A Proper Trading Education Can Make You Wealthy

Complexity can lead to trading failure

Trading is a difficult endeavor, when it comes to long-term success. There are many factors and reasons why most traders and investors ultimately lose. Here is one generally over-looked reason for failure. Many traders and investors falsely believe, the more complicated a trading plan is, the more successful it will be. This is not true at all. In fact, pretty much the opposite is true. Trying to make trading decisions based on dozens of indicators, and tons of information, is a recipe for trading disaster. It has nothing to do with a solid trading education.

Try to keep things simple

Keeping everything relatively simple is a big plus. This certainly does not mean it is easy to be successful. Let’s start out with some seemingly simple rules, that have been proven successful over many decades. The golden rule of trading states to let your profits run, and cut your losses short. Another simple, but yet very effective rule, is to go with the trend. These rules seem simple enough, and they are proven successful. Yet, many traders and investors break these rules quite often. This is true, even when they know better. So the question is, why does this happen? Understanding this is a key to your trading education.

The most important factor

The foundation of a good, solid trading education should be based on rules proven successful over many decades. Two great examples, are the ones I shared with you in the previous paragraph. But why do traders and investors have so much trouble following simple, proven rules? The problem lies not with the rules, but within ourselves. The psychological part of trading is the true key to great success. Human emotions such as fear, greed, and hope can not be part of your trading equation, if you want to become an elite trader who makes fortunes. Fear probably causes over 75% of all trading mistakes. Understanding, and then implementing, proper trading psychology is the most important part of your trading education.

How you think will decide your trading fate

The market gives us very clear directions as to what course of action to take. The big enemy in trading is emotion. It clouds our thinking. You can not be objective when emotions take over. As an example, traders will get out a position as soon as they make a small profit. They allow fear to take over. The fear of the market turning against them, even though all indications point to the market moving in their favor. To make a lot of money, it is imperative to let your winners run. This is one of the main rules of successful trading.

The world’s best traders and investors can put on a trade without any hesitation or worry, and just as easy, admit the trade isn’t working, and exit with a small loss. They are not afraid, but at the same time, not reckless. This is what the psychology of trading is all about. You must always remember that each trade has an uncertain outcome. Winning at anything in life is mostly a function of your attitude, especially as a trader in the markets.

In summary

To become a top trader or investor, you will need to have a proven trading plan, practice sound money management, understand and implement proper trading psychology. The learning curve is steep, and it will take a few years of proper trading education to put everything together, and get the results you want. An important part of your learning process is to study the world’s best traders, past and present ones. Learn their strategies, methods, and principles. These are the people who have already made fortunes in the world of trading. This includes William J. O’Neil, Jesse Livermore, Bernard Baruch, Gerald M. Loeb, W.D. Gann, Michael W. Covel, and others. You can make a fortune with the proper trading education.