Читать книгу Goals to Gold - Lee Sandford - Страница 10

Trading is not gambling, but trading the markets is a gamble. There are no guarantees, which is why I always urge people not to risk money they cannot afford to lose. If you don’t currently have money you can afford to lose, wait until you do.

This is because if you are dependent on trading, it is unlikely to work. You will not be able to make objective decisions in keeping with the rules and structure you have set out. You will put too much pressure on yourself and over trade – that is put trades on when there are no signals telling you to do so.

I passionately believe that anyone can learn to trade the markets. (If a guy who doesn’t even have a GCSE in maths can do it, anyone can!) You certainly don’t need to be a big wig in the city with an Oxford degree in economics to become a successful trader. However, there are some basic traits you need in order to make money as a trader:

1 The discipline to follow a set of rules.

2 The patience to wait for results.

3 Some disposable cash to invest initially.

Be honest with yourself. If you don’t think you currently possess all three, please don’t try trading the markets until you do. If you do have these three things, in my opinion, you have as good a chance as anybody at making a good return. To be even more blunt, while I believe anyone can make money trading the markets, I believe most people – hampered by frustration or fear – will fail.

Trading the markets – and specifically what we will be talking about in this book, spread betting – is not a way to get rich quick. Nor is it an immediate substitute for a salaried job. But, followed correctly, I believe the strategies I have developed for trading the markets can make you an extra monthly income. If you stick with it and learn as you go, and are gradually able to safely risk more sizeable amounts, then that monthly income could become quite substantial.

I’ve watched so many people fail because they won’t learn, because they don’t take advice, because they walk straight into the pitfalls that have been clearly pointed out to them. They end up losing money they didn’t need to lose because they let fear or frustration override their rational thinking.

If you have the patience to learn from someone experienced, if you have the discipline to stick to a plan – to the rules that you, yourself, have set out – then you can make a nice monthly income from the cash you invest.

In summary:

The bad news is that there are no guarantees. Even if you follow all the rules there is always an element of risk when you trade the markets.

The good news is that you do not need any qualifications or special talents to do it. Everyone has the same, fair chance of being successful at trading.

It’s not like there’s only one top prize. This isn’t X Factor or a lottery, with one big prize for the lucky winner; the opportunities and possibilities are more or less unlimited in trading. Trading is more like one long, endless buffet; there is always more space at the table and there is plenty to go around. You can be making the exact same amount as the next person.

Nor is trading a direct competition, such as 100 equally qualified people applying for one job opening. Trading is a job you create yourself. You can start at any time and no one can stop you. There is a wide-open door and there are limitless opportunities.

You don’t need innate talent and you don’t need to impress any judges! The same information is available to everyone and we all have the same 24 hours in each day. You just have to learn how to use the available information and your available time to your best advantage. That’s where I want to help. I want to save you some of that time by sharing my experiences with you and helping you avoid some of the worst pitfalls.

It’s all about money management. These days, you don’t need to know any complicated formulas to manage your money well – modern trading software makes it easier than ever. You still have to make the move, you still have to put the trade on – physically – but you can get software that will tell you exactly what to do and when to do it. You just need the discipline to stick to the plan!