Since the dot com implosion, I have developed a unique and simplified trading approach that keeps me and other traders in tune with what matters most as day traders with NASDAQ stocks - generating consistent, enviable returns - day after day, every trading day. Thinking you might want to know about this financial success story, I urge you to read on.
A Day Trader's History:
Like you, trying to make money in the markets, I had a bad time of it. Bringing to my new career as a trader what I learned as a manager and owner of several successful businesses - banking, real estate consulting, executive consulting (helping senior managers energize their relationships, careers, and businesses) didn't bring me the success I anticipated in the day trading business. Neither did any of the experts help me win (books, courses, and advisors I worked with over the years). Sure, there were times when I had winning streaks, and other times when I had hugely profitable trades. But, overall I still considered myself a loser as I was trading like a jerk, draining funds over the long haul.
As a consultant, I specialized for many years in helping senior executives manage their mood and energy (along with underlying issues of stress, effectiveness, and exceeding anticipated results). For me to continuously lose my composure and money in this new endeavor was incomprehensible and very difficult to accept (emotionally and financially). Losing like this, I became as stressed as anyone could possibly be without the need for medical attention.
I got angry at my trading, the markets, and all trading systems I tried with dead end results. I was resentful often arguing with the markets and just about everything I was experiencing with failure. I felt both hopeless and helpless at times. I even got angry with other traders for taking my money. You name it; I was letting just about every aspect of trading sap my energy. I was far too frequently upset and too often felt exhausted after the market closed.
Friends, stopping by, found my behavior hilarious, knowing how effective I was at helping them deal with their stress. At the end of the trading day, when the dust settled and I did what I needed to do to regain my composure and energy, I too began to laugh at myself. I would then say to others I shared these experiences with - never again! Never again would I allow myself to be so out of control. Never again would I end the day feeling like a foolish loser, depleted of my energy, dignity, and money.
No matter my intentions, as days and weeks followed, I was unable to turn my performance and results around. I usually found myself at the effect of the same limitations, day after day. Overall I behaved like a victim with whatever I tried. Yet I trudged on. All my research and study was now in question. All the books I've read and reread, all the state of the art trading courses I took, and all the so called mentors I trusted (trying to learn all and everything I could to become more competent day trader) seemed to fail me. Thinking back about those times now, I find it both funny and sad.
A Time for Change:
Confused and lost in a web of continuous losses, my trading capital was shrinking fast. I came close to quitting. I don't ever recall quitting when faced with other career setbacks. I wasn't about to start now. I declared quitting was not an option.
I also decided that being a day trader was the final career in my life. No matter what it took (like my attitude in forwarding other careers - banking, real estate consulting, and executive consulting), I was going to make this one work as well.
As the first step, I completely stopped trading and put on my consulting hat. I could now consult (take care of) myself and more objectively observe the markets, stock movements, and so on more objectively to find our what's really going on. I was hell bent on finding what was missing, that if provided, would finally bring me trading success. As an observer of the market, I was now able to carefully look at my trading performance both personally and financially.
I began to focus nearly all my time and attention on one simple question - how can anyone (mutual/institutional fund manager, hedge fund manager, or any day trader like me) make a success of day trading - in control and consistently profitable?
It finally occurred to me that something about this business of trading was very different from all other business I had experienced. Revealing that difference became the project and challenge of the day - of my life.
Traditional Business:
I thought about what I already know. In any business, not day trading, you want new ideas, carefully crafted plans to bring the ideas (valuable products and services) to a ready market, along with talented people to execute the plan for growth and development. With ongoing research and innovative development geared toward ever changing customer/client needs and wants and sincerely focusing in on their continued satisfaction with what you offer, your business can survive and usually does strive.
The Business of Day Trading:
It's not quite the same with trading. Sure, as a day trader you need a trading plan and a market. And, yes, ongoing research for new ideas, skills, and systems as the times and markets change. What about people - customers, management, and workers? Other than your accountant, a good brokerage outfit with great software, and a good computer guy, you don't need people. You are essentially on your own usually in your own home - answering to no one. You're running solo. What about success? Success as a day trader has special requirements. Successful day trading requires that you have different attitude, perspective, and than that of a successful manager/executive - more like that of a well-trained, seasoned athlete in a sport, like that of a professional tennis player aspiring to become a champion.
Success - Winning like a Pro:
Tennis, as you know, deals with individual players who have finely tuned their skills with years of practice from youth, learning to win, learning to loose, all the while seeking to become a conbsistent winner. In tennis, there are no customers, there are no clients in the traditional business sense - except, of course, for yourself, your coach, and, if you're fortunate enough, your growing list of sponsors and, of course, your fans. The real point of the game, by the way isn't the money, it's to win at any cost. It's pretty simple. You win when you outperform your opponent - much like a trader, outperforming other stock market participants.
