The easiest and simplest way to limit the emotions of Forex investing is by finding an honest, disciplined, professional Forex money manager to manage your account. However, many Forex investors choose to trade on their own and for a variety of reasons. Some have been scammed by unscrupulous Forex companies in the past and have vowed never to turn control of their accounts over to another again. While others long to become that disciplined trader who never allows himself to be overcome with fear or greed. And so for those who wish to conquer themselves and beat the emotion that so often overcomes the trader, here are some of the fights that must be won in order to reach your goal.
Scared to pull the trigger. Often times the trader will see the signal, decide to enter only to second guess himself. Then, price begins to move in the anticipated direction and either greed sets in and he enters late ("never chase a trade") or he sits back and watches in horror as the trade goes exactly where he had expected. Either way, the trader finishes the day dejected and lacking confidence.
Reactionary Trading. Reactionary trading often follows a loss. The trader determines that he "must" make up what he had lost or that the currency "surely" will move in this way or that because he just lost by trading the other direction. Reactionary trading is the opposite of calm and decisive trading.
It will come back. So often a trade goes bad and the trader, not willing (or wanting) to be wrong changes the trade plan mid-trade and extends the stop-loss. No matter how many times that trader has heard the mantra "plan the trade and trade the plan" he sticks with that losing trade until the point where he has lost far more than planned and he exits out of desperation.
Get out! Get out! There was a video posted a few years back about a "novice" trader who as soon as a trade began to go in his direction would scream "Get out! Get out!" and would prematurely exit his trade. While the emotions of trading may tell you, lets take what we can get, the trade plan says to stay with that winning trade all the way to the end. Exiting winning trades prematurely may "feel" good at the moment, but is a recipe for trading disaster long term.
Content to Break even. Often a trader will enter a trade only to watch it go against him. The emotions of the possible loss soon set in and the trader begins thinking "this is a losing trade". And so what happens in this scenario? The trade starts coming back. But the trader has already decided that the trade is a loser. And so when price reaches break even he closes the trade out and breaths a sigh of relief. The problem? The trade ends up climbing to where he should have taken profit. A break-even trader rarely breaks even.
Personal Stress. Factors that have nothing to do with trading have a tendency to affect the ability of the trader to be calm and disciplined. While this is the most difficult aspect of emotion-free trading to overcome, it is crucial to the traders success.
I WILL make 200% this month. The often, noble, desire to become rich over night in Forex ultimately spells financial disaster. When a trader is aiming too high he often over-leverages and over-trades.
Willing a trade to win. Too often the emotional trader will enter the market on a "hunch" or because he "believes" a currency will move one direction or another. While the intention is good, the idea is stupid and does not work long term. Stick to technical and fundamental analysis.
So, how does one win these emotional battles and become an emotion-free trader? Here are some tips that could help.
1. NEVER trade money you can't afford to lose. Do not trade because it is your last financial resort or because you "need" to make money.
2. Set achievable, realistic goals for yourself. While turning $1,000 into a one million in a year sounds like an exciting endeavor, it is not realistic and will only exacerbate the problem. Make your goals quantifiable. Sit down and write yearly, monthly, weekly, and daily goals. And then reward yourself each time you accomplish them.
3. "Plan the trade and trade the plan". I don't know who first said this but I know I won't be the last to repeat it. Develop a winning strategy and stick with it. In Forex the tortoise ALWAYS wins. Consider your losses investments into winning trades. Write your plan down and stick with it.
4. Money Management is key. Trade a money management strategy that allows you to lose a string of trades without significantly drawing your account balance down and then stick with that plan. Don't change your risk size just because you lost. There is no "double down" in emotion-free Forex trading.
5. Take a break. Your life can not be consumed by your trading. Take vacations and enjoy your weekends. Put those in your life that you love most first.
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