I trade my worst when I feel chaotic. I feel chaotic when I’m taking unplanned trades because I’m not trading with any structure. I long ago accepted and embraced that much like an ocean, I cannot impose my will upon the market. The market is the final arbiter.
There have been situations where unexpected news resulted in my losing money, like OCZ. In that situation I felt an anxiety perhaps, more like a tension in my shoulders, and when I cut the loss I immediately felt a sense of relief. Relief is a sensation, and sensations are one of the cornerstones of habits and habit formation.
Perhaps cutting CREE right here at this juncture would provide the same sensation of relief, but in this situation that would be a detriment to my long term goals. Goals I’ve mapped and planned for prior to embracing this position.
Commenter AKwitdemBeamz commended my riding through a bludgeoning in CREE these last two days and likened me to Slim Pickens riding the nuke. For those unfamiliar, he is referencing the most iconic scene from one of the most entertaining movies of all time, Dr. Strangelove. As flattering as it is to be associated with such a feat of courageous greatness, my first thought was AKwitdemBeamz thinks I’m trading this position like a cowboy.
Shooting from the hip, if you will…
Everyone loves the big shootout scene in a western. It’s usually the climax of a story and our hero cowboy, seemly outnumbered and certainly outgunned singlehandedly (or perhaps with the help of his faithful steed) dismantles the villains, restores order, and rides off into the sunset. All this, mind you, happened against all odds. That’s why we love it. It’s seeing the low probability happen: the diving catch in the outfield, Jeb Corliss Grind The Crack, or the 65 yard field goal in overtime. As breathtaking and impressive as it can be to watch these cowboys, you’re watching someone defy the laws of large numbers and probabilities.
I’m not a cowboy. What I’m doing, right here right now with CREE is planned—god damned brooded upon while mopping floors. Because when I have a plan, I don’t feel the chaos, and when I don’t feel chaos I trade my best.
I’m going to share my plan with you because I want this to go down as a nonevent, merely another blip in the trading timeline. BEHOLD: The plan. If it seems too simple then perhaps you’re too dense. This is a weekly chart, this is an investment, but it’s always amorphous. If conditions arise that suggest a retooling of the plan, such decisions will be made. Typically the plan is reassessed when one of the following levels is traded:
“I ain’t no cowboy, gus”
Awesome post
Thanks OA