In a recent article, I outline why I believe we could be on the cusp of important market opportunities. Yes, it's been a challenging period for traders in terms of low-volatility market behavior and erratic trends. But, as I outline in the article, there *are* strategies and approaches that are working; I *do* see people succeeding. There is opportunity in current difficulty.
What has kept me alive in markets since the late 1970s, besides risk management, has been research. Every week I update my database, explore ideas, and test out strategies. Easily 80% of what I look at is either worthless or duplicates what I already have. Another 10% is promising but ultimately has limited value. It's that final 10% that opens new doors and yields fresh opportunity. I could become discouraged about the 90% of research that never finds its way into my trading, or I could be energized by the 10% that moves me forward.
If I were not innovating, what would keep me interested, driven, optimistic, and energized during periods of drawdown? Too often, we are mired in problem-based mindsets because our focus is solely on P/L. So our focus and passion rises and falls with our equity curves. When we approach markets with intellectual curiosity and a love of sharing ideas with like-minded colleagues, we create whole new sources of motivation.
Trading was fun when it was new. The challenge is keeping ourselves re-newed.
Further Reading: Why Trading Has A Future
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