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“I had to find a set of rules that would remove my own stupid self…”

Feedback in:

Hello,

Well, after trying to be the smart guy and beat the markets for many years (and blowing a few accounts) I painfully realized that I am simply not capable finding highs and lows. I needed to change my thinking and go with the markets and not try to hit the highs and lows. That was a huge mental undertaking for me, since I am a “contrarian” by nature.

It took me a good 3-4 years to find a strategy that both suited my trading style but also a strategy that I could translate into absolute rules. I don’t use EAs or other automated trading, but I needed a set of rules that I could follow that would remove my own “biases” and discretionary way of trading. Simply put, I was losing all faith in my own abilities as a trader and I had to find a set of rules that would remove my “own stupid self”. Since then I haven’t really looked back. I am actually stunned by the simplicity and at first I couldn’t believe how well this works. It is actually a matter of “leaving your brain” at the door. If I only had done this exercise 20 years ago…

My strategy; I trade price trends on the weekly timeframe, with the 4HR for entry/exit, SMA100 is my reference and entry of long/short. I have the weekly pivots plotted. Pivots serve as moving SL when price moves too far away from the SMA100, and also as Support/Resistance for new/multiple positions in the same (weekly) wave. Initial SL 2 x ATR, no TP. Position size is 2% of free equity. I trade FX, Indices and Equities, all CFDs.

I am originally from Norway, but I moved to a warmer and better suited place three years ago. I trade full time.

Best Regards,
[Name]

Thanks for the feedback, but I would exit the day trading. Day trading as a trend follower? Not seen that evidence.


How can you move forward immediately to Trend Following profits? My books and my Flagship Course and Systems are trusted options by clients in 70+ countries.

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Trend Following is for beginners, students and pros in all countries. This is not day trading 5-minute bars, prediction or analyzing fundamentals–it’s Trend Following.

“Interesting piece of research… looking at various investment strategies going back to 1800.”

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Hey Michael:

Love your contributions to Trend Following – Big Fan!

Interesting piece of research recently by a Dutch investment house looking at various investment strategies going back to 1800.
Included periods of 2 World Wars, Multiple Recessions and down turns.

Result:

Number 1 Strategy: Trend Following
Number 2 Strategy: Carry Trade
Number 3 Strategy: Seasonality

I am fully aware that I don’t need to convince you of the benefit of Trend Following but its nice to have definitive Research over extended periods. Clearly we are on the Right Path when it comes to Investing!!

Link to information below: here.

Maybe be nice to interview one of the Researchers in future podcast?

Take Care,
[Name]

Thanks!

More and better LONG LOOK BACK research? Here.


How can you move forward immediately to Trend Following profits? My books and my Flagship Course and Systems are trusted options by clients in 70+ countries.

Also jump in:

Trend Following Podcast Guests
Frequently Asked Questions
Performance
Research
Markets to Trade
Crisis Times
Trading Technology
About Us

Trend Following is for beginners, students and pros in all countries. This is not day trading 5-minute bars, prediction or analyzing fundamentals–it’s Trend Following.

Ep. 738: Creativity Wins with Michael Covel on Trend Following Radio

Creativity Wins with Michael Covel
Creativity Wins with Michael Covel

Subscribe to Trend Following Radio on iTunes

Please enjoy my monologue Creativity Wins with Michael Covel on Trend Following Radio. This episode may also include great outside guests from my archive.

Listen to this episode:

Want to learn more Trend Following? Watch my video here.

“Actionable steps are for get-rich-quick’ers, and they just don’t get it yet…”

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Dear Mr. Covel,

Thank you for writing your book, “Trend Following”. I already had about a year’s experience of profitable trading under my belt while reading it, when this came to me: You can’t teach people how to trade, no more than you can teach someone what to do for each move of a chess game before they sit down to play their opponent. Like in chess, the market’s next move is unpredictable. We have an idea of what is most probable to happen next, but anything *can* happen. You can teach people how markets work, just like you can teach people how chess works. But how each person plays is up to their knowledge of the rules, and their experience playing. That experience is what tells them what move their opponent is most likely to make next. This understanding came to me about 20% through your book, while I was reading its negative reviews on Amazon. People complained there were “No actionable steps”. People wanted you to tell them what to do next with their pawn, then what to do next with their rook, then what to do after that with their queen. They want to be spoon-fed trading. But it doesn’t work like that. They want Ed Seykota to email them the code that his systematic trading bot runs on. Like you say, there is no secret sauce. Bill Dunn, John W. Henry, Richard Donchian, and Jesse Livermore are giving us the rules of the game, and telling us how markets work, which is infinitely more valuable than a static, spoon-fed, “buy when this indicator does this”, then “sell when you see it do that”. Actionable steps are for get-rich-quick’ers, and they just don’t get it yet. Thanks for shining a light on this space. Your work is getting me closer to where I want to be in life.

[Name]

Thanks!


How can you move forward immediately to Trend Following profits? My books and my Flagship Course and Systems are trusted options by clients in 70+ countries.

Also jump in:

Trend Following Podcast Guests
Frequently Asked Questions
Performance
Research
Markets to Trade
Crisis Times
Trading Technology
About Us

Trend Following is for beginners, students and pros in all countries. This is not day trading 5-minute bars, prediction or analyzing fundamentals–it’s Trend Following.

Ep. 737: Ethan Kross Interview with Michael Covel on Trend Following Radio

Ethan Kross
Ethan Kross

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My guest today is Ethan Kross, a professor of psychology at the University of Michigan. His research seeks to “Understand factors enabling people to adaptively regulate triggered impulses and emotions that undermine their goals and compromise their health.” He wants to resolve a key paradox in coping literature by finding insights and translating those insights to the rest of the world.

The topic is Emotion and Self Control Lab.

In this episode of Trend Following Radio we discuss:

  • Thinking objectively
  • Passive and interactive activities on social media
  • Experian sampling
  • Regulation on social media
  • LeBron James move from the Cavaliers
  • Self talk
  • Dealing with problems under stressed.

Mentions & Resources:

Listen to this episode:

Jump in!

Michael Covel’s Mind Food for Thought: February 14th Edition

Food for thought:

Enjoy.


How can you move forward immediately to Trend Following profits? My books and my Flagship Course and Systems are trusted options by clients in 70+ countries.

Also jump in:

Trend Following Podcast Guests
Frequently Asked Questions
Performance
Research
Markets to Trade
Crisis Times
Trading Technology
About Us

Trend Following is for beginners, students and pros in all countries. This is not day trading 5-minute bars, prediction or analyzing fundamentals–it’s Trend Following.

Ep. 736: Follow Your Effort Not Your Passion with Michael Covel on Trend Following Radio

Follow Your Effort Not Your Passion with Michael Covel
Follow Your Effort Not Your Passion with Michael Covel

Subscribe to Trend Following Radio on iTunes

Please enjoy my monologue Follow Your Effort Not Your Passion with Michael Covel on Trend Following Radio. This episode may also include great outside guests from my archive.

Listen to this episode:

Want to learn more Trend Following? Watch my video here.