Yearly Archives: 2018

A Shift in Mindset – 2

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2 comments

 

Last week we discussed a common problem with new and developing traders – difficulty accepting losses as a normal part of the game.

<image: Losses are a part of the game>

And we discussed a simple idea for moving beyond this problem, through seeking profits over a larger series of trades rather than any individual trade.

You can see last week's article here if you missed it – https://yourtradingcoach.com/trader/a-shift-in-mindset/

Today, let's discuss another exercise which might help.

PAIRING WINS AND LOSSES!

Let's look at your last twenty trade results. It might be something like this.

<image: Losses are a part of the game>

This is the game. This is how your results will (typically) display over any series of trades.

The number of trades on each side will naturally vary. Sometimes you'll have more winners than losers. Other times more losers than winners.

But any series of trades will likely include both WINNERS and LOSERS.

They're a normal part of the game.

The aim then is to approach trading such that anything on the left side (losses) is small enough to easily be covered by one good trade on the right side (wins).

Let's pair them off…

<image: Losses are a part of the game>

<image: Losses are a part of the game>

<image: Losses are a part of the game>

<image: Losses are a part of the game>

Of course… if you end up with excess on the left then this sequence of trades has no edge. And you've got more work to do.

But this is the ultimate aim. A series of trades which includes both winners AND losers, in which pairing them off leaves you with an excess of winners. Achieve this consistently and YOU'VE GOT EDGE.

It might help you to carry out this exercise each weekend, creating a table with your results from the prior week. Firstly to reinforce the fact that it's ABSOLUTELY NORMAL to have both losses and wins. But secondly, to give you a feel for how much of an edge you have. Or how close you are to achieving edge.

Or… for some of you… it might help to carry out this exercise live. In real-time. As you trade each day. Add your losses to the losses column. Add your profits to the profits column. And pair them up whenever you can. The aim being to keep your losses small enough so that they are easily covered by a single win. And more importantly, achieving a confidence boost when you get a profit on the right side of the table, and have no losses available to pair it with.

Give it a try if you think it might help you visualise your "series of trades". And hopefully reduce any concern over losing trades. After all, they're just a normal part of the win/loss table and easily covered by pairing up with the next win. They're no problem at all. Take the hit. Focus. And move on.

Happy trading,

Lance Beggs

 

 

A Shift in Mindset

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2 comments

 

I love this comment in response to last week's article (see the article here if you missed it).

<image: A Shift in Mindset>

This was the trade Steve is referring to:

<image: A Shift in Mindset>

Too many traders take the loss personally. As Steve says, they're stuck in the mindset of "Aaargh, I did it again."

Their focus is on themselves and their feeling of intense injustice and frustration.

Their focus is NOT on the price movement.

And so they miss the next opportunity, which spirals them into even greater depths of despair, especially when that opportunity is back in the original direction in which they entered.

LOSSES ARE A PART OF THE GAME.

Take the hit. Refocus yourself. And move on. (Provided session loss limits are not hit, in which case you shut down for the day!)

We've talked quite a bit over the years about the fact that trading is NOT about individual trades. Instead it's a game of profiting over a SERIES of trades.

Individual trade results are irrelevant. Series of trades are what matters.

And here's the thing – every series of trades will likely contain a combination of both winners AND losers.

LOSSES ARE A PART OF THE GAME.

Take the hit. Refocus yourself. And move on.

I shared a simple concept once before, which may help create a shift in mindset for some who read it. Let's repeat the idea today.

What if you stopped trying to find winners?

<image: A Shift in Mindset>

Why is that?

Because…

<image: A Shift in Mindset>

<image: A Shift in Mindset>

It's an important difference.

A novice trader is trying to find a trade that will win.

I'm trying to find a trade that is worthy of being one in a series of twenty. 

I don't need a winner.

I place all the odds in my favour. And I take the trade.

If it's a loss, I take the hit, refocus and move on.

It's a slightly different mindset… but one with a whole lot less fear.

I want to share one more idea which might help create this shift in mindset. But this article is long enough already.

Let's continue next week.

Happy trading,

Lance Beggs

 

 

Chasing Performance

Posted in: Trading Process and Strategy | , by
2 comments

 

Here's a little post-session exercise which may help stretch your performance to "never-before-reached" profit levels.

Pick a target just above your all-time-high for a trading session. Whatever that is – $100, $500, $1000, $5000 or more.

And ask yourself the following.

Looking at the chart for today's session, with the benefit of hindsight, how could I have achieved an all-time high in profits?

It's not about beating yourself up for having failed to reach new highs. Most days you won't reach them.

