Discipline

Educational
Tyler Bollhorn, Stockscores.com

What does it take to be a good trader? Many would say it is an excellent understanding of the stock market, or
perhaps a lot of good contacts. Having access to technology and the ability to get trades in quickly are important.
But above all else, the one thing that is more important to successful trading is something that seems very simple.

Discipline.

Sounds simple, yet it is the greatest failing of people who lose in the stock market. Successful traders realize that
they will not be right all the time. Many successful traders are profitable on less than half their trades. Given these
losing probabilities, the reason winners make money is because they cut losses short and let profits run. They have
the discipline to hit the eject button when they are proven wrong. And those who consistently lose money? They
hang on for the dream

Fear of taking a loss or fear of missing out on an uptrend cause many market participants to hang on to losing
positions. So often, these traders tell themselves that they will sell when the stock falls to a certain point. However,
when it does, they find a reason to establish a new limit. Too much attention is paid to the story and not enough
attention is paid to the message that the market is telling.

When you take a position in a stock, you have to establish the point that the market will prove you wrong. Whether
you choose to base that point on support and resistance levels, or the announcement of news, this point represents a
bad outcome of your trading decision. If triggered, the exit sign is flashing. Head for the door.

Failure to take a loss when proven wrong will have two effects. First, it will likely make a potentially small loss
grow into a big one. Remember that successful traders take small losses. A big loss takes often has a longer holding
period, so it also ties up capital. And it will take more profits to recover.

Second, it will create fear for the trader who is seeing profit and does not want to feel the pain of a loss again. To
avoid the potential disappointment of another loss, some traders take profits too early simply to lock in the good
feeling that comes with making a win. Unfortunately, to be a successful trader you have to limit losses and let profits
run. If you have small profits and big losses, well, you lose.

Maintaining discipline when trading is essential for success. If you have it, only simple rules of trading are
necessary for success. Be strong, it is easier said than done.