I’m glad to see many of you aspiring to become consistently profitable traders. However, it’s important to recognize that the desire for success is just the beginning; building the right mindset and putting in the necessary work are crucial steps.
1. Mindset: One of the fundamental aspects of your mindset should be the ability to accept losses. Understand that your next few trades might result in losses, but in the long run, you can achieve profitability. Accepting losses also means not pressuring yourself to make money on every trade, every day, week, or month. Trading with your last capital or your entire savings goes against this principle, and it’s a path that often leads to account blowouts due to wrong psychology and mindset.
I’ve been in a position where I’ve traded with significant sums and also when I’ve been nearly broke. I’ve learned that having plenty of capital in my account allows me to trade with a clear and patient mindset. On the other hand, when I’ve been financially strained, the desire to make quick money has sometimes clouded my judgment, leading to forced trades.
2. Doing the Work Required: We all employ different trading strategies, so I’ll emphasize the importance of discipline in executing your trading system or strategy consistently and diligently. This is where practice comes into play. Avoid rushing the process; achieving consistent profitability takes time and patience.
Here’s a critical piece of advice: if you’re a beginner, ensure your risk management keeps your risk per trade between 1% to 2%. This will determine whether you’ll maintain a healthy mindset and psychology in the long run, spanning 2, 3, 4, or 5 years. Risking too much per trade has harmed many traders and caused them to develop a negative perception of trading due to significant losses.
I speak from experience, as I’ve sometimes taken higher risks because I felt unafraid. However, the downside of taking high risks is that it’s uncertain whether you’ll remain in trading for the long haul, as the emotional toll can seriously affect your psychology and mindset. I wouldn’t wish this on anyone.
Don’t assume that learning the latest trading systems or techniques will save you from major losses if you’re risking too much. I’ve spent a significant amount on education, and I’ve learned that as a beginner, you must practice consistently and fight off boredom, distractions, and impatience until you become proficient.
In reality, successful trading can often be quite mundane, involving repetition of the same actions. When trading becomes exciting, it often starts to resemble gambling. Remember that trading is a marathon, not a sprint, and maintaining a disciplined and patient approach will increase your chances of long-term success.
