Thanks for the words chaps - all valid at a time when my head is pretty messed up. I told Pedro this in a PM a couple of weeks ago but thought it at the time it was a more transient and short term lull in performance.
@Lee - this is not the first loss of confidence I have had. I got the inevitable one from demo to live and then another one about a year ago when I moved up size quite dramatically. What makes this one harder is that there seems to be no 'obvious' reason for it. I do concur though that I have lost confidence and I am now in a cycle of snatching at trades that aren't really there.
@WSW - Just for clarification, the VPOCs, HVNs, LVNs, gap close for the RTH session are all considered on whether to take the trade or not btw. I just don't go into lots of detail about it all. RTH behaviour is my base context for trading ES. As for the self-understanding thing, I think I have just discovered another area for development 🙂
@jon - Easier said than done getting back to it. Been trying for 4 weeks and it's like I just keep fncking it up. As for my exits they have always been lousy but they work. The exit efficiency has dropped a little (it does average at 47%) recently but it is selection/entry that is hurting me right now
@Pedro - 'Man up' was the advice proferred by my mrs last year. It worked - LOL. Also I had a stonking run from Feb through to end of May with 3 losers in 34 trades. Overconfident and sloppy? I can identify with this. What I didn't expect was how badly I would react to the drawdown post this golden period.
@Kimo - I know it is a blip but it's no fun in here. I also concur with the keeping in check. During the 34 trade golden run, I felt calm, measured, unexcited but focused. I feel none of those things right now.
So two things that keep me going:
In clay pigeon shooting there is a maxim - "See it, shoot it". It's there to stop you from overthinking shooting something as this invariably causes a miss. I need to get back into this space again.
"When you fall off the horse, you have to get back on" - self explanatory
Well, let's just see how I get on.
Seriously chaps, thanks for taking the time to reply with the advice which has been good counsel on all levels