A look at EWI president Robert Prechter's requirements for successful trading
By Elliott Wave International
How often have you heard analysts refer to a down day on Wall Street as "traders taking profits"? Sounds great, but the sobering fact is that most traders -- in futures, commodities, or forex -- lose money.Any book on trading will list for you the many reasons why most traders lose. Yet some traders do win; some even set records. In 1984, Elliott Wave International's founder and president Robert Prechter won the U.S. Trading Championship, setting a new all-time profit record of 444.4% in a monitored real-money options account. Later in his monthly Elliott Wave Theorist, Prechter published a Special Report "What A Trader Really Needs To Be Successful" with 5 important insights for would-be market speculators (including the explanation of why "market manipulation" is not why most traders lose.)
Here's a quick excerpt -- and to read Prechter's Special Report in full, free, look below.
"What A Trader Really Needs To Be Successful" (excerpt)
By Robert Prechter
Ever since winning the United States Trading Championship in 1984 (see footnotes, p.4), subscribers have asked for a list of "tips" on trading, or even a play-by-play of the approximately 200 short term trades I made while following hourly market data over a four month period. Neither of these would do anyone any good. What successful trading requires is both more and less than most people think.
In watching the reports of each new Championship over the past three years, it has been a joy to see what a large percentage of the top winners have been Elliott Wave Theorist subscribers and telephone consultation customers. (In fact, in the latest "standings" report from the USTC, of the top three producers in each of four categories, half are EWT subscribers!) However, while good traders may want the input from EWT, not all EWT subscribers are good traders. Obviously the winners know something the losers don't. What is it? What are the guidelines you really need to meet in order to trade the markets successfully?
When I first began trading, I did what many others who start out in the markets do: I developed a list of trading rules. The list was created piecemeal, with each new rule added, usually, following the conclusion of an unsuccessful trade. I continually asked myself, what would I do differently next time to make sure that this mistake would not recur? The resulting list of "do's" and "don'ts" ultimately comprised about 16 statements. Approximately six months following the completion of my carved-in-stone list of trading rules, I balled up the paper and threw it in the trash.
What was the problem with my list, a list typical of so many novices who think they are learning something? After several months of attempting to apply the "rules," it became clear that I made not merely a mistake here and there in the list, but a fundamental error in compiling the list in the first place. The error was in taking aim at the last trade each time, as if the next trading situation would present a similar problem. By the time 16 rules are created, all situations are covered and the trader is back to square one.
Let me give you an example of the ironies that result from the typical method of generating a list of trading rules. One of the most popular trading maxims is, "You can't go broke taking a profit." (The brokers invented that one, of course, which is one reason that new traders always hear of it!) This trading maxim appears to make wonderful sense, but only when viewed in the context of a recent trade with a specific outcome. When you have entered a trade at a good price, watched it go your way for a while, then watched it go against you and turn into a loss, the maxim sounds like a pronouncement of divine wisdom. What you are really saying, however, is that in the context of the last trade "I should have sold when I had a small profit."
Now let's see what happens on the next trade. You enter a trade, and after just a few days of watching it go your way, you sell out, only to stare in amazement as it continues to go in the direction you had expected, racking up paper gains of several hundred percent. You ask a more experienced trader what your error was, and he advises you sagely while peering over his glasses, "Remember this forever: Cut losses short; let profits run." So you reach for your list of trading rules and write this maxim, which means only, of course "I should NOT have sold when I had a small profit."
So trading rules #2 and #14 are in direct conflict. Is this an isolated incident? What about rule #3, which reads, "Stay cool; never let emotions rule your trading," and #8, which reads, "If a trade is obviously going against you, get out of the way before it turns into a disaster." Stripped of their fancy attire, #3 says, "Don't panic during trading" and #8 says, "Go ahead and panic!" Such formulations are, in the final analysis, utterly useless.
What I finally desired to create was a description not of each of the trees, but of the forest. After several years of trading, I came up with -- guess what -- another list! But this is not a list of "trading rules"; it's a list of requirements for successful trading. Most worthwhile truths are simple, and this list contains only five items. ...
