Is there a way to skip to #39?

I don't think it is as linear as this. Everyones path is different but nonetheless, an interesting rough step by step process is outlined here.

Thank you for this

very good list - can recognise myself in there at various stages

shodson 

I think I'm on step 29.. 1. We accumulate information--buying books, going to seminars and researching. 2. We begin to trade with our 'new' knowledge. 3. We consistently 'donate' and then realize we may need more knowledge or information. 4. We accumulate more information. 5. We switch the commodities we are currently following. 6. We go back into the market and trade with our 'updated' knowledge. 7. We get 'beat up' again and begin to lose some of our confidence. Fear starts setting in. 8. We start to listen to 'outside news' & other traders. 9. We go back into the market and continue to donate. 10. We switch commodities again. 11. We search for more information. 12. We go back into the market and continue to donate. 13. We get 'overconfident' & market humbles us. 14. We start to understand that trading success fully is going to take more time and more knowledge then we anticipated. Most People Will Give up at this Point as they Realize Work is Involved 15. We get serious and start concentrating on learning a 'real' methodology. 16. We trade our methodology with some success, but realize that something is missing. 17. We begin to understand the need for having rules to apply our methodology. 18. We take a sabbatical from trading to develop and research our trading rules. 19. We start trading again, this time with rules and find some success, but overall we still hesitate when it comes time to execute. We start trading again, this time with rules and find some success, but overall we still hesitate when it comes time to execute. 20. We add, subtract and modify rules as we see a need to be more proficient with our rules. 21. We go back into the market and continue to donate.We go back into the market and continue to donate. 22. We start to take responsibility for our trading results as we understand that our success is in us, not the methodology. 23. We continue to trade and become more proficient with our methodology and our rules. 24. As we trade we still have a tendency to violate our rips and our results are still erratic. 25. We know we are close. 26. We go back and research our rules. 27. We build the confidence in our rules and go back into the market and trade. 28. Our trading results are getting better, but we are still hesitating in executing our rules. 29. We now see the importance of following our rules as we see the results of our trades when we don't follow them. 30. We begin to see that our lack of success is within us (a lack of discipline in following the rules because of some kind of fear) and we begin to work on knowing ourselves better. 31. We continue to trade and the market teaches us more and more about ourselves. 32. We master our methodology and trading rules. 33. We begin to consistently make money. We begin to consistently make money. 34. We get a little overconfident and the market humbles us. 35. We continue to learn our lessons. 36. We stop thinking and allow our rules to trade for us (trading becomes boring, but successful) and our trading account continues to grow as we increase our contract size. 37. We are making more money then we ever dreamed to be possible. 38. We go on with our lives and accomplish many of the goals we had always dreamed of

@shodson

Thx for the well wishing listing for newbies.

But with only the 10 Commandments, people like us find it tough to remember them
and diligently follow. So very pitiful indeed, isn't it?

Is it possible to abbreviate it down to bite size for most of us, like....?

1. We accumulate information--buying books, going to seminars and researching.
8. We start but fail and start to listen to 'outside news' & other traders.
13. Now get 'overconfident' & market humbles us.
14. We start to understand that trading profitably is going to take more time and more knowledge then we anticipated.

Most People Will Give up at this Point as they Realize Work is Involved

15. We get serious and start concentrating on learning a 'real' holy grail.
22. We start to take responsibility for our trading results as we understand that our success is in us, not the methodology.
29. We now see the importance of following our rules as we see the results of our trades when we don't follow them.
30. We begin to see that our lack of success is within us
(a lack of discipline in following the rules because of some kind of fear) and
we begin to work on knowing ourselves better.
36. We stop thinking and allow our rules to trade for us (trading becomes boring, but successful)

NOW for better or for worse, there are now only 9 very general trading behaviors
for those wishing to be more consistently profitable to eschew.

More profitable trading experiences everyone. Thx Shodson.

deaddog 

I looked for a mentor when I first started. All I found were people wanting to sell me systems. I had one guy who was only going to charge me a daily rate. Set me up with software so he could direct me in real time how to trade ES. Day one we broke even and when I asked how much he made trading he said he didn’t trade. End of relationship. You shouldn’t expect a mentor to show you a method. You should expect a mentor to guide you through the process of finding and developing a system that suites you. Too many people are looking to copy a method that may not be appropriate for them.

