Article By Hon. Deepak Singh,(Technical Analysis Expert)
I am a trader....so I should
trade. Well, this is the biggest mistake a trader can make. The trader's job is
not to trade....but trade well.
There is a big difference between the two. Trading is a business. A business of
making few good trades in a month. In order to achieve this - trader needs to do
his job well. To do the job well, he/she should be aware of his/her job
description.
Job Description # 1: Be an Opportunity Watcher
(Chowkidaar)
Opportunity does not travel on any schedule, you have to watch for it
Trader's job is to wait for an opportunity that can
deliver explosive profits. Hence, this is a business of patience (waiting for a
good opportunity). Few good trades in a month are all that one needs to make big
bucks. Trying to trade every small move (read overtrading) only leads to
underperformance, frustration and stress. The goal is not to trade often but
trade well.
Trader needs a different mindset for this -
Patience, and Boredom
Job Description # 2: Look for Disbelief
I love when somebody says - Yeh naheen ho
sakta (This cannot happen)
Remember, market has a habit of moving in a
direction that causes pain to maximum people. When markets move up, it causes
pain because it creates a feeling of left out and hence buying frenzy.
Similarly, when market goes down, it creates panic of holding up losing
position.
The explosive profit comes when there is strong
disbelief; and that disbelief results in large moves. The trader's job is to
wait for a disbelief opportunity. A good trade should fulfill following
conditions - 1. Technical Trigger; 2. Element of disbelief and 3. Trigger
response - swift and sudden - there should be some shock element.
Job Description # 3:
Do not apply your brains
Remember, Trader is a
Chowkidaar. He is paid to watch and not think. So, don't apply your brains when
you are not supposed to.
Trade what you
see and not what you think. Always approach market with open and opportunistic
mindset.
Remember,
the disbelief comes from thinking. Please try to see the market as it is and not
as you desire. Have a healthy respect for the market and give preference to eyes
and discipline than brain.
As a trader, keep your focus on
what market is doing and not on
what market should be doing. Lots of times, we miss a great opportunity
because we are so caged in our thinking that we dismiss real moves.
Job Description # 4: Your job is to preserve
capital
Trading is one business that
can give you highs and lows pretty quickly. It is in these highs and lows,
traders make stupid mistakes like getting overcautious in lows and throwing all
caution to winds in highs. A trader should never get carried away or bogged down
by success and failure. Remember, trading is a journey and one bad mistake can
wipe you out of business. Hence, as a rule, one should never get carried away;
and focus should be on trading capital all the time.
Sometimes, it is better to miss
an opportunity than lose capital. The focus is to make money while preserving
capital.
Job Description # 5:
Be a good employee and be disciplined
Market (Read boss) is always
right, no matter how illogical he/she may sound. Never fight with the market.
The price on the screen should be the guide, and not the price in your mind.
Always have healthy respect for the market and never keep your focus away from
the goal - TRADE WELL.
Markets can do crazy things at
times and the only self defense a trader can employ - Discipline. Remember, it
is the discipline and passion for markets that keeps trader in the market for
long run. The moment you lose discipline or passion for markets - you are done.
