen, either to a mentor, to your inner self, or to the market, is critical for success.

They had an undying faith and belief in their own ability, and accepted that most things that went wrong were probably outside of their control, because they planned their work. Their brutal honesty with themselves and with others allowed them to develop a faith in their own ability that was beyond the norm.

They were humble, and understood that they were not smarter, stronger, nor wiser than others; they just knew that there were few others that had more faith in their own ability to follow something through and to achieve their goals. (more…)

Trading Wisdom – Andrew Gordon

Legendary stock trader Jesse Livermore had it right: The big money is in the big moves … and the trick to making the big money is knowing how to sit tight and ride the trend for all it’s worth. As obvious as that may seem, many investors have trouble doing it.

They are, as cognitive psychologists like Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky would say, “risk-averse.” The pain they experience in losing money is far greater than the pleasure they experience in making it. As a result, these investors typically sell their investments too soon for fear of incurring a real or even a paper loss.

To profit the most from an investment, you need to be able to wait long enough for it to achieve its full potential. So if you’re “risk-averse” by nature, it might be a good idea for you to avoid paying too much attention to the news. If you’re watching television and the nightly business report comes on, change the channel. Set aside the business section of the paper to read on a rainy day. Ignore cocktail chatter about investing. That way, you’re more likely to stick to your trading plan instead of letting your emotions overpower your better judgment. 

Trading To Win

There is a meaningful difference between trading to win and trading to not lose. The average person feels more psychological pain over a loss than they feel pleasure over a gain–particularly once they have already “booked” that gain mentally. If I’m expecting a bonus from my employer, I’ll be happy when I receive the paycheck–but I’ll be much more upset if I find out the bonus has been rescinded.

We can never eliminate loss from life or trading; nor can we repeal the basic uncertainties of markets. What we *can* do is develop an edge in the marketplace and, over the course of many trades, let that edge accumulate in our favor.

And, if you’re trading well, maybe that losing trade will offer you a fresh perspective about how the market is trading: an insight that can make you money the next time around. Then it’s not a loss. It’s information that you’ve paid for. 

Three of Buffett’s rules

  • Rule No.1: Never lose money. Rule No.2: Never forget rule No.1.
    If you lose money on an investment, it will take a much greater return to just break even, let alone make additional money. Minimize your losses by finding quality companies that are temporarily selling at discounted prices. Then follow good capital management principles and maintain your trailing stops. Also, sitting on a losing trade uses up time, money and mental capital. If you find yourself in this situation, it is time to move on.
  • The stock market is designed to transfer money from the active to the patient.
    The best returns come from those who wait for the best opportunity to show itself before making a commitment. Those who chase the current hot stock usually end up losing more than they gain. Remain active in your analysis, look for quality companies at discounted prices and be patient waiting for them to reach their discounted price before buying.
  • The most important quality for an investor is temperament, not intellect.
    You need a temperament that neither derives great pleasure from being with the crowd or against it. Independent thinking and having confidence in what you believe is much more important than being the smartest person in the market. Most of the time, the best opportunities are found when everyone else has given up on the stock market. Over-confidence and emotion are the enemies of a high quality portfolio.
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