But it's about pushing yourself. Never settling for mediocrity. Always stretching to achieve more.

Look at the chart. Look at your trades.

Were there were price sequences which you failed to see? Is there some way you could you have captured them?

Were there price sequences in which you underperformed? Could you have taken more out of the move? Could you have increased size somehow? Could you have re-entered if stopped out? Could you have extended the targets or trailed price differently?

If you somehow did manage to squeeze all the profits out of your strategy that day, then ask if there were other ways could you have viewed price and profited? Operate from an assumption that there WAS some way to have achieved new all-time highs today. NOW FIND IT.

And just maybe… next time… you'll take the lessons learnt and actually push through to achieve these new levels of performance.

<image: Chasing Performance>

<image: Chasing Performance>

<image: Chasing Performance>

<image: Chasing Performance>

<image: Chasing Performance>

LWP Reference (for those who want to review the concept) – Vol 3, Ch 4, pp 72-77

<image: Chasing Performance>

<image: Chasing Performance>

<image: Chasing Performance>

<image: Chasing Performance>

Post-session:

Consider your outcome. And compare it with your all-time high.

Review the charts and find ways you could have stretched yourself to never-before achieved levels of performance.

Perhaps next time, this exercise might just help you reach the new target.

Happy trading,

Lance Beggs

 

 

What Puts You In Sync (or Out of Sync) With Price Flow?

Posted in: Trading Process and Strategy | , by
2 comments

 

I sent out the following post via social media earlier this week. It's a theme I've pushed quite a bit over the last few years because I feel it's incredibly important.

No matter what markets you trade. No matter what timeframe you trade. No matter what strategy you trade.

There will be price sequences where you are in sync with the movement and smashing it out of the ballpark.

And there will be price sequences where you are out of sync and just nothing seems to ever go right.

Here's the post:

<image: Not all conditions are equal>

Why is this important?

The quicker you can recognise change to favourable or unfavourable conditions, the quicker you can adapt tactics to suit.

In response to the post, I received the following question on twitter:

  • What are some things one can do to put together a framework for identifying these transitions?

 

Great question!

Here's one thing that you can do…

Before you can study the transitions, you need to know what type of price sequences lead to you underperforming. And which lead to exceptional performance. From that foundation, you can study the transitions in and out of these sequences.

So here is the plan…

Something you might want to consider post-session…

Examine the price sequences where you just couldn't read the market bias!

These are the sequences where you have no idea what is going on. "It's bullish. No… it's bearish. No… wait.. hang on…it's going… damn it! I have no idea at all."

The sooner you can recognise this (and accept it) the sooner you can stand aside and limit damage, waiting until some clarity returns to the market.

Post-Session:

1. Take note of any price sequences which resulted in complete uncertainty about the directional bias.

2. Review the conditions – market structure, price action and human performance factors – which may have influenced your decision making.

3. Document your findings.

4. Over time, you'll start to identify those conditions which have the potential to put you out of sync with the market, allowing you to recognise and adapt more quickly in future.

Examine the price sequences in which you found yourself fighting the bias for multiple trades!

These are the sequences in which you were confident that you had picked a market direction, but then got stopped out of one trade… and then another… and maybe more… as you fought what was in reality a completely opposite bias. Hindsight is a beautiful thing. But it's also where we learn. Study these sequences and learn what puts you 180 degrees out of sync.

Post-Session:

1. Take note of any price sequences which resulted in multiple attempts to trade the market from the wrong side.

2. Review the conditions – market structure, price action and human performance factors – which may have influenced your decision making.

3. Document your findings.

4. Over time, you'll start to identify those conditions which have the potential to put you out of sync with the market, allowing you to recognise and adapt more quickly in future.

Examine the price sequences in which you read the market bias well but just couldn't execute in sync with the market!

These are the sequences in which were 100% spot-on regarding the market bias, but just couldn't get those trades going. Choppy price action leading to hesitation. Or maybe tripping stops and leaving you watch from the sidelines while it goes to the target without you.

Post-Session:

1. Take note of any price sequences which resulted in a correct bias but a complete inability to profit from your market read.

2. Review the conditions – market structure, price action and human performance factors – which may have influenced your decision making.

3. Document your findings.

4. Over time, you'll start to identify those conditions which have the potential to put you out of sync with the market, allowing you to recognise and adapt more quickly in future.

Examine the price sequences in which you read the market bias well AND executed well.

These are the sequences in which you just smash it out of the ballpark. Not only can you see the market bias, but every fibre of your being senses it as well. And your timing just fits perfectly.

Post-Session:

1. Take note of any price sequences which resulted in A+ trading and clear outperformance.

2. Review the conditions – market structure, price action and human performance factors – which may have influenced your decision making.

