TRADING IS A BUSINESS
by Joe Ross
| TABLE OF CONTENTS | 1 | |
| ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS | 6 | |
| ABOUT THIS REVISION | 6 | |
| PREFACE | 7 | |
| 1 | BACKGROUND | 9 |
| 2 | LET'S GET ON WITH IT | 12 |
| 3 | MOST TRADERS KNOW HOW TO TRADE | 14 |
| 3.1 | TRADERS ARE EXCELLENT STUDENTS | 14 |
| 4 | MENTAL GRIDLOCK | 16 |
| 4.1 | THE RIGHT ANSWER | 16 |
| 5 | PATTERNS, RULES, AND PROCEDURES | 18 |
| 5.1 | PESO PETE | 18 |
| 6 | EXPECTING MARKETS TO BE LOGICAL | 22 |
| 6.1 | ENGINEERED MARKETS | 22 |
| 7 | BELIEVING YOU ARE NOT INTUITIVE. | 24 |
| 8 | THINKING YOU HAVE TO TRADE | 26 |
| 9 | MAKING A SCIENCE OUT OF AN ART FORM | 28 |
| 10 | TRYING FOR PERFECTION | 30 |
| 10.1 | AFRAID TO BE WRONG | 31 |
| 11 | SELF EXAMINATION | 37 |
| 12 | TRADING IS A BUSINESS | 40 |
| 13 | MISTAKES | 46 |
| 13.1 | OVERTRADING | 46 |
| 13.2 | LACK OF PERSPECTIVE | 48 |
| 13.3 | FEAR | 52 |
| 13.4 | YOU STAY IN TOO LONG | 53 |
| 13.5 | YOU EXPECT TOO MUCH FROM A TRADE | 53 |
| 13.6 | GREATER FOOL | 54 |
| 13.7 | YOU'RE GREEDY | 55 |
| 13.8 | YOU THINK TRADING IS AN INVESTMENT | 56 |
| 13.9 | YOU'RE DESPERATE | 56 |
| 13.10 | YOU LISTEN TO OPINION | 56 |
| 13.11 | YOU'RE LOOKING FOR THE HOLY GRAIL | 57 |
| 13.12 | BOREDOM | 59 |
| 13.13 | YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT IT MEANS TO LET PROFITS RUN | 60 |
| 13.14 | YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND RISK | 61 |
| 13.15 | YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND ABOUT LOSING | 61 |
| 13.16 | YOU TRY TO REINVENT THE WHEEL | 62 |
| 13.17 | YOU SHOOT YOUR MOUTH OFF!! | 63 |
| 13.18 | YOU'RE LYING AND DISHONEST | 64 |
| 13.19 | FAST EDDIE SILVER | 64 |
| 13.20 | STUBBORN | 70 |
| 13.21 | YOU LACK HUMILITY | 70 |
| 13.22 | YOU CONTINUE TO THROW GOOD MONEY AFTER BAD | 71 |
| 14 | WISTFUL WILLIE WHEAT | 73 |
| 15 | LET'S PUT YOU BACK TOGETHER | 77 |
| 15.1 | RESOURCEFULNESS | 77 |
| 15.2 | DILIGENCE | 78 |
| 15.3 | FLEXIBILITY | 79 |
| 16 | KNOWLEDGE | 80 |
| 16.1 | KNOW YOURSELF | 80 |
| 16.2 | KNOW ABOUT TRADING | 84 |
| 17 | TRADING WISDOM | 88 |
| 18 | TRADING RULES | 91 |
| 18.1 | MANAGEMENT | 91 |
| 18.2 | PYRAMIDS | 91 |
| 18.3 | SEASONALITY | 92 |
| 18.4 | STOPS | 92 |
| 18.5 | TRADING PHILOSOPHY | 93 |
| 18.6 | TRADING RULES AND OBSERVATIONS | 94 |
| 18.7 | TRENDS | 96 |
| 19 | PATIENCE | 97 |
| 20 | PERSEVERANCE | 99 |
| 21 | HONESTY AND TRUTH | 100 |
| 22 | BUILDING CHARACTER | 102 |
| 22.1 | THE LIFE INDEX | 102 |
| 22.2 | USING THE LIFE INDEX | 104 |
| 22.2.1 | TRADING LIFE | 104 |
| 22.2.2 | PHYSICAL LIFE | 105 |
| 22.2.3 | RELATIONAL LIFE | 106 |
| 22.2.4 | EMOTIONAL LIFE | 107 |
| 22.3 | CHARTING YOUR LIFE INDEX | 107 |
| 23 | MAKING PROFITS | 112 |
| 23.1 | TAKING PROFITS QUICKLY | 112 |
| 23.2 | COMMISSIONS | 114 |
| 23.3 | MEDIOCRE WINDFALL PROFITS | 115 |
| 23.4 | FANTASTIC WINDFALL PROFITS | 115 |
| 23.5 | LOSSES | 116 |
| 24 | TAKING PROFITS SLOWLY | 120 |
| 24.1 | TOO DEEP POCKETS | 121 |
| 24.2 | SCALE TRADING | 122 |
| 25 | PATTERNS FOR SUCCESS | 124 |
| 25.1 | MAJOR ENTRY SIGNALS | 124 |
| 25.2 | THE BREAKOUT OF A TRADING RANGE | 125 |
| 25.3 | THE BREAKOUT OF A 1-2-3 HIGH OR LOW | 127 |
