Heads or tails?

Theoretically, it’s a 50:50 chance.

And over a large number of coin flips, it works out to be 50:50.

On the other hand, over a relatively smaller number of coin flips, one can have many heads (or for that matter tails) in a row. Let’s say you flip a coin ten times. Chances are, you might get heads eight times in a row. I mean, it actually happens.

For a market participant without any edge, a given trade is like a coin-flip. It can go either way. So, eight losses in a row can happen. Losing trade after losing trade can come, longer than one can remain solvent. This needs to be understood.

Therefore, the need arises to cut losses when they are very small.

Also, one needs to understand, that the next trade has nothing to do with the last trade. The outcome of a new trade is fully independent of the past. There is no rule saying that the 8th trade after 7 losses has to be a winning trade.

The successful trader comes back to zero after each closed trade. He or she let’s go of any baggage from the last trade, and starts a fresh one with new and full focus. There are no expectations from the new position. If it doesn’t work, the loss will be cut very small, and the savvy trader will bring his or her mind back to zero-point, and then will initiate a fresh position.

It’s really not rocket-science.