How Do You Approach 'Study'?

[Guest Octane]

Hi All,

My first post here but I've been lurking in the VSA section for some time now.

 

I wanted to start a discussion on the approaches people use to to keep focused and discipline towards studying, and how to properly absorb the study material or practice sessions, as this is something I'm personally finding a challenge.

 

A little about me? I'm in my late 20's, left school at 16 and have been working in engineering trades since. I had taken a slight interest in trading a few years ago as an alternative way invest money than the stereotypical property investing that my parent's have tried to drum into me. Recently though I've become much more interested in learning to trade successfully.

 

Currently I'm trying to learn as much as I can, by reading books and forums etc, while I save some starting capital.

 

However, as I've not been educated in a number of years, I'm finding the whole study concept a challenge.

 

I have no problems with reading many books on the subject, but I tend to read through them from start to finish like a novel, and not really absorb the content.

I'm easily distracted as well when sitting on the PC looking at charts or forums etc.

 

So I'm looking for some idea's to help me stay focused and disciplined, and more importantly, ways to help me properly learn and absorb the material.

[SIUYA 11]

teaching and learning are not the forte of most here (however some might be better at teaching than others ) so I think these would all be wild suggestions that might or might not work.

 

Personally.....

I found whenever reading a book I would try and summarise each chapter in my own words in a short paragraph. If I could not do that then I found I had either missed the point or did not understand how it fitted into the overall picture.

At the end of the book I would see how these concepts/processes/ideas fitted together.

(you end up with a 2-3 page summary, that most likely reflects a few simple concepts reflecting the overall jist of the books heading)

 

Now this told me two things - either a...the book was crap, or b....I missed some important points/concepts.....

This helped me ensure I had good building blocks, and meant I was unlikely to waste my time. (often reviewing the notes was enough to trigger new ideas, or a re read altered perceptions based on further knowledge - which is then easy to fit into context)

 

When it comes to trading - there is the unfortunate issue of fitting a trading style to your personality - otherwise you are making it harder on yourself. If you cannot concentrate and are easily distracted, you might find you are better suited to a longer term style, or a different profession.

As a trick/hint/suggestion - allocate time into blocks and build from there.

eg; 7am-8am prepare, 8am-10am trade. expand from there - if you cannot concentrate for 2 hours after a 1 hour prep time - stick to engineering.

Re forums - allocate a time to read through some, make some notes, ask questions. then switch off until the nest day.

Alternatively put your engineering brain to use and develop automated systems.

[TheNegotiator 13]

You'll read a lot of material good and bad (and there will be a lot of bad) in your quest to become a consistent trader. It won't truly end either - we are all perpetual students of the market. So I'll try to be succinct.

 

PLAN - Plan the structure of your day. Plan how you wish to trade. Plan how you wish to study. Plan what you wish to add to you trading when you learn something new. Plan how you should test the efficacy of this.

 

JOURNAL - Record your trades. Record your thoughts on the market. Record your emotions. Record how your product reacts to Non-farm payrolls.

 

REVIEW - Journalling is important even if you don't review imho. If you commit something to paper (or a spreadsheet or doc etc.) you are forced to think about it. However, if you plan to review then you can see things without emotional bias and you can see the cumulative performance of you and your plan.

 

 

Trading is somewhat about point of reference. If you have point of reference for the market, for yourself and for your performance, then things become clearer and easier to build upon successes and correct failures. Study is no different and should fit into the overall structure.

[Obsidian 10]

speaking of distraction, i had a similar problem when i stared learing how to trare. i was not well prepared, therefore i was giving instant decisions. or i was missing good entry points while i was checking the forums for systems-tips etc.

what i did was:

-picked a system to follow (i was interested in price patterns, candlesticks and breakout)

-i studied historical charts to build a plan.

-i was examining the charts during the weekends to plan possible trades. i would mark possible formations, trend lines etc. next i would decide entry-exit-stop levels. i would mark these levels on the charts in order to give sudden and wrong decisions. once i labeled everything on the charts, the chaos was gone.

[DbPhoenix 42]

As a follow-on to previous comments, you'll benefit more from your reading and from your chart study if you have a clear idea of what you're looking for. Otherwise, it's just words on a page and chicken scratches on a graph. This link may be of help.

 

As to understanding what you've read or observed, try explaining it to somebody, even if it's only on a message board. You will quickly determine what it was you learned and where the biggest holes are.

 

As to lurking in the VSA stuff, it's not likely your fault if you're having trouble getting it.

