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Great Expectations Series – Conclusion
The Great Expectations Series for traders has been fun to write and I hope you’ve gained something from it. The aim was to take a closer look at several aspects which combine to make up our expectations when it comes to trading. Although “expectations” could be interchangeable with “goals,” there is definitely more to the story! Let’s hit the highlights and wrap this up.
The Chameleon Trader
(This is Part 6 of the Great Expectations Series for traders. Be sure to read Parts 1-5 in case you missed them!)
In the wild, adaptation is the key to survival. No, I haven’t lived on the plains of the Serengeti or in the Amazon Rainforest, but I do watch Animal Planet and the Discovery Channel! Almost every program showcases a particular species which seems to fit perfectly into its environment, and by now you ought to be seeing where I’m headed with this.
Throughout this series, we’ve reviewed numerous elements which combine to form your expectations, but they’re all worthless if you’re unable to survive out there.
Successful trading requires adaptation. The market is wild, often running on pure emotion and very little logic. There will be times when you can do no wrong, but there will also be times when every trade feels like a struggle. Being willing to change, expecting change, and learning how to change will be the keys to your survival.
Your adaptation will be needed in a few areas: your method, your position sizing, and your personal spending. Let’s take a closer look at each one.
Eyes on the Prize
(This is Part 5 of the Great Expectations Series for traders. Be sure to read Parts 1-4 from the main Great Expectations Series page!)
What good is having a road map if you aren’t quite sure which direction to travel? Goals are underrated benchmarks which are entirely created by you. They’re the destinations you’ll be traveling toward on your road to profitability, so let’s jump right in and see how to blend them with your trading expectations.
It’s been said that “if you can see it and you can believe it, then you can achieve it.” In my own experience with trading, sports, or any other endeavor, I know this is true. There’s absolutely no substitute for having a target to aim at. While it’s good to keep your nose to the grindstone and have a trading routine, you’ve got to be able to look up and measure your progress. Knowing where you’ve been is only half of the equation…..you absolutely HAVE to know where you’re headed.
Knowing what you’re aiming for
CyberTrader Client Summit
I just wanted to send a big THANKS to the great folks at CyberTrader for inviting me to participate in the first-ever CyberTrader Client Summit recently. It was a great time of interaction with a handful of other traders as well as a wonderful opportunity to get the full tour of the CyberTrader facility and a behind-the-scenes look at their entire operation. I’ve never seen so many safety nets in place for staffing, data, order routing venues, and so much more. They’ve really thought of everything, and they even test their backup plans regularly!
Simply the fact that CyberTrader was interested in inviting a handful of traders in for feedback reinforces to me that they care about the ongoing improvement of their product and services. I’ve seen this over the past few years in the enhancements they’ve added to the platform, but last week was confirmation of that. Because trading is my job and I’m a CyberTrader client, I was quite delighted to be reminded of just how important client feedback is to them.
The Road Map
(This is Part 4 of the Great Expectations Series for traders. In case you missed them, check out Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3!)
The cat’s out of the bag. You’re fully aware that it might take some time to become a great trader. Does that mean you just sit back and wait for time to elapse? Of course not! Your job now is to set up your trading plan by implementing a strategy that will suit your needs and serve as your road map, so let’s get to it.
The two most basic active trading strategies are day trading and swing trading. Each one has its own benefits and drawbacks, so we’ll look at them both. When it comes to your own trading plan, consider your own situation and which strategy will cater to your needs best.
A day trading strategy has a number of benefits over other trading styles during certain market conditions. Day trading offers up to 4-to-1 intraday buying power ($25,000 account minimum), which allows the aggressive trader higher leverage in order to generate big profits in short-term price moves. Day trading also requires less homework outside of market hours than other strategies, because a good real time streaming alerts program can generate trading signals for you based on your criteria intraday.
The Edge of Greatness
(This is Part 3 of the Great Expectations Series for traders. Be sure to read Part 1 and Part 2!)
Your expectations of success are rising now that you’re going about it systematically. You’re aware of your resources. You’ve decided on a timeframe. You’re even keeping tabs on what’s working on your timeframe (as well as what isn’t).
SO, how much longer until you make that first million?
Blending Your Style With the Current Environment
(This is Part 2 of the Great Expectations Series for traders. Part 1 can be read here.)
So you’ve taken a personal inventory in Part 1 and looked at your resources (time, money, personality and tolerance for risk). Now let’s move a step further and look at how you can blend your resources and style with the existing trading environment.
[Note: The phrase “day trading” is often used to replace what should be described as “active trading.” For the purposes of this blog, “day trading” will simply be used to refer to a timeframe of trading, meaning any trade which is opened and closed in the same day is a ‘day trade.’ Many would-be traders expect that merely having time available to trade actively each day must mean they should day trade. I disagree. Just because you have all the time in the world doesn’t necessarily mean you should become a day trader!]
Once you’ve determined the timeframe you ought to be trading, get connected with other traders. Networking with other traders to find out what seems to be working is a great way to stay focused on blending your style with what the market is currently offering. More importantly,
