Hey blueruby,
First of all, well done for gettin to a break even stage.
Secondly, regarding confidence and trading in the "zone". Let me tell you one thing, confidence is definately very important. But you can't force yourself to have confidence in something that does not work. I went over months and month of data in a manual back to front test, looking at the price action, trying to predict what is going to happen, seting s/l and managing my "in the head" positions. At one point, i've realised that i've found something that works - trend. i was able to spot it visually, and "trade" profitably. Second step was to take that "virutal" confidence and make it real. That's when i started sitting in front of my screen, watching the market in real time and placing trade. first on a demo, and then on a real account with small lots (100k) Now i'm at the stage where i:
1) have a strategy with positive expectancy
2) have confidence in my strategy and my trading skills
3) have a growing knowlege base of trading opportunities and "plays"
I feel that all i have to do is just keep practicing, the prize is not far.
Best of luck,
Vlad Zapletin
First of all, well done for gettin to a break even stage.
Secondly, regarding confidence and trading in the "zone". Let me tell you one thing, confidence is definately very important. But you can't force yourself to have confidence in something that does not work. I went over months and month of data in a manual back to front test, looking at the price action, trying to predict what is going to happen, seting s/l and managing my "in the head" positions. At one point, i've realised that i've found something that works - trend. i was able to spot it visually, and "trade" profitably. Second step was to take that "virutal" confidence and make it real. That's when i started sitting in front of my screen, watching the market in real time and placing trade. first on a demo, and then on a real account with small lots (100k) Now i'm at the stage where i:
1) have a strategy with positive expectancy
2) have confidence in my strategy and my trading skills
3) have a growing knowlege base of trading opportunities and "plays"
I feel that all i have to do is just keep practicing, the prize is not far.
Best of luck,
Vlad Zapletin