 

Db

[wrbtrader 10]

Hi All,

My first post here but I've been lurking in the VSA section for some time now.

 

I wanted to start a discussion on the approaches people use to to keep focused and discipline towards studying, and how to properly absorb the study material or practice sessions, as this is something I'm personally finding a challenge...

 

However, as I've not been educated in a number of years, I'm finding the whole study concept a challenge.

 

I have no problems with reading many books on the subject, but I tend to read through them from start to finish like a novel, and not really absorb the content.

I'm easily distracted as well when sitting on the PC looking at charts or forums etc.

 

So I'm looking for some idea's to help me stay focused and disciplined, and more importantly, ways to help me properly learn and absorb the material.

 

I've highlighted some key words you've said above.

 

I'm curious to hear more about your "reading and learning" environment. For example, are there distractions there, you studying while tired, do you have health related problems, you eating healthy, you sleeping well, do you have ADD, changes or issues in your personal life...

 

My point is that maybe your problems has little to do with trading unless VSA is boring or too complex for you. Therefore, if its not trading related, you may need to find some books on how to be good student, efficient time management, improving memory, improving concentration and so on.

[BlueHorseshoe 10]

Hi All,

My first post here but I've been lurking in the VSA section for some time now.

 

I wanted to start a discussion on the approaches people use to to keep focused and discipline towards studying, and how to properly absorb the study material or practice sessions, as this is something I'm personally finding a challenge.

 

A little about me? I'm in my late 20's, left school at 16 and have been working in engineering trades since. I had taken a slight interest in trading a few years ago as an alternative way invest money than the stereotypical property investing that my parent's have tried to drum into me. Recently though I've become much more interested in learning to trade successfully.

 

Currently I'm trying to learn as much as I can, by reading books and forums etc, while I save some starting capital.

 

However, as I've not been educated in a number of years, I'm finding the whole study concept a challenge.

 

I have no problems with reading many books on the subject, but I tend to read through them from start to finish like a novel, and not really absorb the content.

I'm easily distracted as well when sitting on the PC looking at charts or forums etc.

 

So I'm looking for some idea's to help me stay focused and disciplined, and more importantly, ways to help me properly learn and absorb the material.

 

There's already loads of good advice here.

 

One thing that I do is, rather than be a passive reader (of books, forums, etc), I try and engage with the content of the material by 'testing' ideas. This doesn't neccessarily mean performing some full blown analysis - sometimes I'll just pull up a chart and look for a clear example of whatever the author is talking about.

 

Not getting distracted and flitting from one thing to another is not something that I can offer any advice on - I'm terrible for it - in fact I came online just now to pay an electricity bill, not to come here on TL . . .

 

Good luck, and hope to see more contributions from you around the forum.

 

BlueHorseshoe

[Guest Octane]

Thank you all so much for the feedback. I now have a much better idea on what I need to do to switch the brain back on. I've posted some thoughts below.

 

When it comes to trading - there is the unfortunate issue of fitting a trading style to your personality - otherwise you are making it harder on yourself.

As a trick/hint/suggestion - allocate time into blocks and build from there.

eg; 7am-8am prepare, 8am-10am trade. expand from there - if you cannot concentrate for 2 hours after a 1 hour prep time - stick to engineering.

Re forums - allocate a time to read through some, make some notes, ask questions. then switch off until the nest day.

Yes, I agree with you on fitting a trading style to suit your personality. For me, VSA definitely appeals. Coming from an engineering background, common sense, logical simplicity and no frills are appealing to me.

I'm pretty lucky with my current job. I work in the evenings, so I have the mornings free to study, and generally if work is quiet I can jump online and browse forums etc.

 

As a follow-on to previous comments, you'll benefit more from your reading and from your chart study if you have a clear idea of what you're looking for. Otherwise, it's just words on a page and chicken scratches on a graph. This link may be of help.

As to understanding what you've read or observed, try explaining it to somebody, even if it's only on a message board. You will quickly determine what it was you learned and where the biggest holes are.

As to lurking in the VSA stuff, it's not likely your fault if you're having trouble getting it.

Db

Thanks Db, I've followed your posts for quite some time and always find your words quite inspiring. To me, Wyckoff & VSA makes more sense than all of the other methods so I'm prepared to put in the effort to understand it all. I just need to re-learn how to study again. You've touched on something here which has just clicked for me, and that is to have a clear idea of what I'm looking for. I think rather than reading a book from start to finish, I need to beak it down and work on 1 aspect at a time, like 'no demand', or R/R for example, until I understand it completely.

