The forex market presents one of the best investment opportunities for the small investor, which can be a great supplement to your small business income. It has an incredible upside in that one can get multiple times their initial investment, while at the same time require so little in terms of the amount required to start trading. When you consider this, in addition to the fact that all you need is internet access and a laptop to get started, it is easy to see why forex trading is increasingly becoming more popular among small investors.
However, this does not mean that all you need to be successful is to sign up for an online trading account. Success requires discipline and an ability to be always informed of the market trends and any events that may affect your positions. You also need to be able to avoid the mistakes that new investors tend to make.
One of the most common trading mistakes that beginner investors make is making emotional trades. This usually presents itself in the form of either doubling down on losing positions hoping that changes in the market will cause them to recover their losses, or going all-in in case they come across a winning trade. Trades that are made out of panic or anger also fall in this category. Whichever the case, these trades almost always end in disaster simply because they are not guided by a sound trading strategy. The following are tips that will come in handy in helping you to avoid falling into the trap of making emotional trades.
Start With a Practice Account
When you are starting your trading journey, early losses may seem more consequential than they actually are. Any unexpected shifts in the market can make you panic, and making trades in this condition will definitely lead you to make a lot of poor trades.
To avoid panic trading, sign up for a practice account and use it to familiarize yourself with the market. Since you won’t be using your hard-earned cash to make the trades, you will be more observant of the different shifts in the market. You will also be more reasonable as far as our losses are concerned. This knowledge will come in handy in helping you to remain level headed when things don’t go as expected.
Use Stop-Loss Orders for Peace of Mind
It is normal to be wary of the possibility of losses that can wipe out your entire portfolio. However, allowing this fear to hang over every trade you make is not healthy. It will compromise your trading strategy, minimize your appetite for reasonable, and therefore rob you of profitable trades.
To avoid the stress that comes from this fear, simply set up stop-loss orders. With these orders in place, you will automatically get out of trading positions as soon as your losses reach a certain level. Therefore, you can always execute your trading plan knowing that you ave a safety net in case things don’t go as planned.
Keep a Trading Journal
A trading journal is effective when it comes to allowing you to objectively evaluate your trades. It will allow you to keep track of your performance in the forex market, take note of any emotion-driven trades, and evaluate your entire trading journey. It will also give you the opportunity to process your emotions and come to terms with your risk appetite. As a result, you will be able to notice potential mistakes, something that will make it easier for you to prevent them in the future.
With a trading journal, you will be able to process all the emotions that accompany the trading process. Keeping the journal will give you the opportunity to acknowledge your shortcomings. It will also help you to figure out ways to overcome them in the future. As a result, your head will be clear when trading since you will have an elevated degree of self-awareness. Therefore, you will have a better handle of your emotions when carrying out trades in the forex market.
