5 Expensive Words

Rarely do they pay off, and yet we’ve all said those 5 costly words……

“just a little more room.”

Whether it’s been on the winning side of trades where I’ve tried to squeeze the last $0.50 out of a stock, or it’s a losing position that has been trying to tell me I’m wrong (those numbers are RED for a reason!), I am guilty!

Oddly enough, as cheap as it is to enter trades with commission structures so affordable, have you ever noticed just how expensive it can be to stay in a trade?

We all know the rules….
• Obey thy stop!
• Never Believe in your stock!
• Don’t let a trade become an investment!

…..yet it is so easy to break them. It’s a solitary job, and the only person to prevent you from compounding your mistakes is the one you see in the mirror.

So, be your own ally. Have a trading plan in place before you login to your account. Do your homework. Set hard stops as soon as your orders are filled, and let those safety nets keep your losses small (we all know how easy it is to blow a mental stop).

Be smart! Trading is about real money, not just flickering numbers on a screen. Be prepared and protect your capital at all costs. That guy in the mirror will hold you accountable the next time you see him!

Jeff White
President, The Stock Bandit, Inc.
www.TheStockBandit.com

Related Articles:

http://www.leverageyoureffort.com Black

Hi Jeff,

Sound words but unfortuntely not many people can run their trading like a business. I suppose that is why there is money to be made in trading.

Best regards
Moritz

don’t trade unless you CAN treat it like a business would be my advice.
http://traderandy.blogspot.com Andy

Simple but probably the most important thing you can do.

I’ve found that using stop losses on every trade from day 1 has drilled me to do it without thinking. It has just become second nature to calculate where my stop will go before deciding position size.

Discipline!
Administrator

Great input guys, thanks for your comments. I certainly agree….trading is a business, and implementing stops habitually is the best way to always keep your risk in check.

Jeff
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[...] In fact, I know that’s true from my recent correspondence with many other traders. Just yesterday I heard from one I’ve known for a couple of years, finding out he’s leaving the game after having blown out his account after adding to a bad position. In his words, he failed to preserve capital and instead broke a fundamental rule by leveraging and averaging down when underwater. It’s a disappointing thing to hear of, and I’m sure it’s a common story this week. About the only positive thing about the situation is that those 5 Expensive Words aren’t likely to be used by him again. [...]