38 steps to becoming a trader

Discussion in 'The Cocktail Lounge' started by Ciao (Sheppy), Jun 8, 2017.

  1. Ciao (Sheppy)

    Ciao (Sheppy) Well-Known Member

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    some time ago I saw this and I thought it is fun and interesting to decided to post here for fun

    38 steps to becoming a trader

    They are as follows:


    1. We accumulate information - buying books, going to seminars and researching.
    2. We begin to trade with our 'new' knowledge.
    3. We consistently 'donate' and then realise we may need moreknowledge or information.
    4. We accumulate more information.
    5. We switch the commodities we are currently following.
    6. We go back into the market and trade with our 'updated' knowledge.
    7. We get 'beat up' again and begin to lose some of our confidence. Fear starts setting in.
    8. We start to listen to 'outside news' and to other traders.
    9. We go back into the market and continue to 'donate'.
    10. We switch commodities again.
    11. We search for more information.
    12. We go back into the market and start to see a little progress.
    13. We get 'over-confident' and the market humbles us.
    14. We start to understand that trading successfully is going to take more time and more knowledge than we anticipated.


    15. We get serious and start concentrating on learning a 'real' methodology.
    16. We trade our methodology with some success, but realise that something is missing.
    17. We begin to understand the need for having rules to apply our methodology.
    18. We take a sabbatical from trading to develop and research our trading rules.
    19. We start trading again, this time with rules and find some success, but over all we still hesitate when it comes time to execute.
    20. We add, subtract and modify rules as we see a need to be more proficient with our rules.
    21. We feel we are very close to crossing that threshold of successful trading.
    22. We start to take responsibility for our trading results as we understand that our success is in us, not the methodology.
    23. We continue to trade and become more proficient with our methodology and our rules.
    24. As we trade we still have a tendency to violate our rules and our results are still erratic.
    25. We know we are close.
    26. We go back and research our rules.
    27. We build the confidence in our rules and go back into the market and trade.
    28. Our trading results are getting better, but we are still hesitating in executing our rules.
    29. We now see the importance of following our rules as we see the results of our trades when we don't follow the rules.


    30. We begin to see that our lack of success is within us (a lack of discipline in following the rules because of some kind of fear) and we begin to work on knowing ourselves better.
    31. We continue to trade and the market teaches us more and more about ourselves.
    32. We master our methodology and our trading rules.
    33. We begin to consistently make money.
    34. We get a little over-confident and the market humbles us.
    35. We continue to learn our lessons.
    36. We stop thinking and allow our rules to trade for us (trading becomes boring, but successful) and our trading account continues to grow as we increase our contract size.
    37. We are making more money than we ever dreamed possible.
    38. We go on with our lives and accomplish many of the goals we had always dreamed of


    Most traders will identify with this list and should be able to place themselves within these steps. Keep in mind that very few people progress through these steps in an orderly fashion. Developing your trading skills is an iterative process.

    For example, you may reach Step 13., find that although you were making money, your basic premise for trading was flawed (you might have been benefiting from the bull market, rather than your own trading prowess and then have been rudely awakened when the market entered a bear phase) and you may drop back to Step 4. and start 'climbing' the steps again.

    Having the proper mindset, attitude and psychological makeup becomes increasingly important as you progress through the steps. The focus of the earlier steps is on external issues, i.e. developing proficiency in the mechanics of trading while the focus of the latter steps (particularly from Step 30, on) is on internal issues, i.e. improving ourselves mentally and psychologically, maturing as trader


    Find your place ;):)
     
  2. Ciao (Sheppy)

    Ciao (Sheppy) Well-Known Member

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    i go first shall I :)
    When I started trading (young &newbie) from 1 I went to 38 in no time :eek:. everything bot would just go sky high (dot.com era)
    what a life I thought but then the bubble burst and the pain began ouch ouch =ahia ahia what a pain

    I navigate around those read ... losing a lot of my profit or getting stuck.... the n°14 was like a resistance I just couldn't break it then got into the blue and stopped to lose or losing less at least I saw some green again
    until one day someone (a professional scalper) pointed me in the right direction and at last I found what I like the best "to scalp and got on to the green at the top :p:cool:

    isn't as easy but with dedication + determination-discipline with good -strategy-plan- psychology (mind set) the goal is nearest what first seems insurmountable suddenly you find yourself there ...
    if I got there anyone can do it or even better

    so don't give up..... learn what suit you and not how your neighbor does it
    you wouldn't wear a suit 2 -3 size bigger, wouldn't you? so why using other strategy-plan ... your head command when you press te button JMHO

    good luck :)
     
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  3. Jrich

    Jrich Well-Known Member

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    Thanks for the inspiration there Sheppy!

    The only step missing is "thinking about becoming a trader"

    A lot of people don't even get past that step... i was one of them

    It was about the same time you started, right before the .com bust... i was 19 years old, i found this stock market simulator on the internet.. i would play with it from time to time, but never took it seriously

    Around that time i discovered this new company called Netflix... i remember thinking to myself "this will be the next big thing! I bet it puts Blockbuster out of business!"

    Turns out i was right... but did i buy any stock?...... no.... i invested my money in booze and bail instead

    Moral of the story... tomorrow never gets anything done.. the future is decided today
     
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  4. StockJock-e

    StockJock-e Brew Master
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    If it was 37 steps I would have payed attention, but 38 steps is too much! ;)

    Great article Sheppy, thanks for posting!
     
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  5. Stockaholic

    Stockaholic Content Manager

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    good stuff! thx for sharing Sheppy!
     
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  6. Kuznec

    Kuznec New Member

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    At me is easier: we take more money, we master a base strategy, we start to trade and simultaneously to study more difficult strategy.
     
  7. sasory

    sasory New Member

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    i am curious
     
  8. B Russ

    B Russ Well-Known Member

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    wow that was my first company i went through the books on that i found to be undervalued. just finished reading Rule #1 investing and thought i was going to take over wall street. i valued it at...i don't know....$37 or something, and it was at $17. Thought no way could i have found what the market had missed on one of my first 20 stocks i went through the books on. didn't buy and it blew up. But i did jump on the BWLD train and it was a fun ride.
     
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  9. Jrich

    Jrich Well-Known Member

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    You're off to a better start than i was

    I hadn't the foggiest idea what a valuation was back then... all i knew was buy low, sell high.. and i didnt even do that:D
     
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  10. nylonmarkup

    nylonmarkup Member

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    wow, detailed and very informative
     

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