Being wrong is OK, but let's not carry it to extremes. That applies to everything, but let's limit our discussion here to the stock market.
I have been trading for several decades and was an exchange memebr and floor trader for 17 years. You learn fast there or you go broke in a hurry. As you can see I managed to hold my own for a few years until I found the secret and started to become a successful trader. Every professional trader I know knows the one great secret and that is to keep your losses small.
We all learned that when we took a position - either long or short - that we better be able to jump out if the trade was not going our way. Many of my friends were scalpers. That means they were trading for just a few ticks and every night went home flat. Flat is no positions at all.
Others, myself included, took a longer look and planned to hold a position for a period of time. That could be several days or weeks. If you were right the longer you held on the more money you would make.
The general public seems think that exchange members know everything and always made money. Tain't so. Many traders were wrong more than 50% of the time. Huh? Yes, fifty percent. My account had losses 40% of the time and 20% were scratch trades (neither winners nor losers).
You ask, "If you are out of the money 60% of your trades how can you make money?" This is what every professional knows: Keep your losses small and let your profits run. How many times have you heard that one? BUT how many times have you ignored that rule?
At the end of the year when you analyze your trades you find that you made $3.00 for each $1.00 you lost you will show a nice big profit.
I don't care what business you are in you don't put your whole wad on a single outcome and stick with it until it either works or go broke. That is what brokers and mutual fund managers want you to do. They want you to buy, but never sell.
It is a tragedy for the small investor today that mutual fund families are putting in selling restrictions to discourage investors from dumping funds that are headed down. Many require long holding periods and if you sell prior to that time they charge an extra fee of 2%. They give lame excuses that I know are not true for doing this. Never buy any fund or trade with any brokerage company that has that kind of rule.
It is cheaper to pay the 2% or whatever fee there is and get out than hang around and lose 20% to 40% of your equity. Look back at 2000 to 2003. This can happen again despite what your broker tells you.
Be wrong and run home with most of your money. You still have enough to invest in a better opportunity. If you are disciplined to get out of any bad situation early you will end up a rich person.
Al Thomas' book, "If It Doesn't Go Up, Don't Buy It!" has helped thousands of people make money and keep their profits with his simple 2-step method. Read the first chapter at http://www.mutualfundmagic.com and discover why he's the man that Wall Street does not want you to know.
Copyright 2005
one time home cleaning Highland Park ..Humpty Dumpty had a great fall and all the King's... Read More
Several times each month I am solicited by various market... Read More
Checked your 401K lately? Going back to about a year... Read More
We need a rabbit!This was a pretty horrible week for... Read More
With over 6,000 mutual funds available, it may be tempting... Read More
A stock market index is a statistical measure of changes... Read More
Should the market turn against you, it is important that... Read More
Ever have one of those sample boxes of candy? Each... Read More
The gleam and bright lights of Wall Street lure in... Read More
The Shadow knows. There used to be a radio program... Read More
Just about everything you have been told about Social Security... Read More
Sometimes the best way of lowering exposure to risk is... Read More
In a previously written article, we expanded the use of... Read More
Stocks breakout from properly formed bases everyday but many investors... Read More
When you become interested in a stock or mutual fund... Read More
If you have been dealing with mutual funds for any... Read More
The stock market has been in an up trend for... Read More
Jack and Jill went up the hill to fetch a... Read More
Among the largest forces that affect stock prices are inflation,... Read More
Three little pigs went to the market to stock up... Read More
When you become interested in a stock or mutual fund... Read More
It is wonderful to be alive in the information age.... Read More
Just 30 years ago the stock market was a shadow... Read More
If you go to Haiti or other places in the... Read More
For weeks, no, months we have been bombarded with nothing... Read More
licensed cleaning services Park Ridge ..Hello Inflation, it has been awhile, I see you on... Read More
Investors who exclusively use broadly diversified, no load mutual funds... Read More
Stocks breakout from properly formed bases everyday but many investors... Read More
This is a rather simple strategy with which I am... Read More
Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) are growing. Investors are choosing low... Read More
We have two candidates for president that have really different... Read More
For the last few weeks we have seen the stock... Read More
There is a current movie entitled "Eternal Sunshine of the... Read More
The higher the market goes the more confusing are the... Read More
Before you embark upon a journey of trading stocks or... Read More
Is really not as important as to how you invest... Read More
'Sector funds are too risky.' 'I doubled my money with... Read More
I love roller coasters. The steeper the better. High and... Read More
One of the greatest challenges of investing in stocks is... Read More
Hedge current portfolio positions and gain access to capital resources... Read More
Never lose money in the stock market again. Yeah, I... Read More
If you go to Haiti or other places in the... Read More
Everyone who follows the financial news has heard of mutual... Read More
Have you seen all those big full page ads for... Read More
Congress recently passed another new law that is supposed to... Read More
Ever turn down a street, get half way and suddenly... Read More
As I said in Part I everyone in the insane... Read More
Just about everything you have been told about Social Security... Read More
According to Investopedia Inc. the penny stock market has seen... Read More
If you have not back tested your trading system, you... Read More
Stocks & Mutual Fund |