But, as most great tennis players discover, consistently winning requires careful and ongoing attention to managing your energy (physical and emotional), mood (arrogance, fear, anger) and, all the while looking for opportunities to take advantage of your opponent peacefully and confidently - to win. One other required element for the champion - finding a great tennis consultant available with a champion approach for winning. Other than Federer, who maintained his champion status without a consultant/coach for some time, you also need trusted and respected performance coach - to guide you through the mine fields, so you can focus only on what's important - learning to consistently win. Not always win, but win consistently enough to become a champion tennis player.
Day Trading - My Observations:
To win at trading, like an athlete learns to perform as a champion, seemed remote for me - given what I experienced so far. As I said, applying all I've learned about business and day trading (not paying too much attention to my mood and energy), I thought my trading turned out to be a waste of my time and resources. I considered myself a failure both personally and professionally.
Personally, I was ignoring, for the most part, what it took to win at the game of trading. Not only do you need to manage your money, you need to trade like a tennis professional, not so focused on the money, but completely focused on winning.
As champion trader, you must learn to manage energy (physical and emotional, but mostly emotional), specifically your moods (fear, greed, anger, and arrogance), have a winning perspective, a winning trading approach, develop finely tuned skills, and look for opportunities to take advantage of stock price movement (the opponent in tennis), and have the timing of a tennis pro.
I didn't know how to win. I wasn't doing well managing any of these elements for winning - energy, mood, and opportunities. As a result, my trading was exhausting, anger filled, and embarrassing. I listened to far too many other "expert" traders and systems for my setups, showing up too early, waiting for what seemed like forever for a move. Or I was too late, wondering how others found the movers and made such timely, rewarding entries and exits.
What I Learned:
Professionally, I often found five problems present when trading:
1. Arrogance - prior to and while in a play, I was too damned certain my setups would work.
To win at trading, like an athlete learns to perform as a champion, seemed remote for me - given what I experienced so far. As I said, applying all I've learned about business and day trading (not paying too much attention to my mood and energy), I thought my trading turned out to be a waste of my time and resources. I considered myself a failure both personally and professionally.
Personally, I was ignoring, for the most part, what it took to win at the game of trading. Not only do you need to manage your money, you need to trade like a tennis professional, not so focused on the money, but completely focused on winning.
As champion trader, you must learn to manage energy (physical and emotional, but mostly emotional), specifically your moods (fear, greed, anger, and arrogance), have a winning perspective, a winning trading approach, develop finely tuned skills, and look for opportunities to take advantage of stock price movement (the opponent in tennis), and have the timing of a tennis pro.
I didn't know how to win. I wasn't doing well managing any of these elements for winning - energy, mood, and opportunities. As a result, my trading was exhausting, anger filled, and embarrassing. I listened to far too many other "expert" traders and systems for my setups, showing up too early, waiting for what seemed like forever for a move. Or I was too late, wondering how others found the movers and made such timely, rewarding entries and exits.
What I Learned:
Professionally, I often found five problems present when trading:
1. Arrogance - prior to and while in a play, I was too damned certain my setups would work.
2. Timing - I was usually showing up too early or too late.
3. Hope - I just couldn't find the discipline and courage to get out when my trade failed.
4. Focus - on money, not winning.
5. Opportunities - watching stocks that might move, rather than stocks that do move.
(I found these recurring problems as the primary source my losing.)
Voila! I now had something to work with as a consultant. I thought, if I could first deal with the trading side (winning), I could then deal with the energy (emotional) aspect of my trading.
What I Discovered:
As for finding opportunities, I noticed consistencies and, more so, inconsistencies with price movements. Yes, volume, trends, pivots, candlestick patterns and all the other studies like Stocastics, MACD, Fibonacci, are important signs for anticipating price change. Real trading power, I found, only comes from finding and observing only those active stocks ready to make big price movements, knowing how to trade them effectively and profitably, all the while, managing your mood and your capital.
As for finding opportunities, I noticed consistencies and, more so, inconsistencies with price movements. Yes, volume, trends, pivots, candlestick patterns and all the other studies like Stocastics, MACD, Fibonacci, are important signs for anticipating price change. Real trading power, I found, only comes from finding and observing only those active stocks ready to make big price movements, knowing how to trade them effectively and profitably, all the while, managing your mood and your capital.
I'm not talking about the traditional approaches to trading you read or hear about, although that information is important to build on - technical analysis. It's not about luck, or "skillfully" guessing what might happen during the trading day, or hope for that matter. It's about a very different way of trading personally and professionally. I'm talking about trading in such a way that you can consistently win.
