NexusFi: Find Your Edge


Home Menu

 





Really afraid to trade?


Discussion in Psychology and Money Management

Updated
      Top Posters
    1. looks_one monpere with 14 posts (21 thanks)
    2. looks_two nillz123 with 11 posts (8 thanks)
    3. looks_3 mainstream with 7 posts (2 thanks)
    4. looks_4 c12345 with 6 posts (7 thanks)
      Best Posters
    1. looks_one Big Mike with 7.7 thanks per post
    2. looks_two jagui with 5 thanks per post
    3. looks_3 tmmaggi with 3.4 thanks per post
    4. looks_4 monpere with 1.5 thanks per post
    1. trending_up 35,944 views
    2. thumb_up 178 thanks given
    3. group 49 followers
    1. forum 125 posts
    2. attach_file 5 attachments




 
Search this Thread

Really afraid to trade?

  #11 (permalink)
 
nillz123's Avatar
 nillz123 
Ocala, FL
 
Experience: Intermediate
Platform: NT
Trading: Crude, Euro, ES
Posts: 44 since Aug 2010
Thanks Given: 25
Thanks Received: 31


tmmaggi View Post
I agree wholeheartedly with this post. You are undoubtedly low on emotional capital, since you referred to previous losses. IF you've got a plan and can follow your rules consistently and you're trading small (like one contract), but you're still afraid, consider a very small profit target for a short while. I realize this is going to be very unpopular advice, but I have found it very helpful to ease back into trading with a small target. While it's true that this small target (such as 2 ticks in the ES) is probably violating your rules if you're practicing with a larger target. In addition, your stop will certainly be a lot larger that your profit target if you're only going for a couple of ticks. However, I too, have been extremely fearful in the past, having been battered and bruised, just like you. Getting out quickly with a small profit has really helped me. Is this a long term solution? No. But, you'll be able to dip your toe back into trading waters and rebuild your confidence. Later, you'll be able to hold on a bit longer. For example, when you get 4 ticks in your favor, you can move your stop to +1 tick to at least not have another loser. Again, there are certainly a number of people who will think I am crazy.

Definitely follow the advice of George, Jagui, and TraderJesse. If you've done all those things, try a small target.


Great advice and thanks. I do great on SIM. i am consistent. Just I freeze up LIVE. I make excuses I think, telling myself today isn't a good day. I would SIM, then go live and then go back to sim 3 seconds before entering a trade . . . . and then it be a winner.

I speak to other traders. I know that trading is something that is learned not a natural thing you are born with so I know this is something I can learn.

Started this thread Reply With Quote
Thanked by:

Can you help answer these questions
from other members on NexusFi?
NT7 Indicator Script Troubleshooting - Camarilla Pivots
NinjaTrader
My NT8 Volume Profile Split by Asian/Euro/Open
NinjaTrader
Deepmoney LLM
Elite Quantitative GenAI/LLM
NexusFi Journal Challenge - April 2024
Feedback and Announcements
Better Renko Gaps
The Elite Circle
 
Best Threads (Most Thanked)
in the last 7 days on NexusFi
Get funded firms 2023/2024 - Any recommendations or word …
59 thanks
Funded Trader platforms
37 thanks
NexusFi site changelog and issues/problem reporting
22 thanks
GFIs1 1 DAX trade per day journal
22 thanks
The Program
19 thanks
  #12 (permalink)
 
nillz123's Avatar
 nillz123 
Ocala, FL
 
Experience: Intermediate
Platform: NT
Trading: Crude, Euro, ES
Posts: 44 since Aug 2010
Thanks Given: 25
Thanks Received: 31

Also, as Mike said in one of his other posts, SIM seem SO different from LIVE trading.

Started this thread Reply With Quote
  #13 (permalink)
eminitrader
Unites States
 
Posts: 35 since Sep 2010
Thanks Given: 10
Thanks Received: 13



nillz123 View Post
Also, as Mike said in one of his other posts, SIM seem SO different from LIVE trading.

Indeed it is, if it is thought that way. By that I mean, if someone had no care and only thought that sim and live are the same, then their feelings will be the same to either or. But when you have that feeling of "ohh man this live now," that feeling turns into your mentality, which makes you think with more fear when trading live.

When you can get rid of those emotional feelings on trading live, and keep level headed and think like a pro trader, you will start thinking differently about live trading.

Reply With Quote
  #14 (permalink)
 
nillz123's Avatar
 nillz123 
Ocala, FL
 
Experience: Intermediate
Platform: NT
Trading: Crude, Euro, ES
Posts: 44 since Aug 2010
Thanks Given: 25
Thanks Received: 31

See but the thing is I do normally think emotionally siming the same way I do trading live: However you dont EVER get partial fills or as much slippage as you do live.


eminitrader View Post
Indeed it is, if it is thought that way. By that I mean, if someone had no care and only thought that sim and live are the same, then their feelings will be the same to either or. But when you have that feeling of "ohh man this live now," that feeling turns into your mentality, which makes you think with more fear when trading live.

When you can get rid of those emotional feelings on trading live, and keep level headed and think like a pro trader, you will start thinking differently about live trading.


Started this thread Reply With Quote
Thanked by:
  #15 (permalink)
eminitrader
Unites States
 
Posts: 35 since Sep 2010
Thanks Given: 10
Thanks Received: 13


nillz123 View Post
See but the thing is I do normally think emotionally siming the same way I do trading live: However you dont EVER get partial fills or as much slippage as you do live.

