Trading Journal and Log 4-4-11
I will be trading sim for 4-4 to 4-7.
My focus is to practice my entries and exits and assess the details of my trading plan.
I am resistant to sim trading as I tell myself I am missing out if I do well. Recognizing this, I will use sim to develop my skills.
1115 AM So far I have placed 4 trades and notice that I cut myself off form profits even sim trading. Watching how my indicators move with price and how my entries are timed. Posting my trades on a spreadsheet as an attachment from now on.

No trades today.

I am studying the feedback from the post about "wanting to change everything".

I am reviewing my own history of trading. I responded to the "Why do I trade?" post and that was helpful to really think about. I am reviewing the charts I use and why I chose the settings - what was my thinking about the indicators I chose and the chart frame. What keeps me from using divergences? What is my thinking about my entries and how did I develop them to begin with?

Obviously a lot is in question for me - particularly looking at my thinking for everything I have been doing or set up. What am I discovering is that much of what I have been doing has been revised so much (the wanting to change everything process) that I have never clearly decided on a clearly defined trading plan that I could follow for more than 2-4 days and then evaluate.

Back to basics
Several years ago I took a course from Walter Bressert and learned about cycles using his cycle -trader. Very helpful at the time and was profitable. Then I started to change everything - revised indicators - tried new systems - but cycle trading with trend is still the background that informs my trading plans.
It is time to go back to basics - to re-adapt myself to the benefits of what I traded well, like to trade and understand to a great degree.
The simplicity of trading cycle tops and bottoms with trend and momentum - a trading plan that is easy to define and follow, with clear signals and stops and a way to identify profit targets.
I still have the old manuals and even VHS tapes of his course.
The indicators are simple:
a 23 and 50 moving average ( I have since revised the standard to hug/follow prices more closely), a 10 cycle double stochastic . Through experience I added 150 bar moving average , a stochastic to that measures/plots the cycle on a larger frame (example 3 times the entry frame) and revised 14/6 CCI to measure momentum with zeroline crosses. I also added a 5 bar moving average. Bressert traded time-based charts (3, 7 and 20 minute) and I trade either tick or share bar charts.
I will add the indicators and past them with charts the next few days.

Trading Journal and Log 4-7
Today I continue to observe the basic trading plan I used a few years ago before I got caught up in finding the perfect indicator.. before I made a series of serious trading mistakes that I ignored in terms of their emotional impact on me.. before I was willing to own and take responsibility for my primary trading default pattern of avoiding losses which can never yield gains... before I really journaled and logged my trades for examination... before I was really ready to own and become a competent trader.

Taking a coint education course today so no trading. looking forward to Monday.

Miss trading as my schedule has me working on other projects in preparation for a workshop.
Over the weekend I reveiwed the 1200 tick chart and started to clarify my trading plan in writing. Though I had done that but this whole process has taught me differently.

Trading Journal and Log 4 -12
Trading RT today using my old and updated trading plan based on cycle-trend- momentum. All trades based on trend with 23-50 optimized WEMA.
remembering to shake it off when I enter is important to stabilize my nervous system after I get anxious.
Made 2 trades noted on chart - noticing how skittish I am after not trading RT for 5 days.

Trading Journal and Log 4-13
I am skittish today - trading feel s like I am experimenting with touching a stove burner to check if it is hot. Thus, very hesitant. And let 3 great trades go by already by 700.
# 1 - 634premature exit - loss = 1 tick CS = 4
preceded to ignore next 2 trade signals
# 2 741 excellent entry - shook my body when the anxiety came - breathed and hit target of 4 ticks - original target was 7 ticks or 100% FIB extension of ret leg CS = 8
# 3 - 837 - excellent entry - NOTE THE 42 MOM DIFF IN THIS - EXITED EARLY EVEN THOUGH I SET A PROFIT TARGET - 2 TICKS - CS = 7
MY ENTRIES ARE GREATLY IMPROVING TODAY
#4 and 5 - wrote too soon on these trades I entered early - did not wait for cycle run signal to enter and got spanked - clearly, acting on anticipating a signal does not create a signal CS - 2
# 6 - waited for cyc turn sig to buy - 1308.5 target = 1310.25 CT trade CS - 2 error loss - momentum misread
# 7 - buy entry with clear signal at 1124 - hit 7 tick target CS = 10 this is the process I want to duplicate every trade I know this setup and was waiting for it to appear
It is important for me to study how i did this trade - relaxed with target and stop in place and shook my body when I got anxious to shake off the impulse to exit prematurely
# 8 1145 exc entry on ret and cyc bot for 3 ticks CS = 9
a small losing day for me and a day of great learning - noted my body relaxing more and trusting signals

Have been taking time off form trading to reassess what I hav been doing and complete a trading plan - working on my own style. I have always thought iof msyelfas a scalp trader and am now redefining what I mean by that.

Well after several days of takign time form teh markets and I getting refocused. Next week staring 5/2 I will be trading every morning using better entry and exits defintions.