This blogpost is a small effort to delineate the thought process of a Professional in comparison to an amateur trader.
Introduction
It is a common understanding that trading profit on any given trade can be construed as the compensation we receive for the risk we took on the trade. Traders take risk, in the sense they routinely make judgments with uncertain outcomes. So it would follow then, that good traders don’t try to eliminate risk as much as manage it, and instead, can increase their chance of profitability by better reducing that uncertainty !!
This can be accomplished by making better trading decisions than those that are less informed, less knowledgeable, and less skilled. Ultimately, it is not what the trader knows, but who he is. The really consistently profitable traders are able to ignore or subvert their natural tendencies to do what feels comfortable, and instead, do what is necessary, to be optimally profitable over the long run.
Amateur traders
1. Watch what other traders do and be sure to follow the crowd. After all, they have been trading a lot longer than him/her and hence, naturally they should be more ‘smarter’
2. Never worry about using stop loss orders. When the time comes, he will be able to sell his open position(s) and take a loss. Our emotions won’t even come into play. Besides, stop loss orders are for weaklings 🙂
3. Setting high standards to achieve and feeling beaten when they fail to meet their expectations. Suddenly,they are disappointed/stressed out,and prone to make trading errors. Losses start to mount,mood worsens and before they know it, they find themselves in a deep psychological hole of despair.
4. They dislike regret more than losses. Their avoidance of regret is more powerful than the fear of loss. It’s one thing to make a losing trade, but it is quite another to feel that we’ve made a mistake, and continually berate ourselves for making it.
Professional traders
1. They don’t give a hoot about anything/anyones opinions of what the market will/might do.The very news/opinions that surround them becomes the mortar for their brick wall of defense that protects their completely independent thinking (Keyword here is ‘Independent’)
2. They have incredible discipline to not buckle under pressure. They have a perfectly clear head and understand fully what they do and how they do it. Battle wounds and memories of defeat are more valuable to them than the money.
3. Their self esteem do not rise and fall with trading results. Their self concept is strong/durable and not at the mercy of the current, last, or next trade.
4. As they know that their experience in markets is a reflection of their personal life, they keep their personal life/finance in order as that will nicely percolate into their trading. They take care of their bodies with healthy diets/exercises, while understanding that recreation is a vital activity in keeping trading performance at peak level.
Conclusion
A budding trader’s goal should be to move from the 1st group (amateur trading) to 2nd group (professional trading) as early as possible. It is easier said than done though.
Please do remember that ‘Winning’ is just the culmination of lessons learned by making our own mistakes – not from other people’s mistakes. Many folks would disagree here and they believe that one can learn from the mistakes of others in trading. This statement is absurd, to say the least. Especially in an experiential profession like trading the markets where one has to go through the path on his own. Our biggest nemesis is in between the ears and one has to face their own demons(often unique) in trading.
Want to end this blogpost with this thought – ‘Professional traders attitude’ can be abbreviated as FEDCOP
Focused (on the trade only)
Emotionally Stable (treat winning and losing the same)
Disciplined (in trade management)
Confident (in methodology & risk management)
Objective (Unbiased)
Patient (to wait for the opportunity & to maximize profit)
Happy trading !!