The focus on avoiding losing is an easy condition to slip into.  I found it especially so if you’ve had some tough periods in your life.  Perhaps you lost a business, blew up a trading account or went for that promotion and failed to get it.  

It is particularly easy when you are taking down data to analyse your performance as most effective performers do.  That data is right in front of you.  Clear as day.  You can see exactly how many losing trades you have had, how many losing days, weeks etc.

You have an understanding that it’s all about probabilities and that if you follow the old saying “limit your losses and let your winners run” you can be a successful trader with a seemingly bad win rate (30-40%).  As long as your winners outshine your string of small losers you will be OK.   (more…)