Trading Educators Blog

I just uploaded Episode 3 of my Questions & Answers Series to YouTube. It covers questions on the usefulness of demo-trading and on trading 123 formations. In the last part I talk about why I developed my own python-based backtesting platform which is probably only interesting for those of you who're hardcore into system-development. So if you're not, just stop there ;)

The last I did a post about what's going on in EUR/USD and that it's unlikely we'll see a significant move unless the pair breaks out of it's established range. Now that finally happened and the Euro is on a strong run for a few days now already. Now what to do? If you're already long, should you keep on holding the position? If you're not in the trade already, should you still buy at the market? ...

You alone determine whether you will succeed or fail at trading. You alone are in control; take responsibility for your performance and your life. There are always tremendous opportunities in the markets. It is not what happens; it is what you do with what happens that makes the difference between profit and loss. However, you cannot marry a market or a single trading style. You have to look. Look...

The second Episode of my Q&A Series is uploaded to YouTube. I only managed to answer two questions this time, so I probably should be a bit briefer in the future... Topics are disciplined trading and the lifetime of trading methods, and how to decide when to stop trading them. Enjoy!

Let’s get one thing straight. Fear, for the majority of traders is a very real thing. You have it, I have it. Others have it as well. In order to become a professional trader, you must learn to deal with fear. The first step is to acknowledge that you have fear. Once you admit to fear, you can begin to deal with it. When you notice the impulse to trade based on strong fear, it is usually best to l...

This is one of the quotes about trading that stuck with me. I googled it and it's from Ed Seykota, I probably read it in one of the Market Wizards books, which I can highly recommend. The exact quote is “Win or lose, everybody gets what they want out of the market. Some people seem to like to lose, so they win by losing money.” Now this applies especially well to the retail world o...

"I review my checklist. It’s a handwritten sheet laminated in plastic and taped to the right-hand corner of my desk where I can’t overlook it. If you have a game plan prepared ahead of time, it can help you find courage in the heat of the battle.” - Marty Schwartz Yes, I also have a checklist and I look at it every day. On my checklist you can find reminders like “trade onl...

Hi Trader, now this has been a quite volatile week so far in many markets and I hope you've also been able to capture some nice profits out of these wild moves! Thanks to my trading being almost completely systematic right now I still had a few minutes to record a new video for YouTube and actually start of a new Series. In the first one I explain what a BID/ASK spread is for those of you who're c...

I wrote an article with the headline "Sometimes others get to play and you don't" some time ago and today (Friday 04/01) was such a day. And I tell you, it is difficult to watch markets are going my way knowing I could have made my shares for April but I missed the trade. Well, I haven't missed the trade actually because it wasn't my train. Here comes what happened. At 7:30 AM CT this morning we h...

As a professional trader, I try to enhance my trading on a daily basis. Learning how to trade is an ongoing process - a process that never stops. Those who know me or who have traded with me know that I am always looking for a simple and straightforward approach to trading. Yes, of course I am testing indicators, new chart patterns, new charting techniques, and anything else that is showing up on ...

People have the tendency to believe that the accuracy of forecasting the markets increases with more information. This is the illusion of knowledge – that more information increases your knowledge about something and improves your decisions. However, this is not always the case – increased levels of information do not necessarily lead to greater knowledge. There are three reasons for t...

After my last two spot-on calls on the EUR/USD, here's the next one, plus a video on why you shouldn't pay any attention to it: My feeling is that since everyone expects the EUR/USD to correct right now, it won't but will instead move up for another day or two. Again I won't trade on this, actually I'll probably be short again tomorrow... And here's the video why you shouldn't care about any marke...

One mark of a flexible trader is he/she has a carefree attitude when it comes to executing a trade. They don’t allow themselves to get bent out of shape over a trade. They don't sit and think over and over about their strategy. They have done their homework. They’ve developed a sensible trading plan, and when the opportunities present themselves, they pull the trigger on the trade....

Today we had the long awaited ECB press conference and Draghi did his thing by surprising traders with their decisions. This is what happened so far (13:00 NY Time) and as you can see the volatility hasn't been that high for weeks with EUR/USD moving 400 pips intraday.  So what to do on such a day where you can expect higher volatility than usual? Take trades or not? For me it's a no-...

I received the following email: Hey Joe! I’m ready to give up. When I found out that statistically most traders are losers, I wonder what chance I have of ever making it. You have every chance of making it. You are not everyone else, you are you. Statistics and those who use them may predict, but you alone determine whether you will succeed or fail. You alone are in control; take responsibil...

Sometimes in softball games, as a kid, they handed out the bats and balls and gloves, and there weren’t enough to go around - so you had to sit it out. You had to sit on the bench and watch. The same thing happens in trading. Sometimes you don’t get to participate. You must get used to the idea that sometimes you will sit in front of your charts for days or weeks, and nothing at a...