I'll post this health/life related info here as it seems relevant. About 4 weeks ago I started urgent and heavy chemo after getting pretty much the worst stage 4 big C diagnosis you can get. Chemo truly does suck but it is what it is and I am doing me best rebellious gorilla fighting impression
I'll take this opportunity while I have the strength too if I may (In case I drop off me perch) :To those members who I have built up a chat/online banter relationship with or chatted with and to everybody really-thank you for all the help over the last few or more years. Trading has really been a great challenge. Thank you to the BA team for the software that enables mortals like me to have a go . I don't have much up time in terms of being able to sit here so while recovery etc messages are appreciated , I can't really reply often so I'll assume you wish me well and thank you Despite my situation, my overall feeling is gratitude for life generally and this forum has been a big part of my daily life so it seems appropriate to post a little thank you here.
Onto relevance and to the OP- While I have achieved profitability every Saturday in Aus for months now (paid for beer) I was not what I would call a successful trader. I have traded on and on for nearly 10 years now..particularly tried hard in the last 3-4. The UK markets and a lot of Aussie markets eluded me in terms of profitability and nearly tossed the towel in many times, but to keep it short:
I felt a bit more human the other day and managed to trade Doomben( I must love trading ..but nobody was home so I had a crack as it seemed a positive thing to do)..a market that usually chews me up and spits me out nearly every time. Suddenly though something was different. I saw the big picture and saw the fav moving ..it looked like a clear case of pending reversal and after watching for a few minutes, I entered without hesitation. The bounce came and of course immediately reversed again but not as far as my entry and I stuck (usually would have bailed at that point) My impression of the market hadn't changed and I just watched as the position moved to 10% on stake in my favour and I greened up at post . It was effortless. I mention this because one thing was very different..my emotional attachment to success was gone. This is not a one off. I traded the Masters far more successfully this year than ever before too, after that. I feel free of it like a chain has been broken. I am not saying I am suddenly successful but what I am saying is that as per just about every trading advice video you watch, you are warned about emotion/psychology-my word it is HUGE . My mortality battle has, for obvious reasons, given me a I don't give a rats attitude to trading outcomes. This would seem expected but it still shocked me massively, as to how powerful it was/is.. So my 10c is..losing my emotional attachment took a bloody cancer diagnosis to shift so I am not sure how you go about shifting it but I can tell you that if you can, you'll be a hell of a better trader. In my case it feels 90% better . I hope I get to test the theory. I hope this helps someone.
Best wishes in all your life and trading journeys . As my Aikido Master says and as I repeat to him daily- OSU! HAJIME!!
Enough is enough - time to admit defeat.
- superfrank
- Posts: 2762
- Joined: Fri Aug 14, 2009 8:28 pm
Good luck mcgoo!
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- Posts: 120
- Joined: Wed Aug 17, 2016 8:30 am
GL mcgoo, hope all goes well for you..and thanks for the trading advice..have found myself some of my best trading results came when I cared less ironically
Best wishes mcgoo. One of our team was diagnosed last year, but after treatment his prognosis has improved a lot.Best wishes in all your life and trading journeys . As my Aikido Master says and as I repeat to him daily- OSU! HAJIME!!
I remember when I went through the same stage with regard to mindset. It was like great enlightenment, suddenly everything made sense. But you also realise that while you can see things with higher clarity most others can't. But that in itself is enlightening.
- wearthefoxhat
- Posts: 3219
- Joined: Sun Feb 18, 2018 9:55 am
GL McGoo and good post.
The right mindset is a biggy for sure.
Dicky Fox (no relation) once said. If you're "heart" is empty, the "head" doesn't matter. (Heart = passion for the game/sport/relationship)
The right mindset is a biggy for sure.
Dicky Fox (no relation) once said. If you're "heart" is empty, the "head" doesn't matter. (Heart = passion for the game/sport/relationship)
- Thebest147
- Posts: 93
- Joined: Thu Nov 05, 2015 8:01 am
Hi McGoo.I wish you all the best and stay strong, I remember 2yrs ago been on here and just new to trading, you posted something and it made total sense to me the way you described it, So I added you as a friend so I could see all your posts, I have never met you but strangely feel like I have known you for ages, thank you for all your help over the years, and I have to say I have a tear in my eye reading your post,, best wishes and a speedy recovery, ollie
We've all probably seen this pop. motivation image:
What's missing from this however is the guy who's in another cave filled with nothing but dirt, plugging away all the same.
Those still looking for success need to be proactive in listening to the feedback their results/journalling give them to make sure they're even in the right place.
How to know?
Firstly don't trust your feelings, knowing you may be blinded by your own biases making your own judgment null & void. The newer you are to trading the stronger the degree this is likely to apply. (If unsure or particularly stuck assume you're severely affected by this)
Listen to the physical, objective feedback given to you by your results.
Your equity curve doesn't lie, use it as a tool to guide you as you tweak your approach.
If you're on the right track you should stumble on the occasional diamond before you hit the main store, and that should become a more frequent occurrence the closer your get.
If there's a distinct lack of anything of value to what you're doing that should be pretty obvious too.
Consider how "looking for a new cave" may be a more effective way forward than changing the direction in which you're digging (e.g. endlessly tweaking a fruitless strategy).
Don't leave your success up to chance. Schedule a specific time in which you come back and re-assess your current position to where you used to be from a longer-term perspective (e.g. last day of month or every X markets for a strategy) and go from there.
What's missing from this however is the guy who's in another cave filled with nothing but dirt, plugging away all the same.
Those still looking for success need to be proactive in listening to the feedback their results/journalling give them to make sure they're even in the right place.
How to know?
Firstly don't trust your feelings, knowing you may be blinded by your own biases making your own judgment null & void. The newer you are to trading the stronger the degree this is likely to apply. (If unsure or particularly stuck assume you're severely affected by this)
Listen to the physical, objective feedback given to you by your results.
Your equity curve doesn't lie, use it as a tool to guide you as you tweak your approach.
If you're on the right track you should stumble on the occasional diamond before you hit the main store, and that should become a more frequent occurrence the closer your get.
If there's a distinct lack of anything of value to what you're doing that should be pretty obvious too.
Consider how "looking for a new cave" may be a more effective way forward than changing the direction in which you're digging (e.g. endlessly tweaking a fruitless strategy).
Don't leave your success up to chance. Schedule a specific time in which you come back and re-assess your current position to where you used to be from a longer-term perspective (e.g. last day of month or every X markets for a strategy) and go from there.