A New Beginning

I have struggled with trading for many years and somehow keep at it. Today I seem renewed to progress again with even more drive.  I have been reading a lot of positive articles that have opened my eyes to who I am and who I wish to become.  I have realized that I can not change yesterday or many days before that. I can only make today and the days to follow what I wish them to be. Youtube can be very helpful it creating positive thinking, thoughts to think about, and challenges to make me who I wish to be.  Bruce Lipton, Marisa Peer, Robin Dayne are a few of the current inspirations at the moment.  I have struggled with trading mostly from the mental issues of my past. but rather than dig deep and try to dig them out I seem to be ok with just realizing that the past was- but it is not who I am today. May 16, 2019, I will not let the mental issues of my early years affect me. I have moved on. The Phil of his youth is no longer. I am now an adult. I will no longer be influenced by the moments of my youth. I take control of who I am.  Fear will no longer hold me back from my goals and my dreams. Today I am making a stand to be who I wish to be. My parents years of influences no longer will prevent me from being who I wish to be.  When I feel fear I will be aware of it, but I will not let it control me I will do what I need to mentally or physically do to achieve my goals. My fears have controlled me long enough. I am disciplined enough to prevent myself from getting hurt mentally or physically. My fear is under my control not I under its.
I have designed a simple trading plan that will allow me to work on my fear issue of taking trades. the second phase will allow me to work on holding for longer targets. I am aware of how a pro would trade but I need to build up to that level of discipline At the moment I am leaning towards connecting with Robin Dayne to help speed up this process towards becoming a professional trader.  As efforts on my own have gotten me nowhere

I have created a simple chart that will allow me to see trade entry signals with more of a black and white, green light/red light,  stop/go nature. The indicator will allow for the price to be seen as short or long direction and taking away a lot of the guessing that sup.res entry methods tend to produce in my mind. This chart/indicator set up also allows for scaling out for a quick scalp of 1.5 t-2 pts and then letting a runner take advantage of the bigger swings needed to make up for the smaller losses. 3 lots would take advantage of the current big swings market is now having. within the time frame, I have chosen to trade.

https://www.screencast.com/t/OQQPkM9nO2

https://www.screencast.com/t/GL7xHlMd

Today trades

https://www.screencast.com/t/QZBKKlUnYsr

While I am aware that today holding on to the first trade would have given me more confidence than I could probably handle.  I seem content to have just pushed the button when I (saw) the signal to do so. That is a big step forward for me.

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Big Error

The big Error today was one of things I tend to deal with because I tend to not view my trading as a real job as when you are at work for someone you are not available.  So today I was unable to trade because I scheduled a Dr. appointment first thing in the morning.  Error. My job is trading and I am unavailable till noon PST.  When I make this error I could be not making good trades that help me to get through the days when the market is not giving me my good set ups.  As I look at todays charts, I missed some good moves.  I am not going to let this error happen unless it is really important.

Last night I did something that may help to remind me that I am a Professional trader and not an Amateur.
It printed out on a sheet of paper this statement-   Is what you are doing now or want to do something that a Professional would do or are you being a Amateur?
I then folded it so that it would stay on my keyboard and mouse, so that I would have to move it before I could actually take any action typing or moving the mouse.  I am interested to see how this helps me trade as a Pro rather than a Amateur.
Weekend here. rest 

Focus, Works again !

I made more trades than I should have. And I was only taking 2 -3 tics per trade. I have to stop that.  I managed to get my daily goal. But it would be so much easier to just take 2 pts on 3 trades and look like a professional trading a plan.  I am focusing on 2 other keys words or thought processes.  Uncertainty,  it is never going to go away. Grab it rather than fear it.  realize that at every set up there is this unknown.  Be ok with that, It is what makes trading and life not boring.  The what, that might happen either way.  Uncertainty is that moment when I am to enter a trade but to experience it and to really feel alive doing it I must push the button and enter my trades. To fail to do so is only half living.
The other thought- visualize that you are trading like a pro. see how you do everything as you should. You get in because it is your time to do so. Your set up is there.  you let the market go to target or your stop, because as a pro you just know that is the best for longer term profits.  You don't even think about moving your stop back to avoid a loss. You are just glad that you can now look for another trade rather than hoping and waiting, and praying to get out of your bigger loser than it was from the original stop.  As a pro you see yourself waiting for the better set ups knowing that you want the bigger swings to get more of the pie.
Then see yourself as how you have been trading as an Amateur.  You are pathetic, You are letting your fears make you do stupid silly things.  you look like an amateur.  Do you want other traders to see you as an Amateur ?  You can see how a pro trades in your mind. then just trade that way. If pro's do not lose money but make it over time you will too!  So to trade like a pro just ask yourself before you do anything- Would a pro do this ?  Or a losing Amateur ?  Only do what a pro does.  Just act like a pro. Then you are a PRO.

