Introduction To Trading

Congratulations on your great decision in learning how to trade. This little course will probably be the best investment of your time you will ever make in your trading life.

Regardless of what financial instrument you will eventually trade, the most important thing is learning what to do and what not to do. There are many sharks out there who offer services to the novice trader with the sole intention of taking their money.

In this course you will learn what the best thing for you to trade is, the best way to trade it and how to trade it. I will not be promoting any service or institution so I have no bias towards pointing you in any particular direction.

What To Expect From This Course

As the name implies this course is designed for new and novice traders. It has also however become a reference point for many experienced traders. The concepts contained in the pages that follow can just as easily be adapted for the professional trader as well as the novice trader.

My hope is to guide new traders through the labyrinth of complex terminology’s and market jargon and bring them out the other side infinitely more informed and better equipped to trade just about any market.

Because I am assuming that you are either new to trading, or are trying to further your education in trading, the scope of this course is fairly large and is intended for trading in general as opposed to a particular market segment.

New traders often are unsure of not only the best market to trade, but are also unaware of the variety of markets that can be traded.

Trading – The Reality

The fact that you have subscribed to this course indicates that you have either decided that you would like to learn how to trade, or that you have started to trade and are still pursuing a better way to trade.

If you are new to trading then I am glad you started with this course because there are a lot of misconceptions out there.

The first question I would like you to ask yourself is why you decided that you wanted to trade in the first place?

• Was it the dream of working at home and earning loads of money?
• Was it the thought that you could beat the markets?
• Was it the images of what you have seen on T.V and the excitement of trading?

I ask these questions because for the vast majority of professional traders life is nothing like what it is perceived to be.

The early stages of your trading career can be frustrating, soul destroying and financially unrewarding.

90% Of Traders Go Bust

Believe me when I tell you that 90% is a conservative estimate. Some sources have it as high as 99% of traders losing their initial starting capital and I have also read that not only do over 90% of them lose their money but also 10% actually go bankrupt.

Why is it that so many traders fail? It is not because they are stupid. In fact statistics show that the majority of traders are well educated, have above average incomes and are generally highly motivated.

So why do so many fail?

Lack Of Trading Education

By education, I don't just mean learning how RSI works or drawing lines on a chart. I mean thoroughly educating yourself in all aspect of your chosen profession. Educating yourself on the correct psychological approach to the market! Educating yourself in the correct money management techniques relative to your account size. Educating yourself in the correct entry and exit methods for the trading style that suits you.

This friend is where I hope to be of some help. I don't have all the answers nor do I profess to be some kind of guru, but I will do my best to point you in the right direction.

Fundamentals Of Trading

Trading is not an exact science. You can't do X and get Y every time. It is as much an art as it is anything else. There is no magic formula.

Trading is all about probability. It is the art of correctly applying a set of carefully thought out rules and allocating the probability of that event to result in success.

Each trade is an independent event. The market does not remember if you lost or made money the last time you traded.

The way you approach the market psychologically has as much to do with your success as any trading plan.

Money management is crucial if you want to have any hope of becoming a successful trader.

Matching a method of trading with your personality is the only way you will ever feel comfortable in the markets.

An adequately funded account is necessary not only to be able to take the trades you want, but also so you don't feel every trade is a live or die situation.

The journey to the road of successful trading will make you confront your deepest fears. Your armour on this journey will be confidence, knowledge and believing that you can achieve your dreams.

Never, never equate your success or failure in the markets with who you are as a person!

The Flaw In Our Emotions

As humans we have a natural tendency to try and influence our surroundings and events we take part in. This is one reason as a species we have succeeded but it is also one of the fundamental flaws we all have when trying to achieve success as a trader.

As traders we have to realize we have no control over the market and if we accept that then we have to accept that we cannot influence the direction of the market.

The problem of course is we have a tendency to try and succeed and when the inevitable losses come it is easy to let those losses effect us emotionally. Becoming euphoric when you hit a winning streak is almost as detrimental as becoming depressed when you have a string of losses.

We traders have to try to achieve a state of impartiality. We have to accept that we will have losses as readily as we will gains. Reaching a stage where you can comfortably accept losses, in the knowledge that your method of trading will produce profits in the longer term, is the state we have to aspire to.

Trading is not an exact science.

No matter what anyone tells you, trading is not, nor has it ever been, an exact science.

Trading is an art. To date there has never been an institution or individual who can guarantee you will beat the market every time you trade.

Just think about it, if anyone one had an exact method that always won, they would have all the money in the world, given enough time.

Big institutions with all their expertise still only chug out 10% a year in a good year. Am I saying that you can’t make money in the markets? Absolutely not. You can make money in the markets and quite often a lot more than the institutions.

The point is, be wary of anyone telling you how great they are and how their method will make you rich. Would you sell something that made you rich?

If someone is trying to sell you a system or method ask him or her for their audited accounts. Any trader with a half-decent track record will be more than happy to show you his records.

One other reason some people don’t make it in the trading game and probably the hardest for some people to own up to is, some people are just not meant to be traders.

Just like we are all not meant to be doctors or priests some people are not cut out for trading.

Once you finish this course take some time to ask yourself if this is really what you want to do. It might be a decision that could save you thousands of dollars. As I said at the beginning of the course, I am trying to give you an overview of trading, the pros and the cons.

Here’s the good news! Once mastered trading can be a rewarding profession both financially and emotionally. It can give the financial independence to never work for a boss again and you will learn a lot about yourself as a person on they way to becoming a trader.

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Information, charts or examples contained in this lesson are for illustration and educational purposes only. It should not be considered as advice or a recommendation to buy or sell any security or financial instrument. We do not and cannot offer investment advice. For further information please read our disclaimer.