Forex traders come in many different shapes and sizes. There are male traders, female traders, fat traders, skinny traders, beautiful traders, ugly traders, slow traders, fast traders, professional traders, amateur traders, fur traders … and the list goes on.
Each trader has their own personality, their own personal schedule, their own appetite for risk, their own pain threshold and their own bankroll.
Some traders might have several things in common, but most will be different. The point is each of you are unique. And depending on your personality, personal preferences, and situation, how you trade will be a driving factor in determining your success.
In order to figure out how you should trade, you must first uncover your own “trading personality.” Your trading personality will determine the trading style and method that’s compatible for you.
Trading is not like a t-shirt. There is no one-size-fits-all. There is no single plan for all traders.
I challenge you to perform a self-assessment on your personality, behaviors, beliefs, and mindset. Do you consider yourself disciplined? Are you risk averse or a big risk taker? Are you indecisive or spontaneous? Are you patient or a firecracker? Would you prefer to go bungee jumping or visit a museum? Do you like your martini shaken or stirred?
An excellent way to help you with your self-assessment is to keep a trading journal. It will help you to analyze your thought processes after the trade, and identify your strengths and weaknesses in your trading. Understanding your personality is one thing, but understanding it while you trade is a totally different story. A trading journal allows you to review your wining and losing trades and pinpoint specific reasons on why you won or lose.
Now, before we dive in to the different components of trading styles, let’s look at the profiles of a few traders, their trading personalities, and how it’s affected their lives outside of trading.