Tooo many baby trades.  Be a pro and find some nice setups and let the baby trades pass.

Focus- its the real Deal

Today I focused like in my trading plan. And it works. I stay in tune to the movement of the market. I am able to wait for the better set ups. I just need to let the trades go to my 2 pt targets. As most of the trades got there, but I bailed with 2 to 3 tics.  I need those bigger wins to over come the loses that will happen.  I am going to keep doing what I have been doing and I will become the trader I want to be at this time.  Stage 3

would have triple that profit had I held out for 2 pt targets.  That is my goal tomorrow. hold to target or stop. let trade work.

Focus, It seems to help

My wife made a comment the other day about my trading.  As I mentioned that I feel so close to making forward steps in my  trading,  but it seems out of reach still.  Then she made her comment on the very thing I was thinking about myself.  I am not focusing during the time I am to be trading.  As someone with lots of interests. I tend to be distracted while I should be just focusing on my charts.  So in the last 3 days I have made a point of only watching my charts and focusing on the price action. It has helped me a lot to see what how the market is unfolding and to wait for certain things to happen so that I may bounce on a trade that I am ready for versus the market moving around without me seeing what is happening only to be left in the dust.  I find if I write on the chart as things are happening, it keeps me focused and in tune to the market.  I must continue to do this as it makes me an active participant in trading rather than just an observer.

I am drawing in the trend lines, the HL and LH and keeping tabs on who is showing weakness. In looking for the 3-4 setups each day. I pretend I am a cautious Jackal with a broken leg rather than a strong Lion who might be tempted to take on the strong. I am looking for weak strays that I can bounce on and take bite out of their money pot.

FOCUS, FOCUS. 

Jan 28 19

Trying to make this trading log journal a habit.  It is going to be hard I think.

Today Sim trading only confirms once again that -  moving stops is stupid, a bad idea, a good way to lose an account, a non disciplined way to trade, forming bad habits and just something, TO STOP DOING.
Just focus on taking 3 or 4 trades taking 2 pts each and call it a day for now.
What did I do today that will make me a better trader tomorrow ?
I have decided I can either find and listen to another mind coach and spent a ton of $ or just grow some balls and become a trade manager of my own account.
Having just talked to my other half about my fear of getting into trades. Well she mostly listened to me trying to get it all straight in my head- I suddenly realize that what I seem to be fearing is getting into a trade that may not be a positive experience. I think it may finally be sinking in my head that I am to just trade like a person in charge of trading a methodology that works. And be ok with (being wrong) on some trades. I feel like a alcoholic who has reached bottom and aware of what my problem is. Having looked in all kinds of other areas but avoiding the only thing that matters for now.
So what is my plan-
take 3 or 4 trades   be done before 10:00 am  and be ok with taking 10 trades win or lose. risking 2 pts per trade.  I trade my own stuff that works for me. and remind myself that I will usually be positive most days if I just Focus, Focus , Focus.

Jan 25 19 Friday

Second day of writing in Trading journal.  habit  !!

I found today somewhat frustrating.  it was a range day. Spend a lot of time guessing if  top and bottom of range box is going to hold.  I think fear of just not taking a chance on those edges is keeping me from my daily goal.  Need to realize that range box is what it is. they either hold of not. but some scalps to the middle will make up for when it b/o against me.

box 70-59  three pt stops and ride to the middle is what I need to remember on range days.
I need to clarify my entry set up on range days. so I don't feel like I am guessing.  get in at outer edges if it holds it holds if not  so what.

trading Journal jan 24 2019

I made 5 trades today.  I followed and focused on my chart I made good trades today.  I am not sure what I need to start this daily trade journal. but just typing something  everyday is probably a good start.  I will focus on just typing daily about my trading. and figure out what I need to improve on as the days go by. I can see that having this open during the trading and writing down something after each trade. while things and thoughts are clear.
My new goal/habit to be-  write something everyday about my trades

Today I noticed that I let the trades go to my 2 pts target.

Today my journal is done.

2019 This Will be My Year