3. Document your findings.

4. Over time, you'll start to identify those conditions which have the potential to put you quickly in sync with the market, allowing you to recognise and exploit the situation more quickly in future.

A whole lot of work, but it will pay you back a thousand-fold.

Happy trading,

Lance Beggs

 

 

How I Think on Trade Exit

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8 comments

 

Context:

<image: How I Think on Trade Exit>

The trade idea:

<image: How I Think on Trade Exit>

The entry:

<image: How I Think on Trade Exit>

Out:

<image: How I Think on Trade Exit>

How I think on trade exit:

<image: How I Think on Trade Exit>

<image: How I Think on Trade Exit>

<image: How I Think on Trade Exit>

All exits are temporary.

Pause and reassess.

Consider re-entry if the premise remains valid.

<image: How I Think on Trade Exit>

<image: How I Think on Trade Exit>

<image: How I Think on Trade Exit>

<image: How I Think on Trade Exit>

<image: How I Think on Trade Exit>

<image: How I Think on Trade Exit>

<image: How I Think on Trade Exit>

Sometimes it takes two entries. Sometimes it takes three.

There are no ways around this.

In the uncertainty of market action it's unreasonable to expect that we will always get a perfect entry.

So we're left with two options. Either we spread the entry via multiple parts across a general entry "area". Or we try for all-in precision but accept the fact that sometimes we'll need two or even three attempts to catch the move.

Although I sometimes trade the first method, my preference is for the second. All-in entries, accepting that it may take multiple attempts.

All exits are temporary. Pause and reassess. Consider re-entry if the premise remains valid.

Happy trading,

Lance Beggs

 

 

Traps Immediately After the Open

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The open can be a time of great opportunity. But you need to be prepared.

My default option is to always wait for the Trading Timeframe (TTF) to develop some structure. To wait until the initial trend is clear and obvious.

But there are some times when I'll trade earlier, before the TTF settles into the day's trend.

Like here…

<image: Traps Immediately After the Open>

There are generally three situations where I'll take an early trade.

The only way I can catch them is to be prepared. BEFORE THE OPEN!

I will ask some questions:

(1) Is there some exceptional pre-session structure to trade off?

<image: Traps Immediately After the Open>

(2) If price drives strongly, will it be driving into clear space that offers good potential for continuation?

<image: Traps Immediately After the Open>

(3) If price offers a trap immediately after the open, would the structure offer a multiple-R potential?

<image: Traps Immediately After the Open>

If none of these three questions suggest good trade opportunity, then I will happily sit back and relax until there is some structure in play.

But if the answer to any of these questions is YES, then I will pre-consider how the price action will need to set up. And I will prepare myself for potential opportunity very quickly after the open.

Today I will remain alert and ready for a possible trap opportunity.

<image: Traps Immediately After the Open>

<image: Traps Immediately After the Open>

<image: Traps Immediately After the Open>

<image: Traps Immediately After the Open>

See here for more on PB Setups.

<image: Traps Immediately After the Open>

<image: Traps Immediately After the Open>

<image: Traps Immediately After the Open>

(1) Is there some exceptional pre-session structure to trade off?

(2) If price drives strongly, will it be driving into clear space that offers good potential for continuation?

(3) If price offers a trap immediately after the open, would the structure offer a multiple-R potential?

If the answer to any of these is YES, then pre-consider how the price action will need to set up. You might just find some opportunity very quickly after the open.

But if the answer to all three is NO, then sit back and relax. Let the open play out and wait until some new structure develops.

Happy trading,

Lance Beggs

 

 

It’s All About Real-Time Contextual Decision Making

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You've learnt the pattern or setup. Great. But that's not trading.

Now work on the real-time contextual decision making around that pattern or setup.

Look beyond the pattern itself to the wider context.

Where is the pattern occurring within the larger timeframe market structure? What structure will suggest avoiding this particular setup? What structure might suggest caution, or reduced position sizing? What structure might suggest increased odds and the potential to really press the trade for a larger gain?

Where is the pattern occurring within time? Are there news influences which suggest passing on the trade? Are their time-of-day / week / month factors which might suggest standing aside?

Consider the behaviour of price movement – the pace, the volatility, smooth vs choppy price action.

What conditions might suggest adjustments to the default plan? All-in vs scaling in? All-out vs scaling out? Closer stops vs wider stops? Closer targets vs extended targets?

Consider the real-time decision making once in a trade.

What signs might suggest a loss of edge? How will you react to this new information?

What signs might suggest greater potential than originally perceived? How will you react to this new information?

