Well after I felt I was put through the emotional wringer yesterday, I'm glad that normal service has resumed.
Do I make mistakes, yes, more than the next man. Lately I've been getting up 2 hours later than I should be up, I sometimes forget to change the bid/ask tickets to the right side, I revenge trade, drink a bit too much during work time, trade out of boredom, I miss trades as I'm too busy watching an engrossing movie at the same time, I feel crap when I lose, and ecstatic when I win, I pull out of trades far too early, because I'm focusing on the increase in monetary gain on my account, and if I'm brutally honest, I'm guilty of treating the markets with contempt, I guess we all need a little contempt, or we would not be trading.
So with all these failings how can a person be successful, well my answer would be STRATEGY, STRATEGY, STRATEGY.
It matters not what strategy you choose either, be it EMA crosses, trading naked, fibs, pivot points etc etc, as all these indicators are being used successfully today, by many persons from their inception.
Be rest assured of one thing, if you do not put the time, and effort to learn your chosen trading medium inside out, the markets will exploit this fact, and ultimately take your money from you.
A good understanding of a good strategy, affords you to make a few mistakes here, and there.
A good strategy builds, and enforces confidence in yourself.
Back test your strategy on demo, but go live asap, and as long as you follow your strategy rules, so what if you have a losing trade/day. Most business's seldom turn a profit in the first year, and this is no different to being a self-employed business person.
Also choose a timeframe suitable for yourself, I am very impatient, thus swing trading would not work for me, and I assume a patient position trader would miss a whole scalp trade by the time they've got their order ticket ready.
Anyhow, that's enough morning rambling from me.
I hope you're all having a profitable day trading too.
Best
John.