Read the rest of Prechter's report now, free! Here's what you'll learn:
- Why a trading method is a "must" for your success
- What part discipline plays in your trading success
- Why "market manipulation" is not why most traders lose
- How to gain trading experience
- More
芒格的投资原则清单
ReplyDelete“聪明的飞行员不会忘了使用他的检查清单，无论他拥有何等突出的天赋或者丰富的经历。”
芒格的清单中所列没有轻重缓急之分，在分析这些清单时，必须把每个因素看作是整个复杂投资分析过程中的一部分，就像是镶嵌在图案中的每个点一样。
1. 风险——所有的投资评估必须先从评估风险开始，尤其是声誉风险。
1) 结合了合适的安全边际。
2) 避免与个性有问题的人打教导。
3) 坚持给假定的风险提供适当的补偿。
4) 时刻牢记通胀和利率风险。
5) 避免犯大错误，避免资本金持续亏损。
2. 独立——“只有在童话故事中，国王才会被告知自己其实是赤身裸体的”。
1) 要做到客观和理智，就需要进行独立思考。
2) 记住这一点，即你正确与否与别人是否认同你无关——唯一能决定你正确与否的是你的分析和判断是否正确。
3) 模仿多数人的做法会招致向均数回归（仅仅获得平均业绩）。
3. 准备——“获胜的唯一途径就是工作工作再工作，并希望能获得一些洞察力”。
1) 通过大量阅读，让自己成为一生的自学者；培育求知欲望，努力让自己一天比一天聪明。
2) 比获胜愿望更为重要的是愿意进行准备工作。
3) 熟练运用源自主要学科的思维模型。
4) 如果你想变得聪明，需要一直问自己“为什么？为什么？为什么”。
4. 明智的谦逊——承认自己的无知能让人更有智慧。
1) 呆在自己对强势范围之内。
2) 识别不确定的证据。
3) 抵挡对得出错误的准确性、确定性等的渴望。
4) 最重要的是永远不要欺骗自己，记住自己是最容易被欺骗的。
5.严格分析——使用科学的方法和有效的清单能将错误和遗漏降至最低。
1) 确定价值、过程和财富。
2) 最好是记住显而易见的东西，而不是那些深奥难懂的东西。
3) 要成为商业分析师，而不是市场分析师、宏观经济分析师或证券分析师。
4) 考虑所有的风险及其影响；总是关注潜在的二阶效应和更高程度的冲击。
5) 进行前后思维——总是反过来看事务。
6. 配置——合理配置资本是投资者的首要任务。
1) 记住是否有更好的使用方法（机会成本）是衡量是否已经最大程度和最好地使用了资本的标准。
2) 金点子非常少——如果赔率对你非常有利，就下重注。
3) 不要沉溺于投资——根据具体情况和机会进行投资。
7. 耐心——可知人类对行动的偏好。
1) “复利是全世界第八大奇迹。“（爱因斯坦说）如果没有必要，永远也不要中断复利。
2) 避免不必要的交易税和摩擦成本；永远不要根据自己对的兴趣采取行动。
3) 应该对好运的到来保持警惕。
4) 享受投资的过程，因为你就生活在这个过程中。
8. 果断——当适当情形出现时，果断且深信不疑地采取行动。
1) 当别人贪婪时要害怕，当别人害怕时要贪婪。
2) 机会不常有，机会出现时就要抓住他。
3) 机会留给有准备的人：这就是游戏规则。
9. 改变——与改变共存并接受不可消除的复杂性
1) 认识并适应你周围世界的真实本质，不要寄希望于世界会适应你。
2) 不断挑战并愿意改进你“最喜欢的想法”。
3) 认清现实，即使你不喜欢现实——尤其是当你不喜欢它的时候。
10. 专注——让事情保持简单，记住你要做些什么
1) 记住名誉和正直是你最有价值的资产——而且会消失于眨眼之间。
2) 避免狂妄自大和厌倦效应。
3) 不能因专注于细枝末节而忽视了显而易见的东西。
4) 小心排除不需要的信息：“小小的渗漏也能让一艘大船沉没。”
