To: exdaytrader76 who wrote (917 ) 8/31/2000 2:38:30 PM From: Robert Graham Respond to of 1426 Yes, at times I do have emotions when I trade. And they usually screw me up. And they usually come from not what I am attempting to do, but from thoughts rooted in the past. For instance, I may be thinking about my previous losses without realizing it. Then I find myself "afraid" to let price move against me at all, even a 1/2 of a point. So I am out of the trade, just to find price stop there and put in a stronger move in my direction. Or in the back of my mind I may be thinking about family problems. So I am distracted and lack focus which has its consequence in my trading. Then a realization dawned on me that stirred up the brain cells a bit. I realized that I have seen many potential opportunities that paid off well. I was right their watching the events unfold. Heck, I was even commenting about the likelihood of the possible move in a chat room. Now where was I? Why was I not in those trades? But I have no problem taking marginal trades. Even when in the back of my mind I understand them to be marginal. Then I remembered what that book by Douglas said. People only provide themselves with the success they feel the deserve. This speaks volumes about my past. I have just managed to make a living despite the outrageous opportunities I have had and the skill I had to bring to bear on the opportunity. Instead of succeeding, I would always end up doing something to make the situation much more difficult for myself, and sometimes even throw "wrenches" into the picture. Even when I knew what I should do in the place of familiar behavior, it is as though something would block this out of my mind, neutralize the effect of this awareness so I would not act on it. This is the problem that I must deal with before I can make a successful living at trading. Souds interesting, eh? :-) Bob Graham