Day: August 29, 2012

I want to share a quick thought with  you today–a little trick in thinking that made a big difference in my trading a few years ago. One of the problems with traders is that we can be stubborn. This happens to everyone, and no one is ever immune to it. It takes a lot of confidence to pull the trigger, and sometimes much analysis and hard work has gone into justifying the trade. What do we do when contradictory information emerges? Well, sometimes the shock of seeing that the trade is wrong can even cause traders to freeze, with disastrous consequences.

I developed a little trick that might seem trivial, but it is very important. Simply put, anytime to you put a trade on, assume that the trade is going to be a loser. No matter how much analysis, how many supporting factors, or how perfect the pattern is, assume that the trade will lose money. This creates a profound shift in your focus because, rather than searching for and possibly discounting contradictory evidence (which can sometimes be as simple as “I just bought and now it’s going down…”), you will be open to and will readily accept contradicting information. Of course you will, because you assumed the trade was wrong to begin with. When you find confirmation for the trade, it is almost a pleasant surprise. Shift your thinking into this mode, and you will be much less likely to overstay your welcome in suboptimal setups that are not working out–you’ll be far more likely to do the right thing, which is usually to pull the plug on the trade (time stop) and look for a better opportunity.- wrote veteran trader Adam Grimes