Slowly and intuitively I developed new and more effective ways of trading. For weeks and months, I watched the entire Nasdaq market and all the stock movers. I carefully observed both the movers and the non movers (with potential to move), and the losers (also with the potential to move - short positions) getting bursts of insight as to what was really important for me to know and not know to make money. Especially what to ignore - the noise. The real opportunities, I found eventually, are not that obvious - in any market. I learned not only what stocks to be in or out of, but also when to be in or out. I found new ways of observing certain stock patterns and "tensions" that presented the best opportunities of the day - to enter, exit, and consistently and profitable make money - day after day, every trading day.
A New Day Trading Approach:
I organized what I was discovering about myself (my energy and behavior) and the markets (price movements) to develop a fresh, simplified, and effective approach to day trade. I call it: DayTrading to Win (DTTW). I had, once again, career wise, sensed I could regain my confidence - even more so, a level of confidence required like that of a champion tennis player.
The Results:
It was time to put all this to a test. With this renewed energy, a fresh outlook and new approach to win, I started trading again. After a few weeks practicing with small lot size, trading over and over, learning not to care so much about the outcome but on the actions required to win more than lose. Not only did my trading become rewarding financially, beyond what I imagined, I quickly learned what was missing to be in full control both personally and professionally. I had both a winner's perspective and trading approach - to make winning happen competently and consistently. I was trading effectively and profitably - "in the zone", like a professional tennis player.
Financially, I was having daily gains averaging $1,000 to $3,000 (2-6%) and frequently far geater - trading a margin account under $50K. Thing about it. That's what most people would be happy earning annually. That's a worst-case scenario - during the summer "doldrums", as you know, when the markets and most stocks barely move at all.
Slowly and intuitively I developed new and more effective ways of trading. For weeks and months, I watched the entire Nasdaq market and all the stock movers. I carefully observed both the movers and the non movers (with potential to move), and the losers (also with the potential to move - short positions) getting bursts of insight as to what was really important for me to know and not know to make money. Especially what to ignore - the noise. The real opportunities, I found eventually, are not that obvious - in any market. I learned not only what stocks to be in or out of, but also when to be in or out. I found new ways of observing certain stock patterns and "tensions" that presented the best opportunities of the day - to enter, exit, and consistently and profitable make money - day after day, every trading day.
A New Day Trading Approach:
I organized what I was discovering about myself (my energy and behavior) and the markets (price movements) to develop a fresh, simplified, and effective approach to day trade. I call it: DayTrading to Win (DTTW). I had, once again, career wise, sensed I could regain my confidence - even more so, a level of confidence required like that of a champion tennis player.
The Results:
It was time to put all this to a test. With this renewed energy, a fresh outlook and new approach to win, I started trading again. After a few weeks practicing with small lot size, trading over and over, learning not to care so much about the outcome but on the actions required to win more than lose. Not only did my trading become rewarding financially, beyond what I imagined, I quickly learned what was missing to be in full control both personally and professionally. I had both a winner's perspective and trading approach - to make winning happen competently and consistently. I was trading effectively and profitably - "in the zone", like a professional tennis player.
Financially, I was having daily gains averaging $1,000 to $3,000 (2-6%) and frequently far geater - trading a margin account under $50K. Thing about it. That's what most people would be happy earning annually. That's a worst-case scenario - during the summer "doldrums", as you know, when the markets and most stocks barely move at all.
While winning this way, I was also surprised to discover, my focus was no longer on the money but on winning, one trade at a time, long or short - like the tennis champion, one serve, one forehand, one backhand at a time. How often did I have winning days? I have not had a losing day for months. As I said, I win every day, any day I decide to trade. I know. I know. That seems unbelievable. Beleive it - it's independeltly documented.
Celebration:
Was I surprised with the outcome of my research? You bet. Better still, I became delighted with the results. Who wouldn't be? I was trading much more in control of my thoughts and feelings before, during, and after each trade. My energy and mood were no longer issues, my stress minimized. And, of course, I was happy with my newfound way of winning.
I still had my doubts and lots of questions. Was it just an extended run of luck? Or was I onto something solid here? This kind of success seemed at first hard to believe, given where I had come from.
For weeks I did everything I could think of to put this program to the test. I refined my approach as I went along allowing it to blossom. Eventually I concluded it was "bullet proof". And, you know what? Both how I felt, trading like a winner every day, and the back-testing data revealed to me that it really is a bullet proof approach to trading, both personally and professionally.
Now I want you to begin thinking about benefiting from this kind of trading as well.
An Opportunity:
So why am I sharing all this with you? More importantly, you may be asking yourself - "what's in it for me?" "What opportunity is John talking about?"
I'm offering you and few other traders, with the passion and commitment to learn to win, a chance to work with me to achieve similar gains with this wonderfully profitable way of day trading. You can learn to trade with me like a winner - first, winning as professional (no longer harming yourself and your capital - winning more than you lose), and second, as a champion (winning big time).
Comments, questions, suggestons:
More Information:
