Take trading to a higher level?

[Knyyt 10]

I am looking/ thinking of trading my trading to a higher level. By this i am thinking of other markets/differant hours, and higher daily targets. What i am curious about is the process others have done as they did this themselves.

 

For instance, some believe in NLP, subliminal messages, hypno..etc..

 

My problem is every time i have reached for a higher goal, i seem to screw up somehow.

 

anyone have said experiances that they overcame this?

 

thanks...

[Soultrader 12]

I became an avid student of NLP to help me overcome some of the challenges in my life. I have to say that when practiced correctly and with determination, NLP can help you grow as a person. But before anyone dwells into NLP, you must understand what weaknesses or area you want to improve.

 

If you are still new to NLP, I recommend grabbing the intro book "NLP: The New Technology of Achievement". Perhaps even Anthony Robbin's books can be of interested for those interested in NLP. Also for a period of 1 month, you can get trained in Zurich or NY to get a NLP practitioners license. Google "NLP" and you will get plenty of resources on this subject.

[momentom 10]

It depends on what you mean by "a higher level".

 

If you mean "make more money" which to me is the only thing that makes sense as that is why we trade (or should trade), then its fairly straight forward.

 

Firstly, before you go "higher", you should be consistently profitable witha scaleable methodology. If your method is at the limit of the drawdown you can stand then its not scaleable.

 

Once you have a consistently profitable scaleable methodology its a matter of gradually increasing size.

 

This is the way we learned to make more money on the floor and it is the way most locals I know made the transition to electronic trading.

[thetradingdoctor 10]

What do you mean by go to a higher level? How are you doing at the level you are on at the moment? Are you winning more than you are losing? Are you thinking that you can change markets and that will bring you more money? Are you consistently profitable and want to increase exposure. Each person is different and the words "higher level" have different meanings for everyone. Are you struggling with psychological aspects of trading? Are you trading mechanically? Are you making the same mistakes over and over and expecting diffferent results, so you want to change markets or entities traded? No two trading brains are the same. Words mean different things to different people. Each person sees the markets through the hardwiring of his or her unique brain and perception. So- before I would even think of giving direction to you , Knyyt, I have a lot of questions to ask you. Do not go headlong into an unfamiliar area, be in or out of the markets. There is no Holy Grail except that which you find within yourself, i.e, your own personalized trading strategy and plan. Just to let you all know, I am not one for self-help books of any kind. That is my opinion from over 25 years as a psychiatrist and twelve years of trading and coaching/mentoring. Before you all jump on me and tell me that this or that book helped you, I am aware that there may be pearls of wisdom in such books and that there are people who cherish this or that self help technique. Some of them work-- they really do. But, just like in trading, the self-help that works for one person may not work for another. Each of you is unique. Use that uniqueness to guide you in your trading and your lives. It is the greatest gift you possess as it is the gift you give to yourself from yourself.

 

Thanks!

Doctor Janice

The Trading Doctor

[Guest cooter]

Wow.

 

I was somehow hoping for a kindler, gentler soul.

 

I should hope that if I'm ever in the event of blowing out my account, that my mentor/counselor would be a bit more understanding before laying into me.

 

You know, positive reinforcement, empathy and all that....

 

Just a thought....

[milliard 10]

Wow.

 

I was somehow hoping for a kindler, gentler soul.

 

I should hope that if I'm ever in the event of blowing out my account, that my mentor/counselor/shrink would be a bit more understanding before laying into me.

 

You know, positive reinforcement, empathy and all that....

 

Just a thought....

 

If you think that's unduly harsh, I'd hate to see how you react after being called into the head honcho's office (of a typical Bank desk op) after fouling up a couple times

[Guest cooter]

That's not the point, actually.

 

She's a veteran psychologist of some sort, so you might think that she'd initially have SOME bedside manner when approaching newbie and seasoned traders alike who've just been handed their lunch in a bucket of slop by the pigs in the market.

 

Or something like that....

 

But thanks, just the same for chiming in.

[milliard 10]

You must be reading a completely different post to me then, coz I thought she was being pretty straightforward & tame!

 

The guy ought to be looking at exactly the points mentioned at the beginning of her post (at a bare minimum) & totally disregarding the pap which circulates in the vast majority of so called 'trading' manuals & periodicals.

 

If you got a problem or a sticking point, then seek out someone who tells it like it is & is prepared to ask some god awkward questions.

 

That's of course if you're trading for real bucks as opposed to pissing around for pin money.

 

It'll save a whole chunk of time & misery!

[Knyyt 10]

Thanks for the replies , some food for thought.

 

Knyyt

[TinGull 10]

Wow.

 

I was somehow hoping for a kindler, gentler soul.

 

I should hope that if I'm ever in the event of blowing out my account, that my mentor/counselor/shrink would be a bit more understanding before laying into me.

