Hi There, My Bio:

[curtisj76 10]

Curtis, TheDude makes some great points.

 

It sounds like you have a solid background to get back into your career if you decided to do so in the future. it is not many times opportunity comes along where you can give it your all to trade full time.

 

Just keep the confidence in check and apply your risk management as you stated.

 

I wish you the best success in this endeavor!

 

Thank you.

 

Yes, TOTALLY agree that I can't get over confident. I'm just pleased that I recognized it myself on Friday. I write a journal for each trade (which I highly recommend) and the very last trade I mentioned possibly getting over confident. I think it's important for you to realize this yourself and not have to rely on someone from the outside which keeps you level headed. Otherwise you certainly run into the risk of over trading and losing some money.

 

Thx again and good luck to yourself!

[gosu 10]

* * *

Was it luck? Sure was. Right time, right place, right strategy.

 

What you describe isn't luck. You did something to extract and you did something to lose (probably the same things). You think your gains were due to luck because you gave them all back when conditions changed and in retrospect you realize you didn't have much Knowledge, Skill and Experience (KSE) when things were going good.

 

The truth is it takes much more KSE to retain profits than it does to get them in the first place. Why? Because of the element of time. Whereas substantial profits can be had in a short time under one set of conditions, staying in the game exposes them to different conditions over a longer period of time. Most people get wiped out on the initial change of conditions under which they were successful, and usually the wipeout is even more spectacular than the success because of increased stakes and/or increased leverage at the end.

[MightyMouse 12]

What you describe isn't luck. You did something to extract and you did something to lose (probably the same things). You think your gains were due to luck because you gave them all back when conditions changed and in retrospect you realize you didn't have much Knowledge, Skill and Experience (KSE) when things were going good.

 

The truth is it takes much more KSE to retain profits than it does to get them in the first place. Why? Because of the element of time. Whereas substantial profits can be had in a short time under one set of conditions, staying in the game exposes them to different conditions over a longer period of time. Most people get wiped out on the initial change of conditions under which they were successful, and usually the wipeout is even more spectacular than the success because of increased stakes and/or increased leverage at the end.

 

In order to make a great deal of money in a short period of time, one needs circumstances, which are out of the individual's control, to align with the strategy that he or she is trading at that particular time. It was true in the early 80's and it is true now.

 

Skill and experience will help you survive the times in between your successful periods.

[curtisj76 10]

Nice day, kept my winning streak going.

 

3 winning trades for a $796 gain. Also holding a good chunk of Ford that went up but no gain recognized. My goal is to get 20-30% out of it before I sell her.

[joshdance 10]

Nice day, kept my winning streak going.

 

3 winning trades for a $796 gain. Also holding a good chunk of Ford that went up but no gain recognized. My goal is to get 20-30% out of it before I sell her.

 

Nice job. Just so you know, people on forums tend to be doubtful of people who claim wins that are either large or very consistent, whether it be reality or not. Particularly when they are coming from traders who are new. So, when you post your nice gains, it will be generally accepted as truth if you post your trades when you take them. I know this can be distracting and I don't really care one way or the other, just saying that if you're going to post profit day after day, after a while few people will believe it unless you actually post what you're trading when you trade it, since anyone can just say they made a profit, even if they didn't really trade. I do post my trades on another forum, but it can be a bit distracting sometimes, and if it distracts you by all means don't do it. Just be prepared to be ridiculed if you post your profit without posting how you did it.

[curtisj76 10]

Nice job. Just so you know, people on forums tend to be doubtful of people who claim wins that are either large or very consistent, whether it be reality or not. Particularly when they are coming from traders who are new. So, when you post your nice gains, it will be generally accepted as truth if you post your trades when you take them. I know this can be distracting and I don't really care one way or the other, just saying that if you're going to post profit day after day, after a while few people will believe it unless you actually post what you're trading when you trade it, since anyone can just say they made a profit, even if they didn't really trade. I do post my trades on another forum, but it can be a bit distracting sometimes, and if it distracts you by all means don't do it. Just be prepared to be ridiculed if you post your profit without posting how you did it.

 

Thanks for the advice. I'll have to play it by ear and see as I'm not sure how often I'll update. I don't mind saying I'm long on Ford but I won't be showing/telling about the stock that I normally trade. It's not a high volume stock and I'd like to keep it that way if you know what I mean. If people have problems with that or don't believe me I guess it's no skin off my back as I'll just head somewhere else or stop the forum thing. thx again

[curtisj76 10]

2 trades that netted a $151 gain for the day.

