I was reviewing a monthly review from a mentee, Shark (sometimes Shark Daddy or Sharkalicious or Shark Shack), that I thought could use the thoughts of Dr. Menaker, trading psychologist. Shark wrote: Too excited on days I want to do well. I force too much. I had such high expectations for myself coming into earnings season that I started … Read More
Add a Little Nuance
Hi Mike, hoping to borrow just a bit of your time for another trading question. I continue to find that the most difficult part of trading is deciding when to take off a winning trade. I believe the problem is that I am not confident and decisive enough in my plan when I enter trades. When it comes to my … Read More
Traders Ask: Are you concerned when a fellow desk member is on the opposite side of your trade?
Dear Mike, I just recently applied to SMB, and as my interest was piqued, I decided to do more research by reading your book. I was instantly hooked. It cleared up a lot of my misconceptions and, to be honest, made me feel a bit abashed about some of the answers I put down in the application. At the same … Read More
Where is my arc?
Guest Post from SMB Blog Reader Yaniv Hamo One of my favorite thinking exercises is about what it means to be living as opposed to merely exist. The essence of what separates the living from the grey masses. Working 9‐5, family and kids, watching TV and going on trips – does not make the cut. That’s what the masses are doing. … Read More
Are you a virtual trader in isolation?
Below is an email I received from a Romanian intraday trader involuntarily in isolation. 1) Great anecdote about a foreign trader finding their path. Enjoy the story. 2) Any ideas to help this trader escape isolation? 3) Any Romanian traders (or other virtual traders) wish to start a virtual trading group? Leave a comment below. Dear Mr. Bellafiore, I thank … Read More
Do You Learn as Much as This Trader Did Last Week?
The author below is quickly becoming one of my new mentees to watch. As a student of elite performance there is so much right about this email. The work. The concentration on improvement. The self-reflection. The detail to his learning. The depth of it. New and developing trades too often seek to copy the trades of that big trader. It … Read More
Traders Ask: How Does Your Posture Affect Your Trading?
Hi. My question concerns body posture when sitting at a screen for hours a day. I’ve learned I need to be very aware when trading of what’s going on in my brain, what I’m seeing and how I feel and think about it, and what baggage from life might be influencing my mood. Often though I also realise that my … Read More
Making Decisions How to Enter on MOS
A guest post from an SMB trainee, TO: Bella has the entire floor working on their Playbooks on a daily basis, in order to take internalize our best plays. Here is one of my plays on MOS last week. 1. Big Picture: The SPY’s were in an intraday downtrend in the 116’s and next support was 115. 2. Intraday Fundamentals: … Read More