The Market Holy Grail: Fact or Fiction?

 

Finding The Grail

"Do we need a system at all?"

If the secret to the market Holy Grail lies within each trader then what is the point of a system at all? Simply put a system represents a reason to enter the market. If you don’t have a system then you have no reason to enter the market.

 

 

The Basis of a System:
Every system should be comprised of the following:

Trading science: Whether you use technical indicators or fundamental analysis this is your science. It doesn’t have to be complicated; in fact simple is often much more effective. This will generate your buy or sell signal.

Money Management: Arguably more important than your signal is how to manage the resultant trade. You have to set strictly governed rules that determine how much of your trading capital you will risk per trade. Part of money management is your risk: reward ratio. If you have a risk: reward ratio of 1:4 then a profit factor of 0.5 (50%) you will be banking a very handsome profit indeed!

Discipline: If you don’t have the discipline to stick to your trading science or your money management then your system may as well never have existed. Being disciplined will help eradicate late entries and early exits. In short it is the most important factor in every system.

It is very hard to apply discipline to something you have no confidence in. Therefore we recommend starting from scratch with a new strategy, something simple. This does not mean you should fork out hundreds of Dollars on a new system. Our Scalping For Forex ebook outlines a proven, simple approach that is an ideal tool to help you on your path to the Market Grail.

There is No Substitute For Experience
No matter which strategy you use to help build your discipline and money management there is no substitute for experience of the market you are involved with. This experience includes knowledge of price action, chart patterns and momentum cycles to name but a few. For example, if you are trading using a momentum breakout strategy there is no point in trading during a slow, choppy market. This is something that you can only learn from experience of price action and you shouldn’t hope to grasp it over night. Once again, trading isn’t easy and it certainly is not a get rich quick scheme.

Further Reading
This article serves as an introduction to the development of a trader’s true mindset and to dispel the myth that the Market Grail lies within the indicators you use. There is a lot more reading you can do on the critically important topic. Below are some books that will take you onto the next step of your development. They are a lot cheaper than an over priced system and in our view, a great deal more valuable.