wow - what work it is

Even though I am finally profitable this year it surely hasn't been easy. You have to stick to your system no matter what and let the cards fall as they may. There are weeks that go by that I easily make money.

Today I also made money, but wow what a ride. Somtimes I feel drained from the pressure. Hopefully I can go into the new year without the tension that occurs from time to time. I still think emotions are the hardest part.

The biggest lessons I have learned since starting forex is to always use a stop loss, prove your system works in the past and future, and to trade an unproven system with micro lots until you are comfortable to move up. One other thing that I needed to understand was with micro lots my stop might equal $6, which was nothing. $60 for mini is tough, and although I am not there yet, $600 on a standard lot will seem crazy. But relative to the account balance it will all be the same. You just have to make more than you lose.

Even after all of this, I still occasionally get off the beaten path and try something new and lose on it because I didn't do my "due diligence" first.

It takes work to make money, even in forex.

Hi LLambert

You're just about where I am, it sounds like. I am turning the corner, but am clawing for every pip some days. Yesterday it seemed I couldn't do anything right all day. Went to bed at -34 pips, with 2 trades open, wasn't too sure of myself, but, woke up at 2:55 am, saw the profits, and took 'em! Took me 23 hours, but yesterday I made 2.1%.

Today I made 1.5% by about 10, so I got to work out, shower and now study. Better get to it.

Good luck for the new year. Watch out in December, big boys are taking their books flat.

yep we are about the same. Since October I've made from 5% to 13% a week. The week of Thanksgiving I decided to place a very risky trade and lost 20% of my account. Just crazy, but I only did this because I made a lot the first few weeks and October was excellent so I decided to risk some of it. The month ended up being +2.91%. October I made 25.04%. Last week alone I made 22.53% .... I should also say I risk more than most because it is house money now. Plus I am more confident in my trading.

But it is still hard work.