Surfing for ProfitsQ: Have you had a situation where you’ve been wrong for two,
three, four, five days in a row? Have you had a bad run in your
career and how do you handle that?
A: You know, I have. Basically what I try to do is focus on the big
picture. For example, I had a bad week last week. I made money
the first day and part of the second day. Then I came in again later
in the week. Over those three sessions I didn’t make money, just
spun my wheels. That was really frustrating for me. So, in those
cases, I’ll focus on the times that I was right 2 months in row or
5 months in row or 12 months in a row. I just go back in my mind
and then I just try to rest. We are an organism. If I was a computer
program that would be great. But I am not. I have step away from
the market. The market is going to be there for the next 50 years.
It’s going to be there tomorrow.
Q: Do you sometimes just go away for two or three days to clear
your mind, go to the beach?
A: Yes. Yes. Actually I surf, and after trading, after I printed my
screens, looked at the trades, logged all my stuff, I try to go the
beach and go surfing because that clears your mind. It gives you
opportunity for your mind not to think about technical analysis, it
allows you to rest. So when you come to the market again you’re
fresh. You need to do that as a living, breathing human organism.
You need to take care of your mind and your body. Trading is very
demanding. It will take a physical toll on you. What I like to do is
trade for a couple weeks, make a good amount of money, and then
just go on a trip. My girlfriend and I will go to Hawaii for a week.
We go there, just hop on plane and go. We have friends we stay
with, or we’ll go to Mexico for four or five days. Maybe I’ll trade
for three weeks in row and then I’ll take a trip for a week. Again,
I’m a trader. I chose to be a trader in order to have this type of
freedom and live this lifestyle. So I definitely take advantage of it
in a very big way. I’m not scared to be away from the market for a
week or two weeks. It doesn’t matter.