On a personal level, I have been on quite a journey, and it’s been a journey that’s been built upon failure and then ultimately success…. will I become a failure again? Quite possibly, even with my disciplined approach – because I know the market can pull the rug from under me, but within this post, I’m going to share 50 key things I’ve learned along the way, that will stand me in good stead moving forward, and I hope they help you out too.

  1. Price is the Number 1 Technical Indicator

  2. EVERY single Technical Indicator out there should be used as a SUPPLEMENT to price

  3. Day Trading doesn’t work – it’s too inconsistent, and ultimately ends in failure

  4. Long Term Investing is smart, but too often it takes too long to be rewarded

  5. The best traders combine Technical’s with a small amount of Fundamental’s

  6. Trading can be simple… it’s not easy, but it can definitely be made simple

  7. Sector Rotation is very real

  8. Stocks don’t go up forever

  9. Trade Management is CRUCIAL to long term success

  10. Allocation of risk is probably the single most important aspect of Trading, and it’s more important than stock selection

  11. Having watch lists set up, will help you massively

  12. Date stocks…. NEVER marry

  13. Independent Thinking is an absolute must… never follow trade ideas blindly

  14. ALWAYS carry out full due diligence on every single stock you plan to trade

  15. Consider what the overall market is doing before taking a position

  16. Trading in the direction of the Trend will always work out better than predicting a reversal

  17. Setting up price alerts and having a bank of pre-built Technical Analysis will save you time in the long run

  18. NEVER gamble pre-earnings – you’d be as well going to Vegas

  19. Figure out your style, don’t try to mix and match different styles and force trades

  20. You are at the mercy of Wall Street – ALWAYS

  21. When 1 market declines, another starts moving – focus on the overall market, not just 1 area

  22. Good traders learn more from their losses than their winners

  23. You’ll never pick the top and bottom of price, learn to just eat the meat within the sandwich

  24. Understanding KEY support and resistance is crucial to the success long term

  25. Know when to take profits off the table

  26. Different Markets mean different styles, having the ability to adapt and switch styles is a massive advantage

  27. Watching CNBC / Bloomberg etc is a waste of time and clouds decision making

  28. Price will tell you what is going on in the news… follow price

  29. Many of the talking heads on the news have an agenda.. be wary of their agenda… are they telling you to buy Stock X for a reason?

  30. Let your winners run… this is easier than you think

  31. Identify strength, then identify the individual components demonstrating that strength

  32. Treat your trading like a business, and give your preparation the respect it deserves

  33. Education is by far the best investment you will make

  34. Learning from YouTube and Stocktwits is a recipe for failure

  35. Less is more

  36. Respect your stop loss – NEVER deviate from it – it only ends in pain

  37. You’ll NEVER stop learning

  38. Wall Street computers are MUCH smarter than you are

  39. Be open to EVERY possibility… because you’ll be wrong, just as much as you’re right

  40. Simple Moving Averages are in my opinion the number 2 Technical Indicator

  41. Know when to go long and when to go short… it pays well

  42. You do not need to stare at a screen all day in order to make money in the markets… 30mins a day works just fine

  43. Contrarian thinking in terms of stock selection, appears to be pointless… I’ve not met a successful contrarian yet

  44. If you’re a Fundamental only trader.. be prepared to bag hold for a LONG time before you get paid

  45. Have zero emotion to any trade (this is acquired through time and practice)

  46. Taking an extended break is perfectly fine if you find yourself practicing bad habits

  47. Over Trading NEVER works out well

  48. Discounts are good… but knowing when to act on discounts is better

  49. Identifying good risk:reward opportunities is what it’s all about

  50. Finding a style of trading that fits around your lifestyle is best – it’s why Trend following works best for most

As you can see, there are many aspects to trading, that many simply don’t consider, and the reality is, I probably could have come up with another 200 points in addition to those 50 names above.

If you’re interested in education and you struggle with your trading results… you can check out our style below with our up to date Market Analysis.