Maybe thats more of your fear (see bold in quote)

Your thinking and your emotions being the same live and sim is a step in the right direction.
If you are profitable in Sim with the same mindset as you would be Live your pretty much there IMO.

What do you have to fear?

If 1)You have a trading plan and it works; ie. you make money everyday in sim.
2) Your emotions and mentality are the same in Live and Sim.

If you can check those things off, then you should be good to go.

Maybe, you not trusting your plan when it comes to handling your actual money?
Or just afraid of losing in general, losing real money or just plain being wrong when it Counts?

Reply With Quote
Thanked by:
  #16 (permalink)
 mainstream 
Chicago, IL
 
Experience: Master
Platform: Kinetick Ninja Trader <7>
Broker: Ninja & IB
Trading: YM & Equities & Options & Mutual Funds
Posts: 174 since Jun 2010
Thanks Given: 57
Thanks Received: 88

Maybe you shouldn't be trading at all. There are easier ways to make money.... like driving a cab.

Just quit. Give up. You'll probably be homeless because of your trading.

Reply With Quote
Thanked by:
  #17 (permalink)
 
nillz123's Avatar
 nillz123 
Ocala, FL
 
Experience: Intermediate
Platform: NT
Trading: Crude, Euro, ES
Posts: 44 since Aug 2010
Thanks Given: 25
Thanks Received: 31


mainstream View Post
Maybe you shouldn't be trading at all. There are easier ways to make money.... like driving a cab.

Just quit. Give up. You'll probably be homeless because of your trading.

Ummmmm No. I don't want to do anything else. And believe me, I will always have a place to stay. I have good money management so I won't be homeless.

And driving a cab isn't easier.


Started this thread Reply With Quote
Thanked by:
  #18 (permalink)
 mainstream 
Chicago, IL
 
Experience: Master
Platform: Kinetick Ninja Trader <7>
Broker: Ninja & IB
Trading: YM & Equities & Options & Mutual Funds
Posts: 174 since Jun 2010
Thanks Given: 57
Thanks Received: 88

Then start trading like it's your job.

Reply With Quote
  #19 (permalink)
 
nillz123's Avatar
 nillz123 
Ocala, FL
 
Experience: Intermediate
Platform: NT
Trading: Crude, Euro, ES
Posts: 44 since Aug 2010
Thanks Given: 25
Thanks Received: 31


eminitrader View Post
Maybe thats more of your fear (see bold in quote)

Your thinking and your emotions being the same live and sim is a step in the right direction.
If you are profitable in Sim with the same mindset as you would be Live your pretty much there IMO.

What do you have to fear?

If 1)You have a trading plan and it works; ie. you make money everyday in sim.
2) Your emotions and mentality are the same in Live and Sim.

If you can check those things off, then you should be good to go.

Maybe, you not trusting your plan when it comes to handling your actual money?
Or just afraid of losing in general, losing real money or just plain being wrong when it Counts?


I can check off point 1), I am not sure about point 2) . . . Thats where the problem lies.

Started this thread Reply With Quote
  #20 (permalink)
 
Big Mike's Avatar
 Big Mike 
Manta, Ecuador
Site Administrator
Developer
Swing Trader
 
Experience: Advanced
Platform: Custom solution
Broker: IBKR
Trading: Stocks & Futures
Frequency: Every few days
Duration: Weeks
Posts: 50,399 since Jun 2009
Thanks Given: 33,173
Thanks Received: 101,539



nillz123 View Post
I can check off point 1), I am not sure about point 2) . . . Thats where the problem lies.

If your emotions between live and sim are too different, then you need to honestly ask yourself why this is. I think for the majority of people it really boils down to trading with money they can't afford to lose, or reliving past experiences.

If you are trading with money you can't afford to lose, then you aren't trading at all. Your just gambling.

For the second point though, what I mean is that some traders have emotional issues that are related to prior experiences from their own trading. For instance, early on they had a terrible and stupid habit of holding on to losers too long, so now years later in their trading that can still effect them in many psychological ways, maybe they now get out of trades too quick because they are too afraid to have any loss. Maybe in the past they've lost a huge amount of money in one bad day or trade, so now they over trade trying to dig themselves out of a hole, and go on tilt and make it worse.

In any event, to fix it you need to create a journal, record every single trade entry and exit, and then come up with a clear plan of how to improve, then measure yourself daily and hold yourself accountable. Simple as that.

Mike

We're here to help: just ask the community or contact our Help Desk

Quick Links: Change your Username or Register as a Vendor
Searching for trading reviews? Review this list
Lifetime Elite Membership: Sign-up for only $149 USD
Exclusive money saving offers from our Site Sponsors: Browse Offers
Report problems with the site: Using the NexusFi changelog thread
Follow me on Twitter Visit my NexusFi Trade Journal Reply With Quote




Last Updated on December 16, 2012


© 2024 NexusFi™, s.a., All Rights Reserved.
Av Ricardo J. Alfaro, Century Tower, Panama City, Panama, Ph: +507 833-9432 (Panama and Intl), +1 888-312-3001 (USA and Canada)
All information is for educational use only and is not investment advice. There is a substantial risk of loss in trading commodity futures, stocks, options and foreign exchange products. Past performance is not indicative of future results.
About Us - Contact Us - Site Rules, Acceptable Use, and Terms and Conditions - Privacy Policy - Downloads - Top
no new posts