Trading as a career is very rewarding, lucrative and sought after by many. However, it is quite challenging to enhance a career in trading wherein success depends on various uncertainties. Changing global environment affects the economy hence, trading. With rational means, detailed analysis and secure planning one can win the battle.
Here is a 5 step guide to a successful trading career:
1. Mental Preparation
Any job ranked on a daily performance meter leads to humongous stress and tension. Trading falls under this category where a person is subjected to a continuous dose of pressure due to uncertainty in the market. Hence, need for emotional stability and mental strength is one of the most vital elements. Trading career deals in a lot of earning as well as losing, wherein mental stability is the only savior.
A trader should take motivation from a pilot, who while flying a plane is prone to unpredictable uncertainty at 13000 ft. above ground and needs to be at his best and be composed every time he flies. He has the responsibility of many lives and even a minuscule error due to lack of mental robustness can lead to a disastrous effect.
A trader should always mentally rehearse both positive and negative scenarios, which will make him prepared for real situations.
2. Do Your Homework
One should have a keen eye for the market happenings; political and legal changes affecting the trading companies. Try to gain detailed information about the companies. Traders should keep on learning regularly through stock market indexes and technical analysis performed by various online trading sites. Since trading requires making quick decisions; thorough homework is always an aid. Bottom-line: Stay updated, be well read about the market.
3. Develop a Trading Strategy
Irrespective of the types of financial instruments one is trading, odds of being successful are dependent on the use of strategies. Trading strategies can be the standard tactics used by other famous traders, or they may differ from person to person. It is mostly observed that a successful trader develops his strategy. Trading strategy provides a systematic approach and measure of performance. Trading platforms help in creating a strategy and providing information on pricing and so forth. It supports traders in quantifying their decision, helping them reduce errors in decision making.
4. Make use of technology
With the advent of technology in the trading industry, a lot of information is available to retail traders. Technological advancement like livestock trading, all-electronics market, trade automation, innovative market research tools have leveled the field for retail traders. Hence, for a trader to become successful, he should be able to use this technology and software comprehensively. One aiming for better future in trading should learn as many necessary software and techniques as possible.
5. Learning from experience
There is no better wisdom than learning from one’s own experiences. It does not mean that you have to expose yourself to trial and error methodology; preferably have a planned encounter, better understanding of things, gaining an edge. Experience is better used in decision making when intuition fails to carve its way to success. It also helps in better prediction of the outcome. The stock market is volatile which makes it imperative for a trader to have hands-on experience to be successful.