What conditions suggest a re-entry attempt should be taken, if stopped out of the position? And how many re-entry attempts are appropriate?

Trading is not about simplistic patterns. It's about real-time contextual decision making.

If you've been on the wrong path then it's time to make a change. It's time to do the real work.

Best of luck,

Lance Beggs

 

 

Simple Session Bias – 3 (Spot Forex)

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I had no plans to continue this recent topic on use of the opening range to provide a quick and simple assessment of "bigger picture" session bias.

But I had a few traders ask how it should be applied to the forex markets.

You can see the two prior articles here, if you missed them. The first introduces the concept. The second expands upon the concept with some additional detail.

 

All examples from these prior articles were from the futures markets, with the opening range defined by the first 5 minute candle from the 0930 open.

So what do we do in the 24 hour spot forex markets?

Simple…

Set the opening range at whatever point is most relevant to the dataset you're trading.

Let's look at some examples. As we do so though, please note that I will not be marking up these charts beyond simple positioning of the opening range. This will allow YOU to analyse the charts to identify the directional bias (if any) plus assess the ease with which price moves from the opening range (if at all). And put some thoughts towards how tactics might vary to best suit these conditions. If you missed the prior articles, again I recommend you refer to them first, via the links above.

The plan again –

Set the opening range at whatever point is most relevant to the dataset you're trading.

Those trading daily or 4-hour charts might like to use a monthly opening range.

Simply take the first daily candle of the month and extend it forward.

<image: Simple Session Bias - Forex Monthly Opening Range>

Those trading 4-hour, 1-hour or 15-minute charts might like to use a weekly opening range.

Simply take the first 4-hour candle of the week and extend it forward.

<image: Simple Session Bias - Forex Weekly Opening Range>

Those trading 1-hour charts or lower might like to use a daily opening range.

Simply take the first hourly candle of the day and extend it forward. I've chosen to start the day from the Asian Session open. Adjust to whatever might be relevant to your trading.

<image: Simple Session Bias - Forex Daily Opening Range>

Lower timeframe traders (maybe 5M or 1M) might like to break the day down even further, into individual sessions.

Again, take the first 5-minute candle of the session and extend it forward.

<image: Simple Session Bias - Forex Asian Session Opening Range>

<image: Simple Session Bias - Forex European Session Opening Range>

<image: Simple Session Bias - Forex US Session Opening Range>

So yes… the opening range concept can be applied to 24 hour markets.

Set the opening range at whatever point is most relevant to the dataset you're trading.

Happy trading,

Lance Beggs

 

PS. You might also be interested in this old article from 2009 – Forex Opening Range Breakout Strategy

PPS: Intraday traders might also want to consider this idea shared in a couple of social media posts a few years ago:

<image: Displaying only EUR UK Session Data>

<image: Displaying only EUR UK Session Data>

 

 

Trade When You See Edge. Stand Aside When You Don’t!

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3 comments

 

A few weeks back we discussed a quick and simple method for identifying a "bigger picture" directional bias.

See here if you missed it and want to review the idea – Part 1, Part 2.

The second article generated quite a bit of good email conversation, with several traders now adding this to their current trading process.

One email included a brief question, which I feel it is important to discuss with all of you today.

  • "I always looked at the opening range as something that worked some times (when the market did move) and didn't work other times (when the market didn't move). So you taught me a great lesson here. It works all the time, because that failure of price to move from the opening range is the information we need to identify a lack of directional bias. What I would love to see though is how you traded one of these days that were neutral bias throughout the whole day. Like on the Tuesday for example, you said "My preference is to stand aside". Does that mean you didn't trade at all? Or at what point did you stop? Or if you did trade at any time, what was the reasoning at the time?"

 

Nice question!

Let's look back at the session on that Tuesday. This was the higher timeframe chart, with the opening range, as discussed in the prior article series.

<image: Trade when you see edge. Stand aside when you don't.>

Clearly a neutral bias throughout the vast majority of the session.

But yes, I DID make some trades.

Before we examine the trades, there are two key points I want to make.

Firstly, we need to remember that the image above is the HIGHER TIMEFRAME chart. Trading decisions and actions are based upon the Trading Timeframe chart, within the context of the structure provided by the Higher Timeframe chart.

And secondly, we need to remember that the session bias is something which gradually reveals itself over time.