I love this!!! You would not believe how many "mentors" actually do not trade! They sell the fantasy of being able to successfully earn a living from the markets, but in actuality do not do it themselves!

...................your story sounds about like the road I went down

DropD 

...................your story sounds about like the road I went down

Did you find a Mentor or did you finally figure it our for yourself?

deaddog 

Did you find a Mentor or did you finally figure it our for yourself?

I'm still on the journey.............I realized that a mentor really can't do much for me. I know I'll have to make it on my own. I am finding that Van Tharp's stuff is exceptional.

DropD 

I'm still on the journey.............I realized that a mentor really can't do much for me. I know I'll have to make it on my own. I am finding that Van Tharp's stuff is exceptional.

Take a look at Mark Douglas Books.

deaddog 

Take a look at Mark Douglas Books.

I'll check him out, thanks! What I'm really working on right now is my overall business plan for trading and my objectives going forward. I know that a trading system is just a small piece to the puzzle and the bigger picture is where my focus should currently be.

shodson 

I think I'm on step 29.. 1. We accumulate information--buying books, going to seminars and researching. 2. We begin to trade with our 'new' knowledge. 3. We consistently 'donate' and then realize we may need more knowledge or information. 4. We accumulate more information. 5. We switch the commodities we are currently following. 6. We go back into the market and trade with our 'updated' knowledge. 7. We get 'beat up' again and begin to lose some of our confidence. Fear starts setting in. 8. We start to listen to 'outside news' & other traders. 9. We go back into the market and continue to donate. 10. We switch commodities again. 11. We search for more information. 12. We go back into the market and continue to donate. 13. We get 'overconfident' & market humbles us. 14. We start to understand that trading success fully is going to take more time and more knowledge then we anticipated. Most People Will Give up at this Point as they Realize Work is Involved 15. We get serious and start concentrating on learning a 'real' methodology. 16. We trade our methodology with some success, but realize that something is missing. 17. We begin to understand the need for having rules to apply our methodology. 18. We take a sabbatical from trading to develop and research our trading rules. 19. We start trading again, this time with rules and find some success, but overall we still hesitate when it comes time to execute. We start trading again, this time with rules and find some success, but overall we still hesitate when it comes time to execute. 20. We add, subtract and modify rules as we see a need to be more proficient with our rules. 21. We go back into the market and continue to donate.We go back into the market and continue to donate. 22. We start to take responsibility for our trading results as we understand that our success is in us, not the methodology. 23. We continue to trade and become more proficient with our methodology and our rules. 24. As we trade we still have a tendency to violate our rips and our results are still erratic. 25. We know we are close. 26. We go back and research our rules. 27. We build the confidence in our rules and go back into the market and trade. 28. Our trading results are getting better, but we are still hesitating in executing our rules. 29. We now see the importance of following our rules as we see the results of our trades when we don't follow them. 30. We begin to see that our lack of success is within us (a lack of discipline in following the rules because of some kind of fear) and we begin to work on knowing ourselves better. 31. We continue to trade and the market teaches us more and more about ourselves. 32. We master our methodology and trading rules. 33. We begin to consistently make money. 34. We get a little overconfident and the market humbles us. 35. We continue to learn our lessons. 36. We stop thinking and allow our rules to trade for us (trading becomes boring, but successful) and our trading account continues to grow as we increase our contract size. 37. We are making more money then we ever dreamed to be possible. 38. We go on with our lives and accomplish many of the goals we had always dreamed of

This BTW, is a list created at Commodities Corporation which produced:

Paul Tudor Jones, founder of Tudor Investment Corporation
Louis Bacon, founder of Moore Capital Management
Bruce Kovner, founder of Caxton Associates
Michael Marcus, a leading commodities and currency trader
Jack D. Schwager, an author on financial topics and hedge fund manager
Ed Seykota, a computer scientist, technical trader and pioneer in System Trading
Peter Brandt, commodity trader extraordinaire.

So you know, this was put together by some serious traders who knew what they were talking about.
I have moved up almost every step on this list in my 10 years of full time trading and glad to say I am at #35 touching #36 most days.

For anyone struggling out there: keep your trading simple, keep your losses small, don't get attached to your trading results, and this business takes time and patience. Give it 5 years at least if you are trading without a mentor to get your bearings right. Sorry, it is a tough business.