Our progress as we develop as a trader rarely occurs in a uniform, straight-line manner.
From time to time our development stalls, awaiting some trigger that shifts our perspective and allows us to see the game in a whole new way.
It's my hope that this article can provide at least one of you with your next paradigm shift! 🙂
So here's the thing:
Most of my trade ideas fail to achieve the expected outcome!
I made four attempts to trade this S/R level:
Three failed trade ideas… although the two that filled were managed well.
And only ONE trade that went according to plan.
Becoming a trader requires that you stop expecting perfection.
Becoming a trader requires that you learn to manage the periods of imperfection.
Stop expecting perfection. Learn to manage the imperfection.
Happy trading,
Lance Beggs
PS. See here for more on trading the BOF and TST setup areas.
What a post !! So refreshing to come back to this blog every time.
Thanks Sunil 🙂
It’s always a nervous wait after I hit “Publish”. I never know how a post will be received. It’s awesome to get some positive feedback!
Lance this post is amazing and this sentence like a road map at the market
(Stop expecting perfection. Learn to manage the imperfection)
really I like it , thanks for your effort
Mohamed
Thanks Mohamed! 🙂 Glad you enjoyed it.
Thanks for the Golden nugget!
You’re welcome Rinchen! 🙂 I’m glad you enjoyed the post.
Hi Lance,
In the above examples your time frames are 1 min and 15 seconds. Can the same be applied to 3 min and 1 min timeframe?
Regards
Mahesh.
Mahesh, Yes absolutely. Almost everything I discuss is scalable to higher timeframes. 3/1 or even higher.
Cheers,
Lance.
Hi Lance,
In the first example, after the strong break out and slow grinding pullback, and then the bullish candle A and the low rejecting candle B, choice was only for long. Even in hindsight, i cant see anything different in that. So am i missing something or is it the way market is — unpredictable?
Mahesh,
It’s not about predicting. It’s about reacting.
We identify places we want to trade. Places that should provide a positive expectancy, over a large sample of results, if we take the trades in that area.
Entering LONG at this time and place was the EXACT RIGHT thing to do. Had it rallied strongly from here, there was good multiple-R profit potential. But price didn’t follow through in any way that I expected. So I scratched.
This game is not about finding winners. It’s about managing risk and opportunity over a large sample of trades, in order to profit over the full sample.
Cheers,
Lance.
Thank you Lance for you replies. That explains a lot. And must tell you that I am a big fan of your trading style.
I have one question about your trade management:
In the same example, this refers to the first entry that you scratched for +1 and +3.5 points.
Here, the price was not moving “against” you, it was just that it wasnt moving “Fast” in your direction. I see that you dont even give price “room” of even one candle. Dont you think this causes too many early exits? And does this vary with the instrument you are trading?
Regards
Mahesh.
That one candle is multiple lower timeframe candles.
But yes, if it’s not moving how I expect, I’ll reduce size or get out.
Please note though that getting out does not mean you can’t get back in. Get flat. Remove the emotion. Reconsider with a clearer mind, with no exposure to risk.
If you still like the trade, get back in.
But if it subsequently moves to the target without me, who cares? It wasn’t mine to catch.
More opportunity is coming. Get ready for it.
You don’t have to catch every move.
Great… this is totally new for me:
“Please note though that getting out does not mean you can’t get back in. Get flat. Remove the emotion. Reconsider with a clearer mind, with no exposure to risk.”
Because even I have been following your approach, but never thought of it this way. Whenever I got out soon, I used to think that this trade has gone against me, but then many times it used to give a good move in direction of my bias after just few candles. So this is new approach for me. The only problem which many would think as very silly is rapid typing of trades, which i am lacking in…
And also would you get back in if new entry happens to be beyond LWP? Of course with R:R in favour.
Thanks a lot. 🙂
I personally never chase beyond LWP. (Well actually, I have in the past so I shouldn’t say “never”. But my aim is to never chase past LWP.)
This occurs regardless of the fact that there may still be suitable R:R available.
If I miss it, I’ll let it go. There is ALWAYS more opportunity available in future.
I agree with everyone here, I really enjoyed the article.
Thanks Marcus. 🙂
Very nice article Lance
I have a question:
In the first entry, There was a good green candle which you missed and after that there was a good retest of support with candle B. My question is , how did you enter at the very low of next candle without even that candle showing enough bullish strength?
Do you look for even smaller timeframes or you had made up your mid to enter long at this point without even enough proof of strength.
I do look at a lower timeframe, which is not shown in this article. But it’s not relevant anyway.
The decision to enter was made as candle B rallied higher into it’s close. The question is then, “how to enter”.
Look at the chart and see the amount of overlap between every candle. With lots of overlap it’s reasonable to expect some amount of pullback into the prior candle. The entry order was a limit order placed slightly lower, only by a tick or two. If you can save a few ticks on entry or exit, from time to time, it makes a difference in overall results.
Lance,
Thanks for your response. everytime i hear something from you it gives a new perspective of elements involved in trading, thank you so much for the articles .. keep posting more 🙂
You’re welcome Raviraj! 🙂 I’m glad I’m able to help.
What would i say man,
You are awesome, i dnt have words to express my gratitude towards you,
You are simply amazing man, i am reading stuff about trading on almost every corner, from 4 days and night , i am just reading your articles, its just hit my mind. I wish i would have money to buy your book.
But you simply rock, god will bless you and your family.
Thanks alot,
And no one ever i read, which give valuable stuff for free,
So again thanks alot .🙏🙏🙏🙏
Deeraj,
Thank you so much for your kind words. I’m pleased you’re finding value in my articles.
Best of luck with your trading,
Lance.