Mike,

I have an interesting topic today. It’s about trading streaks and trends. One week ago, I sent you a question about the importance of trading stocks in play. After I received your response, I made some adjustments to my trading. Since then, I’ve outperformed with five consecutive $1,000+ days. This is a new level for me, and I’m very grateful for your help.

However, one of the thoughts that has been creeping into my mind is that these past five days are just a “fluke”.  I’m just on a “hot streak” that will eventually end.  I hate it because it causes psychological self doubt.  Yet, I had a conversation with one of my close mentors, who helped clarify something.  He said “There is no streak, you’re just doing what you’ve been trained to do”.  This added a lot of clarity. Streaks are based on luck, my performance is based on my work, and the quality of the situations I put myself in. There is no “hot streak”, just executing how I’ve been trained to trade.

Do you have any thoughts or comments on this phenomenon?  One could even call it a “Tipping Point”, when everything comes together and starts to make sense.  What are your thoughts.

Bella Responds

What I love about you is your focus on growth. You went from under-performing to doing very well because of this mindset. You did so because of your hard work. I am very proud of your effort!

How about we look at this a different way? How about we apply the same principles that helped you improve to keep growing? Instead of asking whether you are just hot ask whether you made as much as you could during these past five days. Check the plays that made sense to you. Could you have traded them with more size? Where could you have added more size? How do you make more plays like this? All of this will take more work. And you are a star, a superstar, at this.

Finally awesome that you have a terrific trading coach and trader to provide such valuable critical feedback.

Mike Bellafiore

Author, One Good Trade