What it takes to be a great trader.
Trading isn’t easy, especially if you’re trading for a living.
No matter how simple, powerful, and proven a great trading system is, there
are always going to be times when your fortitude is tested. There are always
going to be times when the market chews you up and spits you out.
At such times, you have to make a decision regarding just how determined you
truly are to succeed at trading. You have to ask yourself, “How much can I take
and keep moving forward?” You have to look in the mirror and ask, “Do I want to
quit?”
And that’s the way it should be! If it was always easy, everyone would be
doing it.
It’s no secret that
MOST of the greatest traders throughout history
hit rock bottom before they became millionaires and billionaires. Everyone from
Nicolas Darvas to Richard Dennis to Paul Tudor Jones have had moments where
their accounts dwindled to the brink of despair and these traders had to ask
themselves, “Can I go on or should I throw in the towel and move on to something
else?”
Trading, like life, is all about perseverance. How driven are you?
How focused are you? What are you willing to go through in order to
succeed?
Throughout the summer, the market has been frustrating to Darvas traders (and
all trend traders) due to its choppiness. Right when the market has shown signs
of an uptrend, it has quickly reversed and humbled many traders.
This is nothing new, of course. Trend traders have been dealing with these
choppy periods for more than 100 years and the data continues to show that, in
the long run, the frustration endured during choppy markets is well worth it due
to the huge rewards achieved during a trending market.
Of course, knowing this fact doesn’t always make it easier when you’re
dealing with a roller-coaster market and getting stopped out of “by the book”
trades.
But this is where we separate the successes from the failures. Most people
will let their frustration get the best of them. They’ll throw in the towel and
conclude that trading is just too difficult of a path to wealth.
But a few traders will persevere.
People like Nicolas Darvas, who endured nearly seven years of devastating
setbacks when first trying to conquer Wall Street, will continue the game
because they’re determined to win it.
They won’t give up because
they’ve seen how other traders traded their way to millions and, in some cases,
billions. They’ll conclude, “If they can do it, why not me?”
That is the mentality it takes to achieve anything great in life.
When the going gets tough and the market gets rocky, I think it’s a good idea
to reevaluate your goals.
Why do you want to be a trader? Why are you determined to win at this
game?
Here’s a quick list on why I love trading and why I choose the world of
trading as a profession. Perhaps you’ll agree with me on several of these
points.
- The stock market is the ultimate vehicle for freedom and independence.
ANYONE who works hard enough and smart enough can achieve
financial and personal freedom in the stock market.
- The stock market is a place where no one can tell you that you can’t buy
this or aren’t allowed to buy that; everyone has complete freedom to exercise
their choices and take their shot at conquering the market.
-
ANYONE with a brokerage account and a little cash can play their
hand at the stock market and achieve unlimited success from virtually anywhere
in the world. It doesn’t matter who you know, what color your skin is, what
language you speak, what kind of education you have, what kind of financial
background you have, what kind of neighborhood you grew up in, or what kind of
family history you have. None of that matters! The stock market gives everyone
the same opportunity to make their fortune and have their dreams come true.
- In the stock market, there’s no one way to make your fortune. Warren
Buffett can make a fortune holding stocks for decades. Nicolas Darvas can make
a fortune holding stocks for months. Buzzy Schwartz can make a fortune holding
stocks for minutes. The stock market offers fantastic opportunity for
speculators of all types to make their fortune.
- The stock market is a libertarian oasis. It is the great frontier on the
grandest scale imaginable. It is an ongoing competition for the pursuit of
dreams and total freedom.
Everyone has an equal shot at making billions
in the stock market. And there is nothing but willpower and perseverance
standing in the way of anyone’s potential to do so.
- Trading offers the ultimate independence.
YOU are the
only one responsible for your success or failure. Every decision you
make is solely up to you.
- Not only are all decisions up to you, but your potential success is
unlimited. There is no cap whatsoever on how far you can go and how high you
can climb!
- As a trader, you live a completely independent lifestyle. You can go
anywhere, anytime, and live anywhere you want. You are in no way restricted by
anything. As long as you have computer access, you’re good to go!
- And finally, trading is also the ultimate never-ending learning process.
The hunt for the next great trade never ends! The more you read, research, and
study, the better trader you will become. Trading rewards continuous
intelligence expansion.
Anything I’ve left off? Anything you disagree with?
Every trader needs to ponder these questions to determine if they really have
what it takes to make it as a trader.