A colleague of mine just returned from a scuba diving trip in Cozumel, which just happens to be one of my favorite places to dive. Anyway, she was telling me about an unexpected difficulty she encountered while swimming around the corral reef down about 85 feet. It wasn't anything serious but her story reminded me of something my scuba instructor used to say over and over again. "Plan your dive, and dive your plan".
When you're down about 90 or 100 feet the nitrogen acts on your body in a way that's not too dissimilar to having one dry martini on an empty stomach. It's called Nitrogen Narcosis, Rapture of the Depths, or Martini's Law. So the thing to do is get your planning done while you have a clear head, (i.e. on the surface). And then when you're deep into it, and you're feeling a bit euphoric, or nervous, you don't have to make any decisions about 'what' to do. You just follow your plan.
This holds true for trading as well. When you're feeling the euphoria or nervousness set in, remember to follow your plan. And, uhm yeah,, also have a plan to follow. Clear heads will prevail.
Years ago I had the good fortune of talking with a trading guru for several hours. This individual is world renowned for his trading saavy and skill. What he elaborated in that conversation had a tremendous impact on me. HE said that when he learned how to trade that his family enforced only one rule that he had to follow. KNOW WHERE YOU ARE GOING TO GET OUT BEFORE YOU GET IN. He felt that the problem that most traders had was that they felt that this simplicity did not apply to them. I remember sitting and speaking with him and thinking about my own mistakes, primarily letting hope take over in my decision making.
Many traders think that crying "UNCLE" on a trade and taking a loss is unacceptable. Since that conversation I have taken numerous losses on trades but it's funny how they don't have the STING that they used to because I PLAN MY DIVE and DIVED MY PLAN.
This is really simple and incredibly workable. Apply it to your own trading and investing.
-Downjonesfully,
Harald Anderson
http://www.eoptionstrader.com
Harald Anderson is the founder and Chief Analyst of eOptionsTrader.com a leading online resource of http://www.eoptionstrader.com. He writes regularly for financial publications on Risk Management and Trading Strategies. His goal in life is to become the kind of person that his dog already thinks he is. http://www.eoptionstrader.com.
Wood Dale Chicago prom limo .. Lockport Chicago limo O’HareTo become a successful trader you must have some kind... Read More
Most advisors will tell you they can beat the market.... Read More
When you become interested in a stock or mutual fund... Read More
Spread trading is a technique that can be used to... Read More
Invest in the stock market for the RIGHT reason, using... Read More
Has your broker been calling you recently with the "great... Read More
From the book 'The Stockopoly Plan' by the author Charles... Read More
Every day I hear from the "experts" on CNBC-TV and... Read More
I'll bet with almost anyone that has stocks or mutual... Read More
If you don't know where you are going any road... Read More
I know there are a lot of you out there... Read More
In one of my previous articles (Investing in the stock... Read More
Money management starts with protecting your capital, realizing profits and... Read More
For the last few weeks we have seen the stock... Read More
Duck! No I don't mean a quack, quack. I meant... Read More
Both the stock market and oil prices rallied recently, which... Read More
When most analysts, financial planners, fund specialists and investors try... Read More
Profitable day traders recognize that momentum trading is among the... Read More
Because you don't feel too sure about which stock or... Read More
When will the stock market stop going down and start... Read More
Mutual funds are doing more and more to discourage investors... Read More
After finding the price of a particular stock, usually the... Read More
We are already in it, but you can't see it.... Read More
Where is the beef? Or maybe it should be where... Read More
Its dinnertime and the phone rings. It's Joe Noname with... Read More
Antigo wedding limo ..If it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck... Read More
When you become interested in a stock or mutual fund... Read More
Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) are a group of passive index... Read More
A few years back ? it seems like an eternity... Read More
After the publication of the first part of this two... Read More
Even if you don't own any of their stock or... Read More
Are you one of those many people who dread reading... Read More
If there is one term over-used when talking about making... Read More
There are major differences between trading stocks and trading futures.... Read More
The demand for world oil is increasing while world reserves... Read More
When an individual investor wants to roll up his sleeves... Read More
Inverted interest rates? What's that? Who cares? Even if you... Read More
Financial markets provide their participants with the most favorable conditions... Read More
Ever have one of those sample boxes of candy? Each... Read More
On Friday or Saturday evening my wife gets a movie... Read More
According to Investopedia Inc. the penny stock market has seen... Read More
Are hedge funds a suitable investment for you? Hedge funds... Read More
Money management starts with protecting your capital, realizing profits and... Read More
Professional stock options traders use the term lean to refer... Read More
With an insecure job market, overworked employees, insufficient retirement savings... Read More
You have decided to buy some stock or mutual funds,... Read More
It looks like the market is ready to start up... Read More
Everybody is riding the Wall Street Roller coaster. Even if... Read More
I'll bet with almost anyone that has stocks or mutual... Read More
After some forty years of banking and investments, I retired... Read More
Stocks & Mutual Fund |