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@TonyParisi Thank you. You're right bro, I certainly do overtrade at times. It's something I've been "aware" of for quite a while, but since I'm profitable I've been ignoring it. Certainly something for me to add to the to do list for the continual revamping process we call trading. I'm a huge fan of accountability, it's part of the reason I have journals on futures.io (formerly BMT). What steps did you take to add accountability that helped you the most?
Probably my most notable turning point was when I started trading 1 lots live. I don't mean sim did absolutely squat for me. But, eventually it became a crutch. Just stick to your plan with 1 lots, or I understand that some people use runners so 2 lots if need be.
If you are dead-set on the combine, why not start on like the $50k???? You only need like $350 a day to hit goal, with a $1k loss limit. With 2-3 lots this should not be a problem I know you can do that I have seen your screencasts! I have seen quite a few great traders on futures.io (formerly BMT) posting calls and being wicked good at timing entries, exits, and overall market structure (mfbreakout, Gabriyele, PrivateBanker, etc, etc, etc). This takes years and years of experience. I'm not even close to being in the same league, these dudes are Pro, and I'm still using the T-Ball stand. But you know what, you can still get by, and get by well using that T-Ball stand.
Make a plan, follow it, no excuses, no regrets, no discretion, no second guessing, FOLLOW IT. Remember it isn't a sprint, it's a journey. You simply experienced a 'pullback'. Keep up the trend dude.
Really sorry to hear of what happened today. I'm curious, why did that happen? Did you get caught up in the moment, and forget where you were loss wise before taking that last trade, or did you take that last trade knowing a loser could lead to Combine failure, or unanticipated slippage, or just something else?
Yesterday I wrote in my Combine journal that "daily loss limit" was one of the few combine requirements in my control, and therefore never should be exceeded. But maybe I missed some aspect of it.
There is a lesson here for all Combiners, that definitely goes beyond the trading strategy itself.
If you already did diagnose this, I must have missed it in the thread. Can you tell me the post #?
Thank you for your honesty and quality postings... I've enjoyed them for quite some time now.
If you want a real reset and a fresh start in your trading career... AND are willing to try anything, I suggest you book yourself for a free 10-day meditation course: The Vipassana Center in Georgia - I think this one is closest to you
(Alternatively, you could find another center at Dhamma.org)
You don't know how to fix you. The 10-day meditation course will give you the tools.
I suggest this only if you are serious about deep personal change.
The rest is up to you, I wish you the best.
You are never in the wrong place... but sometimes you are in the right place looking at things in the wrong way.
In the winter of 1999 I found myself among a group of almost 800 people at a ten-day Silent Mindfulness Meditation course on a serene hillock in Igatpuri, a three hours drive from Mumbai.
These people had gathered to learn the ancient technique of Vipassana, …
I knew exactly where I was p/l wise the whole time. You're right, it was in my control, and should not have been exceeded. It was definitely one of those things where I hesitate on the normal loss, and as mentioned, keep finding levels lower and lower that I think could possibly support price. Eventually it's a very large loss, and I get the feeling, "Well, I've already really screwed this up this bad, might as well let it play out to the bottom of the channel i've been trading off of for weeks. The channel broke and my final stop was underneath it.
It was the classic, move the stop... price nears... move the stop again... big loss.
I would also recommend trying meditation. It may be too much to think of going for one of these 10 day retreats, but there are usually shorter retreats happening all over. And if not that, just start doing it for short periods at home, and build up. The basic instructions for vipassana are simple and take about a paragraph, the rest is just doing it.
It's especially good for helping you interrupt your habitual responses - there's a near perfect negative correlation between my own repetitive stupid mistakes and my persistence in meditating for short sessions throughout the day.
Spent the first part of the day going through an "exercise" in what happens when you don't take your small loss with a fellow trader and new friend.
Started trading after 11AM. Two trades for the day.
First trade was a simple pullback looking for a final push into the 47.25 area. Got filled there, and the rest stopped out near BE.
Second trade was a reversal to long after the remainder of the short was scratched. This trade made a lot of sense to take, as I was seeing a range developing on my higher timeframe. Target was 55, but it stopped 2 ticks shy of there and I got stopped on a pullback before it eventually got there. Still a good trade and well managed.
main trading timeframe
higher timeframe
Hard to really trade off this info, but I think it's pretty significant that we're unable to sustain anything above 1556. Kind of a hint hint like the last time I said "hint" on 3-27-13:
3-28 (the next day) ended up being a pretty strong up day, we'll see, it's all random anyways (whether this bearish view plays out), but it's just what I see currently.