It is always adjectives like “consistent trading,” “confident trading,” and especially “profitable trading” that we use to describe the good trader we ourselves want to become. It is far less common to hear people aspire simply to be a disciplined trader. Why is that?
It is not very “cool” or “sexy” to be billed only as a disciplined trader. Too bad, because consistency, confidence, and profitable trading often result from it. It is the disciplined trader, who trades almost mechanically, free from trading fear and emotion. They have more clarity and less stress than the majority of technical traders out there. It is not hard to become a disciplined trader. It takes time and the desired results to become confident. Repeating simple trading rules and proven scalping methods.
Key Takeaways
Why being disciplined is sexy and rewarding!
See the benefits of disciplined trading immediately
How these quick and easy steps will make your P&L grow... and grow!
3 Universal Signs of a Disciplined Trader
While the talking heads on TV and those wily marketing messages often tout “Forex trading secrets,” it’s truly the simple things that build a foundation for successful trading. The disciplined trader closely adheres to these rules. Inexperienced traders routinely break them, often at their own peril.
In an age of “trading secrets” and “top-secret strategies,” being a disciplined trader simply takes an unwavering commitment to some pretty basic tenets. None of these are secretive at all.
Risk Only an Acceptable Amount per Trade
It’s certainly no secret that trading is all about the preservation of capital. This is both physical and emotional. As we have studied here before, once either runs out, it is game over. That is why rule #1 for most any disciplined trader is all about risk. Never trade excess capital or use money that you cannot afford to lose. “Never risk more than 1% of total account capital on any trade” is a good general rule. By limiting capital exposure, we also eliminate the possibility for a devastating loss. This helps temper costly trading biases and minimize the impact of fear and emotion. As the worst-case scenario for any one trade set up is already known, your level of disappointment will not be destructive.
Trade the Best Trade Set-ups, and Leave the Rest
It is simple trading tips that works both in and out of the markets. Do more of what you are good at and less of what you are not. When it comes to Forex trading, that means trade only the set-ups that satisfy each one of your precise technical and fundamental requirements. Do not force trades that do not follow the rules! Be selective in the market(s) you trade too. Do not constantly bounce from one market to another. Whether it is pivots or pin bar reversals in the Forex market, or opening gaps in equity indices, the disciplined trader will trade only their “go-to” markets and set-ups. They will never commit even a drop of hard-earned capital to any that do not fit their style of trading.
It is essentially just a “yes or no”. There is no wiggle room when it comes to trade selection. Perhaps more than anything else, that is what it means to be a disciplined trader.
Never Do Anything “Just This Once”
Whether it is a function of risk, tradeselection, or money management, a disciplined trader does not stray from their proven Forex strategy or make exceptions. Not even “just this once” is it OK to trade without a stop. This equally applies to moving a stop to give a losing trade more time and space to turn around. Likewise, it is never OK to trade extra size trying to recover recent losses, make up for a missed trade. Indeed be wary of the ”perfect trade”, they rarely exist. By trading with exact, military-like precision, the disciplined trader executes decisively and with confidence. Without the fears and second-guessing that can often wreak havoc for less-experienced retail Forex traders.
Conclusion
What is it that makes great traders tick? In reality, the best traders are not necessarily the smartest people in the room. Neither are they the richest, or the ones with the newest trading tools and software. The best traders likely are the most disciplined. This is a quality that every trader can emulate.
It takes an unwavering commitment to doing what works. Protecting capital, and never allowing fear or emotion to factor into the decision-making process. So instead of just focusing on being profitable, think about your methods and being supremely committed to them. You will be a more disciplined trader for it, and are likely to be more profitable as well.
The Lazy Trader is a publishing brand dedicated putting the fun back into finance, presenting powerful wealth creation strategies for a better world.
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It’s certainly no secret that trading is all about the preservation of capital. This is both physical and emotional. As we have studied here before, once either runs out, it is game over. That is why rule #1 for most any disciplined trader is all about risk. Never trade excess capital or use money that you cannot afford to lose. “Never risk more than 1% of total account capital on any trade” is a good general rule. By limiting capital exposure, we also eliminate the possibility for a devastating loss. This helps temper costly trading biases and minimize the impact of fear and emotion. As the worst-case scenario for any one trade set up is already known, your level of disappointment will not be destructive.
It is simple trading tips that works both in and out of the markets. Do more of what you are good at and less of what you are not. When it comes to Forex trading, that means trade only the set-ups that satisfy each one of your precise technical and fundamental requirements. Do not force trades that do not follow the rules! Be selective in the market(s) you trade too. Do not constantly bounce from one market to another. Whether it is pivots or pin bar reversals in the Forex market, or opening gaps in equity indices, the disciplined trader will trade only their “go-to” markets and set-ups. They will never commit even a drop of hard-earned capital to any that do not fit their style of trading.
Whether it is a function of risk, trade selection, or money management, a disciplined trader does not stray from their proven Forex strategy or make exceptions. Not even “just this once” is it OK to trade without a stop. This equally applies to moving a stop to give a losing trade more time and space to turn around. Likewise, it is never OK to trade extra size trying to recover recent losses, make up for a missed trade. Indeed be wary of the ”perfect trade”, they rarely exist. By trading with exact, military-like precision, the disciplined trader executes decisively and with confidence. Without the fears and second-guessing that can often wreak havoc for less-experienced retail Forex traders.
