Skip to main content

Trading with Discipline

Disciplined trading is vital for lasting success. Profitable trading requires a combination of skill and odds. The winning trader implements proven trading strategies over and over, so that across a series of trades, the law of averages works in his or her favor. Unless you make trades, you have no chance of winning. It's just like in sports.The more times you try, the more likely you will succeed. An important part of discipline is consistency. When a trader uses one approach one time, and a different approach at another time, performance is haphazard. It is essential to use a strategy consistently, following a specific trading plan on each and every single trade, so that across the series of trades, you will make an overall profit.

If you follow the plan sometimes and abandon it at other times, you throw off the probabilities, but many traders can't seem to stick with their plan. What precipitates a lapse in discipline? Many times, traders forget the consequences of not following a plan. They may suddenly see an opportunity to make a quick profit and decide to abandon risk limits. In another scenario, a trader may question his or her plan, and out of fear, abandon it. How can you make sure you stick with your trading plan?

Many times, we forget why we need to follow a well-defined trading plan. A simple way to remember is to pull out an index card with the reasons and read it over and over again. You might write, "If I abandon my plan, I will lose in the long run." You may also list a few trades where you abandoned your plan and you regretted it. The images of the trade, along with the feelings of regret, will encourage you to stick with your plan. By putting the consequences of abandoning your plan right in front of you so that it is clearly in your awareness, you will be more likely to stick with your plan.

There are other reasons that trading plans are abandoned. One of the main reasons trading plans are abandoned is that they are not specified clearly enough. By specifying every aspect of a trading plan from how much you will risk to when you will enter and exit, you will have an easier time following your plan.

Another reason plans are abandoned concerns fear. When your money is on the line, it's natural to feel afraid. As much as you try to forget, it's hard not to worry about losing money. There are times when you may feel so panicked by the chaotic moves of the markets that you can't think clearly. You may feel agitated and on edge. A detailed trading plan, however, can help you stay calm during the storm of market action. The more clearly the plan is laid out, the easier it is to follow, especially when you are agitated and upset. And when the plan is easy to follow, it's likely that you'll stick with it. You'll be disciplined and in control of your emotions and thinking.

The difference between winning traders and unprofitable ones is the ability to muster unwavering self-control in response to chaotic, ever-changing markets. Trading is serious business. It's not a hobby, but many traders approach the endeavor as if it were recreational gambling. They don't develop a trading plan, and if they do, they tend to abandon it prematurely. Winning traders, however, are methodical. They carefully develop a trading plan, execute it, and stick with their plan. If you want to trade profitably, develop well-defined trading plans and follow them.

Popular posts from this blog

Historical Sensex Returns Updated - 2024

Historically Sensex has given returns of about 15% per year, despite volatility and price fluctuations of about -20% to +60%. The following table shows S&P BSE Sensex historical data - start  & close values and the yearly returns of the sensex from 2000 to 2024. So far during the year the   index has hit an all-time high of  75,124   and despite markets hitting all time highs not all stocks make all-time highs. There are many stocks still below their highs. Stocks like HDFC Bank, ITC, Asian paints are still well below their highs and some of them have given low returns over last 3-5 years. Individual or Retail investors can achieve consistent returns through investing via mutual funds , whether it be active or passive. Chasing returns from individual stocks is futile. Be a wise investor !

Mutual Fund AUM Surge 35%

 Mutual fund assets surge 35% in fiscal 2024 to a new high. According to recent report from AMFI, fiscal 2024 turned out to be one of the best years for the domestic mutual funds industry as assets under management (AUM) spurted by nearly Rs 14 lakh crore to a record Rs 53.40 lakh crore as of March 2024 compared with Rs 39.42 lakh crore as of March 2023. Women comprised ~23% of the investors based on their share of the AUM and men ~77%, while individual investors comprised ~60% as against institutional investors ~40%. Equity-oriented fund categories gain on inflows and mark-to-market (MTM) gains. As Nifty 50 gained 33%, most of the AUM increase are from MTM gains. Passive funds growth was muted around 27% as compared to Active funds. Another key take away is investors' adoption of systematic investment plans (SIPs).   SIP continues to rise with monthly net inflows at Rs 19,300 crore in March 2024. For fiscal year 2024, the net inflows through SIPs stood at nearly Rs 2 lakh cro...