This tip is going to be on the psychological topic of discipline. Unlike many of the past tips, it will not be long. It will not have a clean-cut list of things you need to do. There will not be a simple plan that is ready to execute. There are no nicely labeled charts to tell you what to do. Discipline is a more illusive topic. Yet, if there were one tip that you should frame and put above your computer, it would be this one.

When it comes to trading, here is a definition for you. A definition that may be the whole essence of this article. For trading purposes, discipline can be simply defined as your ability to follow your trading plan.

Just like many past tips, here comes that reference to a trading plan. It is a simple concept. You need to define what you want to trade. You need to define when you want to trade it. You need to decide how to trade and manage it. You need to decide how to handle your account when you are making money (do you keep a ‘trail stop’ on profits?). You need to handle your account when bad days come along (do you have a ‘stop loss’ every day?).

Once you have this, a couple of rules are helpful. DO NOT change you plan during the trading day. Commit to only making changes when the market is closed. Otherwise, there is no plan at all. Read your plan every morning before you trade for at least one month. Then read every weekend. Get one of those little free applications that open programs for you at certain times of the day. Have it open your trading plan at 9:25 A.M., just before you trade.

The best way to enforce discipline is just by awareness. Keep records of your trades. Include on every trade an answer to the simple question, “Was this trade part of my trading plan?” Yes or no. There is no in-between. Be aware that the undisciplined traders are almost guaranteed failure. Ask every day if you are keeping the discipline or are you just taking trades at random, that look good at the moment? You can’t fix something if you do not know it is broken. You must first be aware that you have a discipline problem.

If you do have the problem, there is an absolute answer for you. It comes from a famous shoe manufacturer. The answer is this, “JUST DO IT”. There is no alternative.

Now that you have read this, here is a question. Does this tip get added to the long list of things you have read but not acted on? Or does this make you sit up and make changes that may change how you trade for the better? If your problems are easily seen after reading this, make the change. Make a ‘business’ (trading) plan, and monitor the plan and your progress.

In summary, psychological issues make up 85% of the trading equation. Discipline is the essence of all of the psychological issues. It permeates through out the whole process. All the rules and procedures and plans do not matter if they are not followed. There is little doubt that for those who seek an education in trading, that failure rarely comes from writing the wrong plan. It comes from not writing one at all, or not following the one that is written.

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