Trading as we see it...

[neeeel]

I like the sailing metaphor, it fits pretty well, the market is a powerful thing and it can eat you up, but if you can learn how to harness the power then you can go places. Although I dont see trading as a fight, it did feel a bit like that for me at times, and I never learned to harness the forces, or work with them.

[Caan Berry]

I like the sailing metaphor, it fits pretty well, the market is a powerful thing and it can eat you up, but if you can learn how to harness the power then you can go places. Although I dont see trading as a fight, it did feel a bit like that for me at times, and I never learned to harness the forces, or work with them.

I did think of yourself when going through this at one point mate just because of your blog name... you dont see it like that now so have progressed... just not feeling posative could be part of it, even if your not feeling negative a such?? you understand the markets from what i've heard you say in the past.. maybe its just a bit of mentality that needs tweaking?? i know a few big losses certainly have sent me back a huge amount.... like it says in trading in the zone... untill a boy is bitten by a dog he is not scared of it...

[neeeel]

Yes, Im sure if I could tweak my mental state then I could go on to be a successful trader. I just dont know how lol. It must only be a small step as I am profitable, just very small profits :S.
Anyway, ive given up for now.
Hope you get to where you want.

[1/4 of a millionaire fund]

clearly if you see the market like a battle or a fight as in the second example your probably best withdrawing your bank and spending it on something nice while you learn how to change your view/attitude.

Good luck all

That positive attitude usually comes once you realise you have an edge to beat the markets consistently not the other way round, imo. I'd imagine even most of the full timers have seen it as a battle in our early days, only difference is may be we had the belief we'd win the war.

I'd agree you need to be positive to win at this game but it's got to be based on something solid to begin with , finding your niche or edge is the first battle to win.

[Leonthefixer]

I agree with what MF just said - but also to add that even once you have your edge you can lose that positive mind set. Then believe you have lost your edge when in fact you haven't, what you have lost is your positive mindset.

I had that happen to me about 2 years ago - it wasn't fun but I look back on it now and have learnt from that experience that helps stop me slipping back into it when things aren't going well.

[Caan Berry]

I agree with what MF just said - but also to add that even once you have your edge you can lose that positive mind set. Then believe you have lost your edge when in fact you haven't, what you have lost is your positive mindset.

How i have felt lately, only now i have started to address it things are changing a little

[Cran]

I agree with what MF just said - but also to add that even once you have your edge you can lose that positive mind set. Then believe you have lost your edge when in fact you haven't, what you have lost is your positive mindset.

How i have felt lately, only now i have started to address it things are changing a little

This is something I am still battling with, and no matter how many winning days I have, a losing day still puts doubts in my mind.

[inandout]

I agree with what MF just said - but also to add that even once you have your edge you can lose that positive mind set. Then believe you have lost your edge when in fact you haven't, what you have lost is your positive mindset.
Quote:
How i have felt lately, only now i have started to address it things are changing a little
This is something I am still battling with, and no matter how many winning days I have, a losing day still puts doubts in my mind.


At risk of repeating myself if you know over time you're successful look at the ball in the bag analogy it always works for me

I still look to the ball in the bag analogy, old i know but true, if there's 1000 balls in a bag and 600 are red and 400 are blue and you're picking out the red balls by the time the bags empty you know you'll have the most balls but during the pick 10, 20 or even 30 blue balls may come out consecutively so you must stay in the game to come out on top. Good luck all.

[Leonthefixer]

At risk of repeating myself if you know over time you're successful look at the ball in the bag analogy it always works for me

I still look to the ball in the bag analogy, old i know but true, if there's 1000 balls in a bag and 600 are red and 400 are blue and you're picking out the red balls by the time the bags empty you know you'll have the most balls but during the pick 10, 20 or even 30 blue balls may come out consecutively so you must stay in the game to come out on top. Good luck all.

Never heard such a load of balls!

