1. Identify if you really want to be a trader. Is this truly your desire?
Before you can develop persistence and eventually achieve success in the tough trading game, you need to first identify if this is truly what you want to do. If you are only doing this for the money then the odds of you making it through the learning process is very slim. You have to be ‘foolish’ enough through your initial losses to believe that you can rise to the top 10% of profitable traders. Most traders learning curves are measured in years not weeks so trading is more like getting a degree than reading a book over the weekend.
2. Determine your motivation. Why do you want to be a trader?
Motivation comes from a deep reason why we want to achieve or have something. If you know why you’re doing what you’re doing, it gives you more energy to keep moving forward in learning and getting experience. If you are trading to make a quick buck, then you do not make that buck quickly you will join the quitters. If you are trading to have enough money to pay off your house in 5 years that will create the energy to drive you forward against the odds.
You can get through this first learning stage by writing down specifically all the things you want to have or accomplish through your trading. List all your desires and wants, all the rewards that will come through you not quitting the trading game. This is what will get you through if your heart is in it. You need a very big bucket of carrots waiting for you on the other side of trading success to get through the whips the market will hit you with while you are learning.
3. Outline Your Definite Action Step
Identifying your wants or desires speaks of what you want to achieve. Determining your motivation shows the reasons why you want to achieve what you want. Outlining your definite action step is necessary to know how you will be able to achieve what you want.
When you know how to get what you want, it makes it easier to achieve it. To know how, it pays to do some research and planning of what needs to be done on your part. Be specific on each step you need to take. Identify at least two ways and plans on how you can achieve your goals.
4. Keep the right mindset, believe that you are going to be a winning trader.
The road to trading success is not an easy one, in fact, it can be painful emotionally, mentally, and financially, if you do not know what you are doing, this is why only 10% succeed. There will be countless times you will face losing trades and failures that if you are not committed to success in the long term, you’ll succumb to negative thoughts of failure and defeat and just quit.
In order to develop persistence and eventually succeed in your trading, always maintain a belief in yourself and your eventual success, regardless of your current account situation. Keep your thoughts focused on doing the homework needed to take you towards your goals. Avoid negative thoughts and feelings for it will ruin your concentration and persistence. Focus on where you are going and believe that only time stands between you and your trading goals. The power of this belief will surprise you.
5. Build your trading support group
Your trading support group should be composed of successful traders and serious students of the markets who can help you succeed in your trading goals. Choose carefully who you will trust as part of your trading group. Listen only to those who have succeeded in what you are trying to do and who have positive mental attitudes who are willing to share. You can’t afford wasting your time listening to traders who do not have proven trading success and are not helping you learn and make money. Only listen to traders that are leading you down the road to trading success. How do you know they are doing this? Your losses are getting smaller and your wins are getting bigger.
6. Develop great discipline & habits
All your goal-setting and planning will go to waste if you aren’t able to develop discipline in following your trading plan and good habits in your daily trading routine.
Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment. – Jim Rohn
There will be a lot of hindrances that will stop you from moving towards your trading goals, and without proper discipline to follow your plan, it will be easy for you to get of track and travel the road to failure. Upholding discipline and good habits can help you stay in the course, even despite difficulties. A big key to trading success is for your active trader self that trades with when the market is open follows the trading plan that your analyst self created while the market is closed. You have to trade with your mind in control at all times and never let your emotions take your entries or exits or determine your position size.
Never underestimate that one of the rich traders biggest secrets was simply dedication, discipline, and perseverance.