 

137 loss

288 gain

 

Pretty tough to get that, by far the hardest day of the year. Was down over $1,000 at one point but managed to get back to an ok day. I feel like I should be happy with today but I have many mixed emotions right now. Doubled up on the stock that resulted in the gain, pretty foolish at the time but I guess it worked out. Looking forward to tomorrow.

 

PS My Ford position was flat.

[gosu 10]

2 trades that netted a $151 gain for the day.

 

137 loss

288 gain

 

Pretty tough to get that, by far the hardest day of the year. Was down over $1,000 at one point but managed to get back to an ok day. I feel like I should be happy with today but I have many mixed emotions right now. Doubled up on the stock that resulted in the gain, pretty foolish at the time but I guess it worked out. Looking forward to tomorrow.

 

PS My Ford position was flat.

 

A small suggestion: Drop the posting of ongoing results on this forum or anywhere else on the internet. You have nothing to gain by keeping an audience on a message board. Use this place to ask questions about software/hardware/housekeeping and for casual chit chat with others interested in trading.

 

Keep an even keel about daily results; they are not important. It might also be wise to agree with your wife that you will update her monthly on your trading and that neither of you will concern yourself with the shorter-term. This is what you will agree with her but for yourself make the weekly results the unit of measure of your performance and keep them to yourself. Use the weekend to review the prior week, make adjustments, move on and focus on the upcoming week.

 

Rely solely upon yourself for encouragement.

 

At the end of 2012, post how you did for the year, if you care to.

 

Good trading.

[curtisj76 10]

Still in a trade that I made today, down just a bit. The stock the past few days has rallied at the close so I've got a couple more hours. Not doing much so I thought I would hop on here.

 

Just sold Ford which I'm still kicking myself for. Recognized gain of $8,252 which is great but it kept climbing. I thought it would come down after a nice climb up today. Will hope for a down day to get back in as I'm still looking to get a lot more gain from it.

[Joseph Connors 10]

Still in a trade that I made today, down just a bit. The stock the past few days has rallied at the close so I've got a couple more hours. Not doing much so I thought I would hop on here.

 

Just sold Ford which I'm still kicking myself for. Recognized gain of $8,252 which is great but it kept climbing. I thought it would come down after a nice climb up today. Will hope for a down day to get back in as I'm still looking to get a lot more gain from it.

 

Regarding Ford: if your system/rules say you should hold Ford than hold it. If they say to sell it, than sell it. But, don't kick yourself for not getting the top/bottom on a stock. Just follow your rules! Leave some for the other guy you sold to!

[curtisj76 10]

Regarding Ford: if your system/rules say you should hold Ford than hold it. If they say to sell it, than sell it. But, don't kick yourself for not getting the top/bottom on a stock. Just follow your rules! Leave some for the other guy you sold to!

 

I agree. I pretty much sold out of emotion. I've told myself this whole time to just keep it but when it hit over 2% for the day my brain just said SELL. Oh well, a mistake but at least it's a mistake in the black and not red.

 

Still holding my trade from yesterday. I bought around the low but it just kinda stayed there. I have confidence in the stock to hold it overnight. Looking for some buyers to pick it up after the drop.

 

Good luck everyone in their trades today!

[curtisj76 10]

Good day - I'm getting out of the markets early as I'm up and my kids are getting out early due to snow.

 

Sold my overnight position for a $381 gain.

Shorted a stock and it wasn't moving much so I sold it for a small loss as I didn't really want to spend the next few hours in front of the computer as my kids are getting home soon. Loss was probably around $50 including commissions.

 

So a net day of around $331.

 

The better news is that F did exactly what I wanted it to do. Went down nice today and I got back in under the price I sold it for. Picked up a little over 100 shares due to the price difference. Didn't get it at the low but pretty close. As of now it's had a nice rebound so I've got a nice unrealized gain and 100 or so more shares.

 

Best of luck

[curtisj76 10]

Done for the day unless something pops up. Market dropped big time and bought a couple stocks. Both rallied for a nice gain that took about an hour tops.

 

367 gain

204 gain

 

570 total gain

 

So far so good this year. Still staying grounded as I know my lucky streak will end soon.

 

Good trading everyone

[Joseph Connors 10]

Done for the day unless something pops up. Market dropped big time and bought a couple stocks. Both rallied for a nice gain that took about an hour tops.

 

367 gain

204 gain

 

570 total gain

 

So far so good this year. Still staying grounded as I know my lucky streak will end soon.

 

Good trading everyone

 

 

What position sizes are you putting on to achieve those gains?

[curtisj76 10]

What position sizes are you putting on to achieve those gains?

