Psychology Nobody Likes a Quitter

Have you ever thought about pulling the plug on your trading operation? I think a lot of folks have, including me. It's easy to quit but it takes perseverance to ride the storm out and stick with the game. Trading is no different than other endeavors you need a plan, some luck but most of all dedication to hard work and research.

This all sounds good on paper. Imagine some guy telling you how to handle your trading business. It's easy to read and then dismiss the ideas or you can really take them to heart but the reality is that until you come up with a rock solid approach you may be spinning your wheels

Drawdowns

I've seen a lot of friends and clients call it quits and 9 times out of 10 it's all related to drawdowns. People tend to quit after a losing spell. You've lost money so let's just quit and try something different. Are you really cut out to be a trader? Are you really being honest with yourself? Are you asking enough questions? Trading is an easy game to get into but that doesn't mean you're ready. There are some things that can prepare you for the test.

As long as you are using a proven methodology then stopping after a drawdown is the worst time to quit as the approach is just going through a losing cycle. You can't win all the time. I don't know anyone that has not had losing trades. I've met a lot of traders over the years and every time I talk to a successful trader I get the clear picture that their mantra is "Never Quit" and in addition to that I've seen first hand what happens. It's uncanny how often someone will stop trading a certain methodology, whether it's a system or a set of rules they have come up with, only to see that approach make money right after they have given up.

Self-talk

It's truly amazing what the human mind can do to sabotage success. What you say when you talk to yourself is really important because this is like a tape recording of what you think of yourself and ultimately what you think your reality should be. I know that it is impossible to control the markets but I also know that I will be successful at what I do - I always have been so. I just tell myself that same thing over and over. You will succeed. Period. There's no reason to invite indecision into the equation. Sure, I may have a losing trade going right now but I see the next trade as a golden opportunity to have a winner.

Think about how you feel after a losing trade. I don't like losing trades at all I never have but when I start to see losing trades as part of the process rather than an act against my ego it begins to make more sense. The market is not against you. Although it may feel like it sometimes, this is definitely not the way to think. Losing trades will continue to happen but as long as you use a sound approach and good money management you will prevail in the end.

The Right System

Losing trades and drawdowns are part of the game and the way I see it the cost of participation. You have to take emotion out of this game. Mechanical strategies are one way to relieve yourself of the stress of picking entry and exit points. But, be careful. It takes time to determine what sort of strategy is right for you!

You have to ask yourself a lot of questions in regard to finding what you like to trade and how to trade it. I personally like the stock indices for day trading and that's it for me. I like the liquidity and the volatility and the frequency of big moves. I like to think of day trading as big move hunting.

This may all sound silly in some ways as you imagine me sneaking around my office in a pith helmet seeking out intraday swing moves in the stock indexes but in reality it's a serious game that I never plan to quit. If I quit I would not have the opportunity to win. I must admit that this game is harder than ever in my humble opinion. The advent of cheap software and the high concentration of gifted programmers have made the game even more challenging.

But huge moves still happen. I've heard people blame the narrow ranges on hedge funds and large institutional traders but the reality is that low volatility comes from a sort of stalemate among all traders and it ultimately boils down to the approach you use. And if you can find an approach that suits you style maybe you'll hang in there and be a winner.

Just remember, nobody likes a quitter!
 
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Thinking about giving up trading? Rob Keener says there are some things to think about first.
 
Unfortunately, the people who probably ought to give it up are going to focus on the "Never Quit" part and slip right past the "As long as you are using a proven methodology" part.

But hey . . . :)

--Db
 
Not the best article I've read on here. Another one page wonder, wrote in about 30 minutes. I never get to the stage where I think of quitting, Worst case is to take a month break or trade small again. Winners never quit and quitters never win may have been a better phrase. Who is this guy anyway?
 
techst@ said:
Winners never quit and quitters never win may have been a better phrase. Who is this guy anyway?

OTOH, winners generally know the difference between If at first you don't succeed . . . and Enough is enough.
 
On balance, my view is that this is a succinct and well presented article.
 
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techst@ said:
Not the best article I've read on here. Another one page wonder, wrote in about 30 minutes. I never get to the stage where I think of quitting, Worst case is to take a month break or trade small again. Winners never quit and quitters never win may have been a better phrase. Who is this guy anyway?
The gentleman's name is Rob Keener, and he is the president of Keener Capital Management LLC, a commodity and trading futures advisor and futures broker, in case you have missed the description of the contributor as provided adjacent to his photograph.
 
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Mr Keener may well be correct in what he says.
However he has a vested interest in encouraging people to carry on trading, because he makes commissions from it
And if he was ever any good as a trader himself, he would not need to become a broker/advisor, and so who is he to advise other traders ?

- which thereby removes all credibility from the article imho.
Glenn
 
And elsewhere but instead look at the surface upon which it is written it is all the same or similar, but only if you are aware of it.hen you don't look at what is written
 
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I have empathy with the article. Having survived the tech boom meltdown with my Marconi, Bookham Technology, QXL etc shares evaporating to next to zero, I learnt a hard lesson. The desire to quit was strong but I didn't.

In the last three years I must have shouted at myself several thousand times, "FAILURE IS NOT AN OPTION" Thankfully, through self education, discipline and strict money management, I am on the path to financial recovery.
regards, G McA
 
Glenn - u r absolutely correct, brokers needs failed traders for they bring lot of business for them. People do not accept that they are failures, I have yet to come across many people who have made it as a succesful trader.

Without losers this market would not exist, also looking at it, brokers target new business, but they dont do much to retain existing, cos they are always looking for new money to feed into the market.
 
Fader said:
You do know you are not the actual Socrates right?
Yes I do know, thank you.

I hope and expect that this will serve to clear up your confusion, or,
it may serve to confuse you even futher, sorry.
 
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I generally disagree with quite a lot in this article. In so many cases people should quit trading of that there is no doubt. It is a very wise person who knows that they are no cut out for a certain activity in life and it takes courage to admit it.
Regarding drawdowns and quitting, how does one really honestly know if the system is working or not and if it is just a drawdown or the fact that the system simply does not work.
 
wwatson1 said:
Hi look's like a quitter to me! :LOL:

Quitters become Gurus! :)

as for a trading Record, hey man nobody gives it! cos they have nothing to show

as for quitting - well they need people to lose!
else they r outta biz

a very below average article
 
There is a category of trader who loves quitters.

This individual is an option writer, or giver.

He is invairiably delighted when he writes an option that expires worthless.

Or, the option near to date of expiry is only worth a fraction of the price at an earlier date and holders just abandon them.

In both cases, that is in the case of worthless expiry and seriously marked down near to expiry, the quitter is very much liked, and that is the exception, but only by a specialist handful, I therefore respectfully submit.
 
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