Greetings
I've been a long-time lurker here; only now deciding to say hello.
I'm relatively new to trading, although I've invested over the years in shares with better-than-interest-rate success.
My objective is to start and develop a one-person (me!) trading business that deals with indices, foreign currency and commodities.
Being self-employed, I realise how important planning, acting, training, experience and expertise is.
Six months ago I wrote a plan, signed on for some online tuition and have since learned a great deal, not only about the markets, but also about myself. Oh, I've kept the plan up to date as well.
I had the opportunity to reduce my workload to 2-days per week, allowing me to study the markets full time for three days per week, plus 2 mornings and some evenings. I have a super-supportive significant other!
I traded through summer, seeing the effect that holiday-time has on the markets; through the Lehman's insolvency and the TARP announcements. This has helped me experience flat, crazy, irrational and massively-trending markets.
I'm now at a point where I have a clue, but don't have the screentime and knowledge yet to fully trust what I see, or how best to act. I know that I don't know!
If I were to sum up the five most important discoveries I've made over the last six months, they would be:
1. Patience puts money in the bank
2. Trading exposes every weakness and strength in a personality
3. Losses are part of the job
4. Trading is personal (style, timeframe, targets, SL/TPs, psychology)
5. Belief will either crush you or lift you
Now that I've actually experienced the markets and what it is to trade, I can better appreciate the information that is present on these forums.
Thanks to everyone who posts; those who share and those who ask questions.