5) 直面你的大麻烦，不要将它们藏起来。
芒格的投资原则清单
ReplyDelete“聪明的飞行员不会忘了使用他的检查清单，无论他拥有何等突出的天赋或者丰富的经历。”
芒格的清单中所列没有轻重缓急之分，在分析这些清单时，必须把每个因素看作是整个复杂投资分析过程中的一部分，就像是镶嵌在图案中的每个点一样。
1. 风险——所有的投资评估必须先从评估风险开始，尤其是声誉风险。
ReplyDelete1) 结合了合适的安全边际。
2) 避免与个性有问题的人打教导。
3) 坚持给假定的风险提供适当的补偿。
4) 时刻牢记通胀和利率风险。
5) 避免犯大错误，避免资本金持续亏损。
2. 独立——“只有在童话故事中，国王才会被告知自己其实是赤身裸体的”。
1) 要做到客观和理智，就需要进行独立思考。
2) 记住这一点，即你正确与否与别人是否认同你无关——唯一能决定你正确与否的是你的分析和判断是否正确。
3) 模仿多数人的做法会招致向均数回归（仅仅获得平均业绩）。
3. 准备——“获胜的唯一途径就是工作工作再工作，并希望能获得一些洞察力”。
ReplyDelete1) 通过大量阅读，让自己成为一生的自学者；培育求知欲望，努力让自己一天比一天聪明。
2) 比获胜愿望更为重要的是愿意进行准备工作。
3) 熟练运用源自主要学科的思维模型。
4) 如果你想变得聪明，需要一直问自己“为什么？为什么？为什么”。
4. 明智的谦逊——承认自己的无知能让人更有智慧。
1) 呆在自己对强势范围之内。
2) 识别不确定的证据。
3) 抵挡对得出错误的准确性、确定性等的渴望。
4) 最重要的是永远不要欺骗自己，记住自己是最容易被欺骗的。
5.严格分析——使用科学的方法和有效的清单能将错误和遗漏降至最低。
ReplyDelete1) 确定价值、过程和财富。
2) 最好是记住显而易见的东西，而不是那些深奥难懂的东西。
3) 要成为商业分析师，而不是市场分析师、宏观经济分析师或证券分析师。
4) 考虑所有的风险及其影响；总是关注潜在的二阶效应和更高程度的冲击。
5) 进行前后思维——总是反过来看事务。
6. 配置——合理配置资本是投资者的首要任务。
1) 记住是否有更好的使用方法（机会成本）是衡量是否已经最大程度和最好地使用了资本的标准。
2) 金点子非常少——如果赔率对你非常有利，就下重注。
3) 不要沉溺于投资——根据具体情况和机会进行投资。
7. 耐心——可知人类对行动的偏好。
ReplyDelete1) “复利是全世界第八大奇迹。“（爱因斯坦说）如果没有必要，永远也不要中断复利。
2) 避免不必要的交易税和摩擦成本；永远不要根据自己对的兴趣采取行动。
3) 应该对好运的到来保持警惕。
4) 享受投资的过程，因为你就生活在这个过程中。
8. 果断——当适当情形出现时，果断且深信不疑地采取行动。
1) 当别人贪婪时要害怕，当别人害怕时要贪婪。
2) 机会不常有，机会出现时就要抓住他。
3) 机会留给有准备的人：这就是游戏规则。
7. 耐心——可知人类对行动的偏好。
ReplyDelete1) “复利是全世界第八大奇迹。“（爱因斯坦说）如果没有必要，永远也不要中断复利。
2) 避免不必要的交易税和摩擦成本；永远不要根据自己对的兴趣采取行动。
3) 应该对好运的到来保持警惕。
4) 享受投资的过程，因为你就生活在这个过程中。
8. 果断——当适当情形出现时，果断且深信不疑地采取行动。
1) 当别人贪婪时要害怕，当别人害怕时要贪婪。
2) 机会不常有，机会出现时就要抓住他。
3) 机会留给有准备的人：这就是游戏规则。
巴菲特是世上研究投资项目最高明的少数人之一，但并非其中的冠军，比他更高明的还大有人在。但是，论到实际的投资成绩，他却是世上之最。这皆因他是最有耐性的投资者，能够忍受长期持有大量现金，等上好几年，以等待一个机会。这，就是世上所有同级投资者所不能做到的，因此，他们就算比巴菲特更聪明、更能干、金融知识更强，其投资成绩也比不上巴菲特。
ReplyDelete