Human Nature

I just don't understand why it is human nature of a trader to want to take profits when they see them? Fear, greed, inexperience, do they not trust themselves?

I just got that feeling, but I am sticking to my discipline and holding to my strategy. After so many years of trading it is weird how these feelings can creep up on you. I'm glad I can sit back and realize and understand my feelings and not let emotion overtake my trading plans ands strategy.

It took me a long time to separate my fears and impulsive thoughts from my trading. Today reinforced my disciplines. I was asked to give an opinion regarding a position of a colleague. I first told him what I thought, then I told him that my mind was biased due to a position a client is in and that I was "hoping" it would work out for the client. I did not enter the trade for the client but I was trying to wish him good luck (which the market could care less about). I then said to my buddy who was asking my opinion "what I see and what I want are two different things, my emotions are counter to what the market is displaying. Go with the market and not my mind."

Learning to detach your mind from your actions is tough and only gets taught in trading. You can't take any classes in that! I bet a shrink would classify a person who was able to separate these factors would determine the person is partially demented or insane.

There is a old trading axiom "cut your losers and let your profits run" well I say, at what point do you run through the finish line? I've defined my finish line, do you know yours?