 

 

I've highlighted some key words you've said above.

I'm curious to hear more about your "reading and learning" environment. For example, are there distractions there, you studying while tired, do you have health related problems, you eating healthy, you sleeping well, do you have ADD, changes or issues in your personal life...

My point is that maybe your problems has little to do with trading unless VSA is boring or too complex for you. Therefore, if its not trading related, you may need to find some books on how to be good student, efficient time management, improving memory, improving concentration and so on.

My reading and learning environment is generally at home, on the pc, or with a book on the balcony. I can sometimes get onto the forums or read a pdf book at work, but its not ideal as there are a lot of distractions there. Saying that though, I did kick this thread off during work time :-)

Personally I think my issue is purely being out of practice regarding study and discipline methods which is causing a little mental exhaustion. It's not that the content is boring me at all otherwise I wouldn't be able to read the books from cover to cover, its that I'm struggling to concentrate sufficiently to absorb the content. I think I need to break it down into smaller chunks and go over each topic and practice it until it sinks in.

 

There's already loads of good advice here.

One thing that I do is, rather than be a passive reader (of books, forums, etc), I try and engage with the content of the material by 'testing' ideas. This doesn't neccessarily mean performing some full blown analysis - sometimes I'll just pull up a chart and look for a clear example of whatever the author is talking about.

Not getting distracted and flitting from one thing to another is not something that I can offer any advice on - I'm terrible for it - in fact I came online just now to pay an electricity bill, not to come here on TL . . .

Good luck, and hope to see more contributions from you around the forum.

BlueHorseshoe

Thanks BH, I like the testing idea. Will have to start doing this to prove to myself the concepts I'm learning.

I'm terrible for getting distracted and flicking from one thing to another also. It's something I'll have to work on.

 

Some great comments and advice in here so far, so I must thank you all!

 

I'd really love to hear some more idea's on how you guys make the most of your study time, how you get the concepts to sink in better etc.

[ForexTraderX 10]

Hi All,

My first post here but I've been lurking in the VSA section for some time now.

 

I wanted to start a discussion on the approaches people use to to keep focused and discipline towards studying, and how to properly absorb the study material or practice sessions, as this is something I'm personally finding a challenge.

 

A little about me? I'm in my late 20's, left school at 16 and have been working in engineering trades since. I had taken a slight interest in trading a few years ago as an alternative way invest money than the stereotypical property investing that my parent's have tried to drum into me. Recently though I've become much more interested in learning to trade successfully.

 

Currently I'm trying to learn as much as I can, by reading books and forums etc, while I save some starting capital.

 

However, as I've not been educated in a number of years, I'm finding the whole study concept a challenge.

 

I have no problems with reading many books on the subject, but I tend to read through them from start to finish like a novel, and not really absorb the content.

I'm easily distracted as well when sitting on the PC looking at charts or forums etc.

 

So I'm looking for some idea's to help me stay focused and disciplined, and more importantly, ways to help me properly learn and absorb the material.

 

First off, i'm somewhat curious as to what you would be "studying" regarding the markets...? In my experience, there are precious few books or instructionals that are even worth looking at in terms of learning about various trading methods/techniques.... and there are even fewer on the proper mindframe/mental game of trading, etc.

 

Second, I will say that I believe if you are struggling to stay focused on what your studying, you either are not engaging your own ideal learning style. Maybe your better one on one, or possibly in some sort of debate format where you challenge other people and they do the same to you (regarding trading concepts of course). Maybe you would do better with a mentor (mentor, not guru... no one does better with a guru)

 

FInally, I'll say that for me, regarding trading... wild stallions couldn't drag me away from something if I felt it could help me learn more about trading. To be honest, I feel it is one of a very few things that I was born to do. The thought of "studying", if it ever crossed my mind, was more like "no no, i'm sorry naked supermodel in my bed, i'm going to need you to take your tounge out of my mouth now because your not even remotely interesting to me compared to this book on technical chart patterns"

 

Point is, learning and developing my skills as a trader is an obsession. And I daresay that for those that "make it" as full time traders... the great majority will probably feel the same way as I do. I never struggled to enjoy sex, or "overcame distractions" in order to enjoy a chicago style deep dish pizza, nor did I have to "remember to try different listening approaches" to become consumed with various great musical groups. I may be wrong, but for me, if you are having difficulty becoming engaged in various trading material you read, then maybe you like the idea of trading, but the reality of trading may not be for you.