Forex Success Principles - The 10 Cardinal Rules of Currency Trading
by Daniel Su
If you are in a room with five different forex traders, it would not be uncommon for each and every one of them to have their own forex trading technique. It is a matter of taste and preference as there are many different styles and guidelines that one can choose when trading in the forex market. However, there are 10 cardinal rules in the world of currency trading that one must follow in order to achieve success. They are as follows:
1. Stay with your plan - for anyone to be successful in forex trading they must have a plan and stick with it. Besides your position size, your plan must also include your entry stop loss levels. In other words, you must know exactly when to take your profit and a when to get out of the trade. Having a good plan takes emotion out of trading.
2. Stay with the trends - this is not brain surgery, the trend is a forex trend for reason and you should not try to fight it. If the trend shows profit, you get in and take advantage of it and if it shows going short, then you go short. Going against trends is a surefire way to empty out your bankroll.
3. Capital preservation is a key - protecting your money is the most important lesson that you can ever learn. Putting too much of your capital into one trade can result in a financial catastrophe. You should never risk more than 5% of your forex account on a single trade. There are many traders who get cocky and decided they can't lose after hitting multiple deals in a row and then dump everything they have into one trade and unfortunately, that is the loser in air out of the market.
4. If it's a loser, get out - there is no fighting is one. In the forex market you will have some trades go bad and it is expected, but you just need to admit to your losses and get your money working back in other profitable trades. Setting up effective stop losses is a great tool to force yourself out of the trade, without emotions. Where you set these depends upon your risk profile.
5. Know when to take your profit - whenever you get into a trade, you should have already decided when you want to get out. Don't get greedy if you hit your point harder than you thought as you think it might go much higher. You may get away with this a couple of times, but it is only a matter of time when he comes back to bite you.
6. Keep your calm - you cannot afford to have emotions during a trading day. Things like greed and fear will influence your trading in a negative way. If you look at any good trader you will see a temperament that will make it next to impossible to figure out if they are winning or losing money on the day. There just isn't any place in the forex market for an emotional person.
7. Do your own research - taking advice from a friend or colleague that goes against your forex trading technique is just plain foolish. If you have a forex trading system that has proven time and time again to be profitable, don't try and take a quick fix and jump on someone else's coattails. If this is not an information you have verified, don't follow it. Stick to your own plan.
8. Keep a journal - you need to keep track of everything you do. What position you took, why you took it and how the trade went down. What price you bought it and what price you soul that are all things that you want to make note of. In the long run, you can go back and look at your successes and failures and this will help you become a better trader.
9. If you're not sure, don't get in - this is something that cannot be stressed enough. If for any reason you have a doubt about a trade, you are better off staying away from it. There are always plenty of opportunities just round the corner as the currency market works 24 hours.
10. Don't do too much - if you over trade, you may find yourself in a position where you cannot keep track of everything you have going on. Nobody should have anymore than two open positions at one time. You should only enter your second position only if your first position is profitable. Don't think you have to do a trade just for the sake of doing it, wait for the right opportunities.
About the Author
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