[bazbaz]

I agree with what MF says about traders that have made it believing that they would from the start. For whatever reason right from the start I totally believed that I could do it, obviously it was tough at times and I had bad days where I had doubts and felt like I was just getting beaten up by the markets (with my massive £2 stakes at the time lol) but I do think that somehow coming to the whole enterprise completely believing that I WILL do it, for whatever reason, made sure that I was never going to give up

Leon's right though you can lose the right mentality. Before this week I had quite a bit of time off the two weeks before due to family bereavement and illness, I think I only did one saturday in 2 weeks, then when I came back on friday I was unprepared mentally and trading pretty poorly, blaming the markets etc and instead of trusting myself just to smoothly make money over time once I got back into it, I was charging into things when I shouldnt, overstaking, and getting hit everytime I did, which perpetuates the whole cycle. I lost a bit on friday and on saturday which shouldnt happen really barring an outage and it does ridiculously make you feel almost like you cant do it anymore. Anyway monday and tuesday I was much more relaxed for whatever reason, totally different mentality, just waited for the right openings and didnt feel I needed to prove anything - I hardly lost on any races at all. I just went back to basics, lowered expectations and just got involved when I needed to. The change was probably quite subtle as I wasnt exactly smashing the room up on friday / saturday but it does feel like getting into a different state..... I would say that you can actually FEEL the confidence (subtly, not jumping up and down in the room shouting 'I AM THE SPECIAL ONE!' lol) and its a physical feeling rather than a thought. If you feel good then good thoughts will arise from that place rather than the negative ones. People who enjoy trading will get into that state far more and far easier than people who are just after the money. The last couple of days reminded me how engrossing trading can be and how enjoyable it can be, rather than just something that I should do for the money.

This one popped into my head yesterday - Good trading is like good fishing or hunting - you just ready your bait or set your traps and serenely wait for the catch to come to you, if you dive into the water or jump into the bushes then you're just going to get wet or ripped to pieces. Totally unneccessary and a waste of energy.

[KOTBIIAJIbTO]

If you feel good then good thoughts will arise from that place rather than the negative ones.

Think it could be vice versa as well. Thinking positively can bring good feelings too. It works like some kind of a self-hypnosis.

[Knight Rider]

...........at least that's what my mama always used to tell me!

[kawasaki]

:Brilliant

[jibiko]

Unconsistent/loosing traders metaphor;

Trading is like going to do battle. You charge forward brandishing everything you have, when you get knocked down you sheild yourself before picking yourself back up and finding the courage to fight back even harder. When you defeat an opponent you go rushing onto the next still pumped with adrenaline......

I think you get the point... clearly if you see the market like a battle or a fight as in the second example your probably best withdrawing your bank and spending it on something nice while you learn how to change your view/attitude.

I think I get your point, but...

Another trading book author have describe it as a medieval battle.
The winner of the battle gets the dead man's belongings...
land, money, wife & children.
In another trading book it was mentioned as a pickpocket game.
He whoever be the first to steal the other one's wallet.

Trading is not like going to do battle.
Trading IS battle.

When we are playing in chit-chat and dailys freds its a game (sometimes).
When you and me are trading soccer in-play (for example),
I don't give a fukc about you, your wife, your children.
I just want to fukc you, kill you, take your money.

They say 99% of ppl involved lose money, 1% win money.
It's not a love game.
In order for me to make money, 99 ppl have to lose money.
It's not good thing for a human to lose money.
I sympathize them.
But when in the market,
I don't give a fukc if you lose the last cent you have,
or if you lose the last bottle of milk for the kid.
Every cent you lose is another cent I make.
And you have to be damn sure,
that I will do my best to fukc you up and get your money.
This is something we agreed beforehand,
before entering the market (arena).
We know da rulez.
You know it, I know it.
I want your money madafukca, you want mine.
Come and get it if you can.
Ima coming to get ya!

Every second that passes, 99/100 ppl lose money in the markets.
That's life. Life is a battle for the most ppl in this shitty planet.
That's trading.
Tough shit.

Trading=Life=Trading.
It's the past, the present, the future.


Metaphorically speaking of course .

[Caan Berry]

lol indeed jib.... the point was trading may be a battle but think of it as a battle and its more likely to end in pain and not :Kerching