Some forex traders never reach their potential, sometimes because they start off badly and never recover. Others start off too well, they make money right off the bat and are completely unprepared and over leveraged when the bad times hit.
To be successful takes many years of discipline and practice. Many of the most successful traders lost money at the beginning and many went broke more than once. But those who came through have a few things in common:
To be successful takes many years of discipline and practice. Many of the most successful traders lost money at the beginning and many went broke more than once. But those who came through have a few things in common:
Stop and reverse
One thing that separates the really successful traders from the amateurs is that while an amateur may be able to cut a losing trade a successful trader has the ability to not only cut the trade but to reverse and go the other way. When momentum changes quickly, sometimes the best move is to quickly change direction so you don’t miss out on any more profit.Getting aggressive
Amateur traders sometimes get nervous when holding a winning position and already start to think about banking gains. However, the really successful forex traders have the opposite approach. They become way more aggressive when they’re winning and only scale back their risk when they’re losing. Successful traders know that wins tend to come in streaks.Admitting they’re wrong
It takes a new trader a long time to understand one of the basic principles of trading – that the market has no ulterior motive and cannot be controlled. Successful traders have learnt over many years to treat the market with respect. They cannot control it, they can only control themselves, so they stop trying to predict the market and learn to go with the flow. This means successful traders have no problem admitting when they’re wrong and this is crucial in order to get out of losing positions.Enjoying the job
A big part of what makes a trader successful is that they really do love what they do. Some traders think they enjoy trading but the truth is they only enjoy the rewards. They don’t actually enjoy the process of watching charts and making trades. The best traders find trading an immensely satisfying thing to do and this is why they are able to spend long hours at the desk putting in the hard yards.Taking it seriously
Finally, another thing successful forex traders have in common is that they treat it seriously, like a business. They never trade when they’re tired or when they’re drunk. They never come to the markets late and they always make risk management their number one priority.
Editors’ Picks
EUR/USD appears supported by the 200-day SMA, for now
Following an early pullback to multi-week lows near 1.1670, EUR/USD now manages to reclaim the 1.1700 region as the NA session draws to a close on Monday. The steep retracement in spot follows the equally strong move higher in the US Dollar, as investors continue to assess the geopolitical landscape in the wake of the US and Israel attacks on Iran.
GBP/USD hits new yearly lows near 1.3300
GBP/USD adds to the recent bearish tone, approaching to the key 1.3300 support to reach fresh YTD troughs against the backdrop of the robust performance of the US Dollar. Indeed, Cable’s decline comes amid the firm demand for the safe-haven space in the wake of the US and Israel attacks to Iran.
USD/JPY bulls seem hesitant amid intervention fears
USD/JPY is seen consolidating below the mid-157.00s and over a five-week high set on Monday as a dramatic escalation of geopolitical tensions in the Middle East continues to benefit the US Dollar's status as the global reserve currency. Moreover, reduced bets for an immediate rate hike by the BoJ seem to weigh on the Japanese Yen and act as a tailwind for spot prices. That said, intervention fears hold back the JPY bears from placing fresh bets and capping gains for the currency pair.
Editors’ Picks
AUD/USD consolidates around 0.7100 as geopolitical tensions counter hawkish RBA
The AUD/USD remains confined within a multi-week-old range, oscillating in a narrow band around 0.7100 during the Asian session on Tuesday. Bets for another interest rate hike by the RBA in May continue to act as a tailwind for the Aussie. However, a hit to sentiment from US-Israeli air strikes against Iran helps the safe-haven US Dollar preserve its overnight strong gains, reaching the highest level since January 20, and caps gains for the risk-sensitive Australian Dollar.
USD/JPY bulls seem hesitant amid intervention fears
USD/JPY is seen consolidating below the mid-157.00s and over a five-week high set on Monday as a dramatic escalation of geopolitical tensions in the Middle East continues to benefit the US Dollar's status as the global reserve currency. Moreover, reduced bets for an immediate rate hike by the BoJ seem to weigh on the Japanese Yen and act as a tailwind for spot prices. That said, intervention fears hold back the JPY bears from placing fresh bets and capping gains for the currency pair.
Gold clings to gains as US-Iran conflict continues to underpin safe-haven assets
Gold retains positive bias for the fifth consecutive day on Tuesday as rising geopolitical tensions in the Middle East continue to underpin safe-haven assets. However, a bullish US Dollar could keep the bullion below its highest level since late January, set on Monday, warranting caution before positioning for any further appreciation.
Strategy lifts holdings to 3.4% of Bitcoin's total supply amid inflows into crypto products
Strategy continued its accumulation of the top crypto last week, acquiring 3,015 BTC for $204 million amid renewed interest in crypto products after four weeks of outflows.
The Fed is finally talking about AI – Here's why it matters for the US Dollar Premium
AI is moving from earnings calls into the heart of monetary policy discussions, forcing Federal Reserve officials to confront a new question: How to act if AI reshapes inflation, employment and interest rates at the same time?
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