Part of courage is simple consistency.

— Peggy Noonan

Today is a HUGE success – well, for me anyway.  I closed out three trades today, leaving me with an 83% success rate (5 out of 6 trades profitable) and a return of 35% over six weeks of trading.

It may not seem like much, but to me it is a confirmation that I am learning from my mistakes and making better trading decisions.  I’m not making money hand over fist but that’s largely because I’m not risking great sums of money.

When I first started out, the market was relatively “stable” – meaning you didn’t get huge swings on a daily basis.  Now, because people are more fearful, the hint of a whiff of bad news can make the market roll over and drop a couple of hundred points in 15-30 minutes.  It can just as easily reverse itself and run up on the hint of a whiff of good news.  Part of learning to trade stocks successfully is not just learning the “rules” — it is learning Continue reading » The Hobgoblin of Small Minds