The whole turtle trader experiment was done to answer that question, nature vs nurture. The prevailing answer seems to be it can be taught as most of the traders succeeded in the experiment. However when you read about the traders from that test, the majority failed after they left the tutelage of Richard Dennis and William Eckhardt and tried trading on their own.
I think it can be taught but not everyone has the mind set, or the nature, to succeed in this business. It is a strange business.
How about guitar players? Could this be taught?
I wish I could do that.
I think I could take lessons and practice for years and never be able to play the guitar like those two guys. My uncle can play the guitar and banjo and has never had a lesson in his life. He just listens to the music and then plays it. How can that be? Think about that, it's crazy.
So we know that trading and music can be taught and if you practice enough you may become good. But can you truly become great, or is greatness determined by our genetics?
Trader Bloggeritis: a common malady recognized by the patient’s incoherent ramblings about ox entrails and other technical indicators.
When I stopped blogging in March I said I wasn't sure what I wanted to do with this thing and wouldn't start writing again until I was sure.
Well I started again in June without any clear direction of what I wanted to do with the blog. I know what I don't want, I don't want to tell anyone how to trade.
I find that when I post charts of my trades I get people wanting to copy my methods, and as I have said many times that will not work for anyone. If you show charts of winning trades people think you are a genius, if you show charts of losing trades people think you are a moron.
Neither is true. I'm sure I fall somewhere in between those two walks of life. I'm happy with where my trading is at and I don't want to debate it, defend it, or glorify it. I'll just keep it to myself, thanks.
I love trading and find everything about this business fascinating. It appeals to my never ending curiosity about how business, economies, and capital markets work. There are so many moving parts that the quest to figure it all out is never ending.
The change is I am not going to post as often or as many charts as I did before. If I come across something that sheds some light on the subject, or if I have the occasional original thought I will post it. I will also post charts if there is a reason to post a chart, not just because another day is over.
I do enjoy the comments on the blog and it is my hope that the comments will increase in volume. As independent traders will live in an isolated work place and these types of forums are vital to keep us sane. Or to confirm we're insane.
To those who contribute regularly, thank you. To the silent majority, don't be so shy.