<image: Trade when you see edge. Stand aside when you don't.>

<image: Trade when you see edge. Stand aside when you don't.>

<image: Trade when you see edge. Stand aside when you don't.>

<image: Trade when you see edge. Stand aside when you don't.>

<image: Trade when you see edge. Stand aside when you don't.>

<image: Trade when you see edge. Stand aside when you don't.>

Let's look at the Trading Timeframe Chart…

<image: Trade when you see edge. Stand aside when you don't.>

<image: Trade when you see edge. Stand aside when you don't.>

<image: Trade when you see edge. Stand aside when you don't.>

<image: Trade when you see edge. Stand aside when you don't.>

With hindsight there will ALWAYS be a ton of opportunity you can see.

By all means learn from it post-session if it's opportunity you want to catch in future.

But when you're operating LIVE at the hard right hand edge of the screen, it can help to remind yourself that you don't have to trade every price sequence.

When price is moving nicely and you feel in sync with the movement… when you see edge… only then do you trade.

All other times… when you don't see edge… shift that chair back so that you're out of reach of the mouse. Watch and wait for something better.

Or call it a day.

You don't have to trade every sequence. Trade when you see edge. Stand aside when you don't.

Happy trading,

Lance Beggs

 

 

What’s Going On when you Hold Past the Stop

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4 comments

 

I'm always fascinated to hear from traders who have trouble exiting a trade at the stop loss. The ones who move the stop loss further away to avoid the exit. And then move it further. And further.

Until eventually, they can't take the pain any more, so they get out of the trade and destroy several days, weeks or even months of profits.

Personally, I don't recall ever holding past the stop, although I have found evidence of having done it once in the past while reviewing old charts.

Hopefully this was a one-off occurrence. Either way, I've clearly learnt from that at some point.

No-one likes a loss. Me included. But you need to be quite comfortable taking them.

For those of you who have yet to learn how to take a loss, let's discuss what is happening when you hold past the stop.

(Noting of course that this is not always the only issue. Maybe not even the primary issue. Everyone's situation is somewhat unique. But it is a significant factor that I see in a whole lot of cases. So if you're letting price run through you're stops, give this some consideration. It may just be the pathway you need to explore to find your way to greater success.)

This is what we're talking about…

<image: What's going on when you hold past the stop?>

<image: What's going on when you hold past the stop?>

<image: What's going on when you hold past the stop?>

<image: What's going on when you hold past the stop?>

<image: What's going on when you hold past the stop?>

<image: What's going on when you hold past the stop?>

<image: What's going on when you hold past the stop?>

In many cases the primary issue is NOT that you fear losing any money.

Often instead, the problem is that you don't want to be wrong.

YOU DON'T WANT TO BE WRONG!

You rationalise that if you just give it a little more room, and a little more time, price will turn around and prove you right.

It's all ego!

What does it mean to be wrong?

Every trade you get wrong is a dagger in the heart, reminding you of every time you've been painfully wrong in the past. Every time you've failed at something. Every time you fell short of your hopes, dreams and prayers.

Every wrong trade is one small step closer to the ultimate failure of your trading business.

And when you're no longer worthy… what will your family think of you? What will your friends say about you? What will your own mind say about you as you desperately try to fall asleep each night to forget the pain?

You don't want to be wrong!

So you move the stop to give it a little more room. But the fear only increases as price continues to move against you.

You give it more room. Again the fear increases.

And then again… you give it more room.

Until finally… acceptance… you know you're wrong.

And now it's about the money.

The loss is big, but fear of it getting even bigger lets you get out. Because you KNOW you're wrong.

Again, please note that this is not always the only issue. Maybe not always the primary issue. Everyone's situation is somewhat unique. But it is a significant factor in a whole lot of cases.

So if you're letting price run through you're stops, give this some consideration. It may just be the pathway you need to explore to find your way to greater success.

Here's the problem, as I see it.

You're playing the wrong game.

You're playing a game of individual trades.

But this business is not about individual trades.

The outcome of any one trade is irrelevant.

We profit over a series of trades.

You need to accept that this game is not one of being right. But rather one of managing a sequence of wins and losses so that over a large enough sample we can produce a profit.

Wins!

And losses!

They're just a part of the game.

What if you accepted that half your trades would win and half will lose. And you made it your aim to ensure that over any series of trades (20+) your average win was greater than your average loss?

To do this, you absolutely CANNOT let your losses run larger than they need to be.

Take your losses, quickly and decisively. Keep them small. It's only one in 20+ trades in your current series. You've got a whole lot of trades still to come. And some of them will more than compensate for the small loss.

By all means, aim for as high a win rate as you can achieve. But seriously… a 50% win rate IS enough. Just aim to ensure your average win is greater than your average loss.

Happy trading,

Lance Beggs

PS. If this article was useful, you might want to read this as well – https://yourtradingcoach.com/trading-process-and-strategy/Winning-Through-Losing-Better-1-of-2/