Traders Not Trades Bring Wins or Losses
Wins and Losses are familiar to us all, the pain of loss and the joy of a win. There is no confusion there.
However in considering the loss of a trade, the strategy is usually sound, it is the trader that came up short.
Well, yes there is a good chance this described you. In this article I will talk about ways to change all that. Your stop loss order is a really good place to start, this should be decided before you place an order.
No discussion of position entry is complete without a thorough explanation of stops. But I’m left to wonder why so few investors use stop-losses. If you’re guilty of not using stops, you need this information. It might just mean the difference between retiring on time with a healthy nest egg or retiring later and still just “scraping by.”
Plan and place stops equals your plan to win, and you are prepared to have a loss but make it through to continue trading. A look at the traders psychology of loss taking is in order here.
All professional traders understand they must know where they are getting out before they get in. They have to know ahead of time what a wrong trade looks like so they can exit it quickly. This is a rudimentary fundamental that EVERY professional trader knows the answer to.
What are the answers to these questions?
1.) How do you know if you should sit tight or cut your losses?
2.) Do you have a rule to tell you when to sell a losing stock?
3.) When do you move your stop so that you break-even?
If the answers to these questions elude you, you are not unique. What it says though, is that you need to get some regulations set for yourself, particularly when going to short stocks. But these trading rules won’t amount to a hill of beans if they aren’t used. If you aren’t using them you need discover why it is you don’t manage your risks in a professional and non passive style.
Refusal by an investor, to take a loss falls under two headings:
1. Admit they are wrong? No Way!
For many traders a realized loss is a huge admittance of being wrong and that is just too hurtful to acknowledge. To them it is linked to being a failure at life and their self image is directly affected by this perceived failure.
The loss is personalized and pulls on their emotions. It is easier to deny the loss than own up to the pain of the loss. He will either lose everything before he will seek to change or he will quit trading.
2. Their portfolio, because of its size, can take a hit that big.
But in reality, there’s no such thing as just a paper loss. The stock (bond, option) is worth what it’s quoted and the loss exists whether you realize it or not.
These 2 situations are types of self-denial this problem is common with tons and tons of investors. Observe Merrill-Lynch, AIG, WAMU, Lehman.. and on and on…. you should be comforted to know that this self denial is not limited to just one income level or social status.
Are you squirming in your seat because as you read this article you feel powerless and/or angry? That is a good thing. It tells you that you are ready to make the change.
The winning trader uses a different strategy from the losing trader by regarding the pain from the loss in an impersonal way. They use the loss as a sign that something went wrong with their approach, or their execution, but NOT that something is wrong with them.
Separating themselves from what they are doing is what a winning trader does. Either they know it or learn that the problem is either in their approach or their skills not in their worth as a human being. Changing the pain of a loss into a motivational factor that increases their quest to be a better trader.
These are responses you learn and you can control them. Losses bring pain AND the possibility for growth. It is all in what action we take after the pain comes that is most important, not the actual losses.
Stick with my proven ETF Trend Trading system and make winning a habit. Study; ask questions and monitor your position size relative to your portfolio and you will end up on the winning side more often than not.
“Proper Stops and risks” are main points in my program and reminding you constantly of that is an important part of my mentorship program. Once you have gone through my program completely and thoroughly understand it, you will still want me to tell you “Don’t move your stop” and “Be sure to take profits when my system tells you to, not earlier or later” In fact the mentorship program is probably valued higher than the course itself.
Learn how it’s very possible to make 6% per month in your investment accounts using etf trend trading! “Big A” is a recognized expert in the world of etf trend trading system & reveals etf secrets that have been kept under wraps by hedge traders for years. Get his free report & webinar today!
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