 

1,000 shares each. The prices were roughly $11 and $34 a share. One was Ford which I normally don't day trade with but I saw an opportunity and took it. The other was the stock that I'm keeping quiet about and almost all my day trading gains from this year come from. This stock I normally get in with 1,000 shares, sometimes more.

 

I made another purchase later on Friday, 2,000 shares this time on my "trading stock". The price was just too good. Got in low so while the share was down over 1.5% I'm actually up. Still have it and plan on keeping it for a few days if needed. I can see it going up a buck or so a share as I feel it's priced very well right now.

 

Thanks for the question and good trading.

[curtisj76 10]

A few trades for the day, right around a $600 gain.

 

Sold my position I held overnight from last week for a $406 gain. Wanted more but it just wasn't happening today for the stock.

 

Then I shorted it for a $126 gain.

 

Shorted it again for a $72 gain.

 

Bought a couple thousand shares of F when it was down and am holding it. Not looking to hold it long, just a couple hundred bucks or so and then I'm out.

 

I'll be honest, it's very strange that a $600 day doesn't even get me very excited anymore. I guess that's why they say trading is so mental. Just need to stay focused and keep doing what I'm doing.

[curtisj76 10]

Up and down day, 3 trades.

 

Rough numbers:

 

200 gain

300 loss

300 gain

 

Should have never gotten into the trade that resulted in the loss. Jumped into a stock I've been thinking about day trading. Was up quite a bit so I shorted it and the dang thing kept going. Just not familiar with it like my other stock I trade.

 

Bummed about the loss but still up $200 at the end of the day which was my daily goal when I started. Could complain but just need to be happy with it and go into tomorrow fresh. Holding no trading positions right now.

[curtisj76 10]

Great day for me. Realized I was not smart yesterday putting a trade in on a different stock. No reason to get away from something that has been good to me. I made three round trips, all winners that gave me a little over $800 of gains.

 

The only downside of the day is that I ended up buying around 3,000 shares that went down and I held on to them. Made a run up at the end of the day and after hours the stock was up nice. I'm hoping for a decent gain from this as it really got sold off today.

 

Great day though. I almost took a vacation day as I woke up with that bad feeling and I really didn't want to get into the market. Good thing I didn't.

[AKQJ9 10]

Can't have margin in IRA's. Can't trade very often or I'll keep getting my hand slapped. That's why I've been swing trading. That's why I wanted to set up a non-qualified margin account. I was up around 1.4k on a trade last week but I didn't sell it cuz I would have gotten another dang phone call. If it would have been in my trading account I would have sold in a second. Now the 1.4k is gone. DANG IT

 

Lost money like this many times myself because it would put me at free riding then after a couple of years it hit me like a ton of bricks. Sell a deep in the money call to keep the profits. It's not free riding because it's not your money!

[phantom 16]

I'll be honest, it's very strange that a $600 day doesn't even get me very excited anymore. I guess that's why they say trading is so mental. Just need to stay focused and keep doing what I'm doing.

 

Okay, hotshot. Let me know how it makes you feel when you have your first $6000 day...

[curtisj76 10]

Okay, hotshot. Let me know how it makes you feel when you have your first $6000 day...

 

It feels great. In November last year I had a 14k day. Should have been 22k but I held on too long.

 

PS I made 40k that month.

 

Signed,

 

HotShot

 

 

- thanks for the comment btw, next time keep it to yourself cuz this time you lost

[curtisj76 10]

............anyways, no trades on Friday. No gain/loss.

 

Made a mistake that hopefully doesn't bit me in the rear. Had the position that I held overnight expecting a jump. Well it did but I held on too long. I've left many trades too early and left a lot of profit out there. So this time I told myself to hold on a little longer. Well it got to a $600 gain and then it dropped. The stock pretty much finished flat, up just a bit.

[phantom 16]

It feels great. In November last year I had a 14k day. Should have been 22k but I held on too long.

 

- thanks for the comment btw, next time keep it to yourself cuz this time you lost

 

You are missing the point entirely. I, for one, get just as excited making $600 in a day as I do making $6000.

 

Any profitable day is a great day, since we cannot control the extent to which a move will make.

 

Its the losing days which I abhor...

[curtisj76 10]

Been busy, quick update:

 

Sold the loser I held. (900) loss ........dang!

Then I had a nice 700 gain the next day and got most of it back.

 

Then yesterday I made a little under 800.

 

This morning, I made a nice 500 gain, shorted my trading stock.

 

Just got into Ford but it's dropped a bit. Looking for an afternoon comeback.

[Joseph Connors 10]

What is the basis for your trading decisions? Can you give us an idea

of what rules/system you employ for trading? Thanks!