One of the hardest lessons for traders to learn is to not fight markets. Once you become attached to a particular idea or scenario, your ego wants to be right. Instead of focusing on making money, you`re caught up in proving yourself to be correct. That makes it impossible to quickly exit a wrong position and flip it into a winning one.

Success is possible in trading, but it requires learning and development. Role-modeling from experienced traders and continuous work on one's craft are vital elements in that success. It takes some searching, but there *are* role models on the Web, whether in blogs, online trading rooms, or via coaching/mentoring. The rest is dedication and the willingness to work as hard outside of trading hours as during them.

One of the qualities I've noted in highly successful traders is that they don't just follow markets; they also observe themselves. They keep rigorous score: they know how much they make or lose, and they identify what they do right and wrong. In my meetings with them, they don't just look for support. They seek ways to improve themselves and their trading. The very best traders are every bit as hungry to make improvements when they're making money as when they're drawing down.

A second quality I've observed in very successful traders is that they are focused on positive goals, not negative ones. The best traders identify what they want to be doing and turn those ideas into concrete goals for the coming day, week, or month. Lesser traders identify negative goals. They can verbalize what they *don't* want to be doing, but lack a clear vision of what they should be doing to trade well. As a result, they never formulate concrete goals for improvement.

Suppose I reviewed today's trading with you and asked, "What were you working on in today's session? What were your specific trading goals?"

Would you have a clear answer? Were you working on you as a trader, or were you simply working to make money?

The really fine traders turn themselves into objects of study. They never stop improving their trading, refining themselves.

Losing is what being a trader is all about. You should always look to make money each month. So when you have a good week, protect your gains by making sure you don't risk so much that  "giving it all back" is impossible. That way you protect your capital and your precious confidence.

Hard day for me also to get on the right side of things.

768 is the long term double top sell from '02  -- I would think a close above that would be meaningful