What does it take to be a stock trader? It takes a total mental commitment to the task. It becomes a complete way of life. You cannot be a part timer. You cannot work at a regular job and trade stocks successfully. When you decide to make your living this way you must be willing to work 365 days a year, 7 days each week, 24 hours every day with no time off. I know.
How do I know? As an exchange member for 17 years and a floor trader I can personally tell you there is no time off. Never. Almost every waking moment is given to thinking about your current positions. Where should I sell? Should I move my stop up a little more? There are 3 more trades I'd like to make, but I need to save some extra cash in case I need it for a margin call. It is hard to pass up a trade that looks as good as XYZ, but I have to maintain my trading discipline. And so much more.
These are just a few of the thoughts that run through your head.
You are constantly being torn by the natural enemies of fear and greed, yet you must hold your equilibrium to try to make dispassionate decisions. The first law of trading is to protect your capital so that any single trade will not have you going home broke.
If you are working a regular job or you own a business you cannot be a trader. One or the other or both of these pursuits will suffer. When I owned my brokerage company I did not make one single trade for 8 years because I understood the commitment necessary to be a successful trader.
Why am I telling you all this? Because I don't want you to lose your money in the market as so many people do and I especially don't want you to think you can be a day trader. You can still make money in the market and beat 90% of the Wall Street experts. Here's how.
First you must learn that you CAN time the market even though your broker and all those "experts" will tell you that you can't. There are several good timing advisory services that you may subscribe to or you can develop you own method.
Second, don't believe all that horsewash about research. That is Wall Street smoke and mirrors. Don't try to pick individual stocks. Stick to no-load mutual funds with a discount broker and buy only the best performing funds during the past 6 and 12 months. When they quit being in the top 1% sell them and find new ones that are going up.
There isn't enough space here to give you the details, but I want you to realize that you can safely make plenty of money in the market without devoting 365/7/24.
Al Thomas' book, "If It Doesn't Go Up, Don't Buy It!" has helped thousands of people make money and keep their profits with his simple 2-step method. Read the first chapter at http://www.mutualfundmagic.com and discover why he's the man that Wall Street does not want you to know.
Copyright 2005
bathroom cleaning service Northbrook ..The Law of Chaos is the theory of random unpredictable... Read More
This is a guide to the different types of mutual... Read More
That sounds like good advice doesn't it? Don't lose all... Read More
Have you been listening to the talking heads on CNBC-TV?... Read More
What can I expect to make my first year of... Read More
Mutual fund investing is a lot like Thai cooking. Everyone... Read More
When you become interested in a stock or mutual fund... Read More
Recently I watched my favorite football team lose a vital... Read More
Checked your 401K lately? Going back to about a year... Read More
Success in small cap & micro cap stock trading like... Read More
You've decided to try your luck at trading stocks or... Read More
Maximizing a stock market investmentThere are several factors an investor... Read More
One of the great "secrets" of successful people is discipline... Read More
For the year 2000 we have seen hundreds of mutual... Read More
For some "long term" would mean holding a stock position... Read More
Intervention. Now don't let that big word scare you. The... Read More
Sometimes the best way of lowering exposure to risk is... Read More
Everyone who invests in the stock market wants to be... Read More
When you invest in the stock market for ever-increasing cash... Read More
The broker told me not to sell because the mutual... Read More
One of the great "secrets" of successful people is discipline... Read More
The spring-loaded rat catcher is the ultimate low-tech device invented... Read More
So you're started trading, you bought some positions with your... Read More
Every publicly traded company is required by the SEC(Securities and... Read More
Are you paying any attention to your retirement savings? Do... Read More
insured cleaning company Wilmette ..How do you invest? What do you really pay? At... Read More
A colleague of mine just returned from a scuba diving... Read More
(1) CHK stock price $16.74, NAV $32.5CHK is my favorite... Read More
What! Me worry?Many of you remember the cover of MAD... Read More
There can't be many traders who haven't at least considered... Read More
Sometime in the third quarter of 1997, someone told me... Read More
You probably have been told that options are risky. Even... Read More
I receive emails from Morningstar. This company provides statistics and... Read More
If you have not back tested your trading system, you... Read More
With all the bad news that has been dumped upon... Read More
Question: How does it get better when it gets worse?Last... Read More
Success in small cap & micro cap stock trading like... Read More
There are many important things you need to know to... Read More
Jack and Jill went up the hill to fetch a... Read More
I mean it when I say that. While plastic silverware... Read More
It takes a total mental commitment to the task. It... Read More
Maximizing a stock market investmentThere are several factors an investor... Read More
One of the great "secrets" of successful people is discipline... Read More
Refuse is a serious issue in any society, about as... Read More
You probably know the story of Sherlock Holmes and the... Read More
Cat or dog? Maybe Zebra. Shucks, I don't know, but... Read More
Recently I was invited to appear on a live CNNfn... Read More
Robert Rodriguez likes to buy stocks at their lows. When... Read More
First let's see what protectionism is. According to Mr. Webster... Read More
Let's say you are interested in this one company. You... Read More
Stocks & Mutual Fund |