| 25.4 | THE BREAKOUT OF A LEDGE | 128 |
| 25.5 | THE BREAKOUT OF A HOOK | 132 |
| 25.6 | SUMMARY: MAJOR ENTRY SIGNALS | 133 |
| 25.7 | ADDITIONAL ENTRY SIGNALS | 134 |
| 26 | THE TRADING CYCLE | 141 |
| 27 | THE TRADER'S TRICK | 143 |
| 27.1 | THE TRICK | 143 |
| 28 | FLEXIBILITY | 145 |
| 29 | MANAGEMENT | 147 |
| 29.1 | PLANNING | 147 |
| 29.2 | ORGANIZING | 147 |
| 29.3 | DELEGATING | 148 |
| 29.4 | DIRECTING | 148 |
| 29.5 | CONTROLLING | 149 |
| 29.6 | TRADE MANAGEMENT | 149 |
| 29.7 | RISK MANAGEMENT | 150 |
| 29.8 | MONEY MANAGEMENT | 153 |
| 29.9 | BUSINESS MANAGEMENT | 154 |
| 30 | ORDERING | 155 |
| 30.1 | TYPES OF ORDERS | 155 |
| 30.2 | RECORDING | 155 |
| 30.3 | ORDER TICKET | 156 |
| 30.4 | BE CONCISE | 158 |
| 30.5 | USE RESTING ORDERS | 158 |
| 30.6 | CANCEL ORDERS NO LONGER IN EFFECT | 158 |
| 30.7 | USE ACCEPTABLE ORDERS | 159 |
| 30.8 | TYPES OF ORDERS | 159 |
| 30.8.1 | MARKET ORDERS | 160 |
| 30.8.2 | MIT ORDERS | 160 |
| 30.8.3 | STOP ORDERS | 161 |
| 30.8.4 | LIMITING ORDERS | 162 |
| 30.8.5 | TIME LIMIT ORDERS | 162 |
| 30.8.6 | LENGTH-OF-LIFE LIMIT ORDERS | 163 |
| 30.8.7 | PRICE LIMIT ORDERS | 164 |
| 30.8.8 | PRICE LIMIT MARKET ORDERS | 164 |
| 30.8.9 | PRICE LIMIT MIT ORDERS | 164 |
| 30.8.10 | PRICE LIMIT STOP ORDERS | 164 |
| 30.8.11 | OTHER ORDERS | 165 |
| 30.8.11.1 | OCO | 165 |
| 30.8.11.2 | CONTINGENCY ORDERS | 165 |
| 30.9 | OTHER CONSIDERATIONS | 165 |
| 30.9.1 | SPECIAL SITUATION ORDERS | 166 |
| 31 | TECHNICAL ANALYSIS | 168 |
| 31.1 | TECHNICAL INDICATORS | 168 |
| 32 | SOME VERY BASIC TRADING | 169 |
| 33 | STAY WITH THE TREND | 184 |
| 34 | TRADE SELEcTION | 199 |
| 34.1 | 3 X 3 MOVING AVERAGE | 201 |
| 34.2 | DAILY TRADER'S TRICK | 202 |
| 34.3 | B-POUND | 204 |
| 35 | FINDING AND STAYING WITH THE TREND | 216 |
| 35.1 | KEEPING LOSSES SMALL | 220 |
| 35.2 | STAYING WITH WINNERS | 221 |
| 35.3 | TRAPPING TECHNIQUE | 224 |
| 35.4 | AN ESTABLISHED TREND | 224 |
| 35.5 | MY ENTRY TECHNIQUE | 226 |
| 36 | GET REAL | 235 |
| 37 | ANTICIPATORY TRADING | 239 |
| 38 | TRADING PLAN | 243 |
| 38.1 | TRADING PLAN LIST | 243 |
| 38.1.1 | TRADE ENTRY | 243 |
| 38.1.2 | COST COVERING LIQUIDATION | 244 |
| 38.1.3 | CONTINUATION AND CLOSE-OUT | 244 |
| 38.2 | AUDITING THE PLAN | 245 |
| 38.2.1 | TRADE ENTRY | 245 |
| 38.2.2 | COST COVERING LIQUIDATION | 246 |
| 38.2.3 | CONTINUATION AND CLOSE-OUT | 246 |
| 39 | THE REAL PROBLEM IN THE MARKET | 248 |
| 40 | WRAP-UP | 254 |
| APPENDIX A | 256 | |
| A COMPOSITE | 256 | |
| THE MARKETS | 257 | |
| FUNDAMENTAL VERSUS TECHNICAL | 258 | |
| PREDICTING THE FUTURE | 259 | |
| SELF CONTROL | 260 | |
| LEARN THE BASICS | 262 | |
| CAPITAL AND COMMITMENT | 262 | |
| HOW MUCH CAN YOU AFFORD TO LOSE? | 262 | |
| COMMITMENT | 263 | |
| LOSSES AND MARGIN CALLS | 263 | |
| OPINION | 264 | |
| APPENDIX B | 265 | |
| GEMS OF WISDOM | 265 | |
| PURPOSE | 265 | |
| DON'T BE ENTICED | 265 | |
| BENEFITS OF WISDOM | 266 | |
| WISDOM IN FINANCIAL SITUATIONS | 266 | |
| CONCERNING LAZINESS | 266 | |
| WISDOM AND FOOLISHNESS CONTRASTED | 267 | |
| WEALTH AND POVERTY CONTRASTED | 268 | |
| PRIDE AND HUMILITY CONTRASTED | 268 | |
| THOUGHT PROVOKERS | 268 |