How to Be More Consistent in Your Trading We all have things that we feel quite strongly about, for completely irrational reasons. Me? I can’t stand rollercoasters. While some people get a kick out of the adrenaline rush, I prefer steady and smooth riding. One thing’s for sure—I don’t want the huge swings and volatile ups and downs. With the … Read More
What is Risk?
What is risk? Imagine a word that everyone threw around constantly, but that no one could define. A word that was critically important, but never used properly. In trading, that word is “risk”. Of course, we have to use the word constantly. We are taking risk in order to generate a return. We put on positions and make sound … Read More
Lessons Learned From A Million Dollar Loser
Imagine that you’re on top of the world…You have achieved brilliant career success on the trading floor of Chicago; you sit on the important governing body of your industry; you’ve got a wonderful family; and plenty of toys to enjoy in your spare time. And then, in what seems like a blink of an eye, you lose it all. You … Read More
Rich Trader, Poor Trader
Trading is inextricably linked with money. You are taking risk in the markets because you want to make money. If you trade well over a long period of time, then you will make lots of money. We all know what the results of trading success can look like, and that motivates us—the cushy bank balance, nice house(s), etc. Most traders … Read More
Four Ways To Get Your Trading Ready For the Summer
In most parts of the US and Europe, this winter has been positively arctic. Record snowfall, freezing temperatures and howling wind. It can be a downer, even for the hardiest of souls. Even then, most traders are in the office, focused on their screens and their results and not paying any attention to the weather. Summer may seem like the … Read More
Finding a Jungle Guide
It can be a rough and cruel world out there in the markets. The competition is high, people are cutthroat, and the markets are never easy. Sometimes it can feel like a feral jungle, with danger lurking everywhere. You want to give yourself every edge and extra chances to succeed, but what really makes the difference? Simple: A mentor. In … Read More
How Are Those New Year’s Resolutions Going?
Maybe it’s the bubbles in champagne, or the sound of the cork popping, but New Year’s always brings out a rush of emotions. The end of one year naturally lends itself to reflection on the past. As the calendar turns over, people wax lyrical about another year passing. Taking stock of the past year, people figure out where they are … Read More
What a Star Fund Manager Can Teach Us About Improvement
Imagine that a star fund manager, with nearly a decade of stunning results, decides to completely retool the way that he does things. Would you think that he’s crazy? Would you call him a has-been? Or would you draw a different, more instructive lesson—that this is the reason why he’s stayed a top fund manager? The FT recently ran a … Read More