 

You know, positive reinforcement, empathy and all that....

 

Just a thought....

 

What was harsh about that? I think they're really good points, and wasn't harsh at all. My coach will lay into me much worse than that (and I don't even think he really gets on me that much).

 

Good points Dr. !

[rock 10]

harsh didn't even cross my mind.

Communication can be tricky. i bet it was just a misunderstanding.

[milliard 10]

Is it me, or has one of cooters insertions gone awol between posts 6&7 someplace??

 

Moderators? James?

[Guest cooter]

I was thinking the same thing myself too.

 

Shame.

 

And we were having a spirited discussion too, not a gripefest.

 

I guess I made the point about communication all too well here - a bit too well for someone's professional liking, I'd suppose.

[milliard 10]

Yeah. I sure wasn't aware your post included any defamatory remarks etc.

 

Hmmm, very mysterious.

 

So, who pulled the post & why??

[Guest cooter]

I think it was because I may have questioned the credentials that the Doc alluded to in her message herself.

 

This sort of stuff - editing and deletion of messages - goes on all the time at other advertiser/sponsor driven sites, BTW (ET comes directly to mind).

 

Curious thing is that the Doc could have recognized that this was a prime example of how people interpret things differently, and thus how their perceptions of things - subtled and nuanced - may affect their trading.

 

A great opportunity to help us as traders learn why we do what we do, and what influences our trading results.

 

P.S. And you thought I was the one with a thin skin? Apparently not... :rolleyes:

[rolange 10]

I am looking/ thinking of trading my trading to a higher level. By this i am thinking of other markets/differant hours, and higher daily targets. What i am curious about is the process others have done as they did this themselves.

 

For instance, some believe in NLP, subliminal messages, hypno..etc..

 

My problem is every time i have reached for a higher goal, i seem to screw up somehow.

 

anyone have said experiances that they overcame this?

 

thanks...

 

There was a thread on another Forum entitled "Why do so many traders lose money?"

 

One answer was "Because they want to."

 

And that basically hits the nail on the head IMO.

 

Inhibition, self worth, self esteem, anxiety, self doubt, self delusion, insecurity, etc

 

All of these, no matter how small or denied or masked, rear up and dance a Fandango the moment we put our precious pennies on the line. The buck literally does stop @ chez moi.

 

Solution. Get shrunk, dig up the childhood, get religion? Perhaps.

 

Answers on a postcard please because that's what we want. A three liner quick fix to all our problems.

 

And another thing.

 

Be careful of what you wish for......

[Soultrader 12]

Hi guys,

 

Sorry about that. I deleted it initially because I received it as an reported post in my email.

 

I put it back live again since I do not find it offensive in any way.

[Guest cooter]

Hi guys,

 

Sorry about that. I deleted it initially because I received it as an reported post in my email.

 

I put it back live again since I do not find it offensive in any way.

 

No problem at all.

[thetradingdoctor 10]

If you want to listen to me and have time, I will be on the the radio program entitled "Wake Up America!" Friday, June 1 at 2 PM EST. You can listen live over the internet by going to Free Market News Network and click on Listen Live to Wake Up America. The topic is Personal Responsibility. Personal responsibility is critical in trading. There is always someone or something to blame. The top traders take complete responsibility for their thoughts, feelings and actions. Also, regarding my credentials, please feel free to look at my site The Trading Doctor and ask me any questions you wish. I am pleased that we have such a great group here and hope to be able to add some value to the way that you think about thinking about trading.

 

Thanks!

 

Doctor Janice

The Trading Doctor

[Guest cooter]

I concur, Dr. Janice.

 

Personal responsibility is paramount in achieving and maintaining your goals, desires and expectations - especially in the markets.

 

Can you share with us - based on your clinical experience - what else distinguishes the top traders from the 95% or so (according to folklore) who eventually blow out their accounts and wind up as losers?

 

Look forward to your thoughts.

 

P.S. Here's a direct link to the show page for Friday: Pat Gorman - Free Market News Network

[thetradingdoctor 10]

Thank you, Cooter! I would rank discipline right up there with personal responsbility. Disicpline includes the ability to stick to a plan and not be hijacked by too many destructive emotions. It includes the most important aspect of capital preservation which is cutting losses. This implies that the trader is not so biased and fixated on a certain belief system. He or she is very flexible and is able to cut losses when the position goes sour. So many traders do not have this ability, as you are well aware. The inability to admit mistakes and cut losses coupled with the common practice of taking profits too soon ( cutting winners and letting losers run) is part and parcel of trading discipline. Also, I will discuss later other aspects of capital preservation, since capital is not just financial. Capital is your energy-- financial, mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual. Drawdowns drain each of these types of capital.

 

Thanks!

 

Doctor Janice

janice@thetradingdoctor.com