Tuesday, January 6, 2009

My Discipline Problem

For some of you, the hardest part about trading is "letting your winners run" or "cutting your losers short."

I sympathize. However, for me, the hardest part about trading is actually getting to the part where I can say I know anything about how I trade and understanding where my strengths and weaknesses lie. You need discipline to sit and go through your trades.

I mean, I head over to Trader X's site and he's like "keep a trading journal." Know thyself. I check out the Warrrior and he's like, "Check out this awesome chart pattern... I'm rich! Oh, and my blog is available on Kindle!" Everything seems so simple for these guys.


But you know, I bet they're doing work too and that's not what I'm about.

In fact, instead of actually going through graphs right now (like I planned on doing) I'm here writing a bullshit post about how I can't find the discipline to go through graphs and figure out how I should trade.

It's my particular curse that I need to trade for a living, yet I have no interest in actually studying how to trade. Somehow, I've done this for a decade.

So here's the plan. I'm going to "scheduleize" my life and this blog and see if it makes me more efficient. One of my goals in 2009 is to be more "professional" and this is a necessary step in that direction.

Below is a rough publishing schedule for this blog, going forward. I have a similar, though much stricter, "daily life schedule" that I'm imposing upon myself in my non-virtual life.

I'm hoping that by making order out of some of the madness around here that I get more done.

Monday - A post that discusses a trade I made.
Tuesday - Around the house
Wednesday - History post
Thursday - Porn and politics
Friday - Links from around the blogosphere.


The only things that are set in stone at this point are Monday, Wednesday and Friday. The Friday thing is a new feature... And for now, the RO posts will continue on a daily basis.

Feedback welcome. Go!

6 comments:

TeamLRAM said...

Hahahaha

The schedule looks good. I've been reading your blog, and though its not a great repository of trading knowledge, it's an entertaining read. What other finance-orientated blog has a wonderfully written anecdote of a bookstore monster?

Btw, right on with Trader X; he's like the Zen master of trading

Dinosaur Trader said...

Thank you, I'm glad at least someone appreciated the bookstore monster story.

Meanwhile, it's true, there's not too much trading knowledge here, although there are dribs and drabs. That's why Monday I'm going to start discussing trades again.

Of course, given how I discuss trades, I'm not sure if it can count as "knowledge" but we'll see.

Thanks for reading.

-DT

Anonymous said...

I find the thing about trading is that you can't just put it in cruise control and expect the dolla billz to flow in. It's about constant improvement if you get my drift.

Dinosaur Trader said...

Indeed, but it can be so boring.

Still, I've written a little note that I've taped above my computer screen. It says, simply, "You are a professional stock trader."

I'm trying to get in the mode.

-DT

Charlie G. said...

I thought this was a post about BSDM! Ha, ha. I've only been reading your blog for a month so its all new content to me, but I'm looking forward to reading some of this stuff on your schedule.

Dinosaur Trader said...

Charlie,

BSDM post forthcoming...

-DT