Showing posts with label Summary. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Summary. Show all posts

Saturday, 31 January 2015

January 2015 Summary: R+0.6

Gross Profit:85.46Gross Loss:78.30Total Net Profit:7.16
Profit Factor:1.09Expected Payoff:0.34
Absolute Drawdown:30.66Maximal Drawdown:30.66 (2.45%)Relative Drawdown:2.45% (30.66)
Total Trades:21Short Positions (won %):20 (45.00%)Long Positions (won %):1 (100.00%)
Profit Trades (% of total):10 (47.62%)Loss trades (% of total):11 (52.38%)
Largestprofit trade:17.04loss trade:-15.54
Averageprofit trade:8.55loss trade:-7.12
Maximumconsecutive wins ($):3 (28.10)consecutive losses ($):3 (-26.32)
Maximalconsecutive profit (count):28.10 (3)consecutive loss (count):-26.32 (3)
Averageconsecutive wins:2consecutive losses:2

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Love that this was profitable and that I managed a 47% win/loss rate, everything else needs work though.

So this is my first profitable month! To say I'm happy is an understatement, but it's different to how I might thought it would be. There's a quiet calm, not excitement enveloping me.

Interestingly by my math I should have shown a higher profit than indicated as I was not adjusting risk for each trade.  At the start of the year I was a bit fed up and instead of calculating the risk for each trade to be 1% of my account like I had been doing to date, I just bet 40p a point for every trade to reduce the work load a little as I knew that each trades risk would more or less be under 0.5% of my account. End of month I am up 0.6%... had I bet my 1% risk on each trade by my sums I would have been up 4.7%. Immaterial now, but still another boost of confidence.

Monday, 22 December 2014

15 -19 December 2014 R-1.2


Monday: R-1.2: Bought at Supply, then Discretionary Exit created Over Trading!

Tuesday: OFF

Wednesday: Observation not to short a R level price has closed beyond. OR a Buy a support level price has closed below.

Thursday: OFF

Friday: OFF

Notes: Bitty week got Xmas'ed

Summary:  Same as last week's. 

Saturday, 13 December 2014

8 - 12th December 2014: R-0.5


Monday: R+0.1: In and Out Day (physically). Some problems at rented property which actually took all week to sort out. One good observation: Check M30 chart for any obvious setup before entering on the M5. Don't want to be buying at supply / selling at demand.
Tuesday R-0.5: Missed Getting in after BO of R. Nothing much of note, a good read with the exception of missing a good with trend trade that had broken out of R.  The reason I found this confusing was that I would have got in on the breakout of R on a PB however in this case the PB was very subtle, more of a sideways consolidation which I took as another test of R rather than a consolidation above it. C'est la vie but something Bob Volman has mentioned in the past and I need to be aware of "Pre-Breakout Tension". It's basically an ascending triangle around R and a descending triangle around S and a good sign that that level is going to break.
Wednesday: OFF. Doctor in morning, antibiotics.

Thursday:R-0.0: Observation No Trades. Just a a little note that occasionally I can take trades off S/R and something other than the 20EMA, ie Y HI/LO or .00 / .50.
Friday: OFF

Notes: One of those weeks where life got in the way. Problems outside of trading happened, namely rented flat and health.  Got a little cautious at the end of the week but I'm not going to take this to heart. I have been under the weather and have had quite a bit of pressure from the flat weighing in and effecting my judgement and am certain it was just these two factors throwing me off.

Summary:  similar to last weeks...Just adding in  the things I took from this week.
  • Trade with Price to 20EMA, 
  • Price blw 20ema = Short,  price abv 20ema = Long.  
  • Wait for PBs/RLs to 20EMA which coincided with S/R (can break 20, mustn't break S/R)
  • Occasionally I can take trades off S/R and something other than the 20EMA, ie Y HI/LO or .00 / .50.
  • Used HSL/LSH as entry,  SL low/high trigger,  PT next S/R level (this needs to be stretched in all likihood). Also need to start trail the stop:  track higher lows if long and lower highs if short. 
  • Check M30 chart for any obvious setup before entering on the M5. Don't want to be buying at long term supply / selling at long term demand.
  • Avoid...Shorts triggering at S level/Longs triggering at R levels unless there is good  "Pre-Breakout Tension"(ascending triangle around R/descending triangle around S)
  • Avoid SSs(or HMs) that O/C are outside prior bars range
  • condense PA in AM if MT4 has over expanded it
  • Must listen to PA not Emotion
Don't trade these days...
  • BOE IR /policy and ECB IR/policy: fall on first Thursday of month = off
  • US NFPS: fall first Friday of month = off
  • FED IR / policy3rd Wednesday of month = off
  • BOJ IR/policy: happen over night GMT = not an issue

Friday, 5 December 2014

1st-5th December 2014 : R-4.8


Monday:R-2.3: Neglected to Label Highs, Lows and S&R.  Resulted in shorting at demand. Really inbetween methods and doing neither of them correctly.  also trading EJ!

Tuesday: R-2.5: Mess on the EJ, Much Better on EU, Decided On Method.  More in post, in short; trading with price to 20EMA on pullbacks to demand and 20EMA, or rallies to supply and 20EMA. Losses came from EJ trading with no method.

Wednesday:R+0.9: Short off R+20EMA. An example of correctly trading tuesday's method.

Thursday: R-0.8: Selling at Demand and Failing to SAR. An example of trading tuesday's method incorrectly and incompletely,  I've got to SAR on failure to get back to BE.

Friday: OFF

Notes:  Started with no real method and because I insisted on continuing like this I did a number on my P/L over monday and Tueday I couldn't recover from. (Well I could have had I been a bit more confident on Tues PM,  not messed Thurs up.

Summary: 
  • Trade with Price to 20EMA, 
  • Price blw 20ema = short,  price abv 20ema = Long.  
  • Wait for PBs/RLs to 20EMA which coincided with S/R (can break 20, mustn't break S/R)
  • Used HSL/LSH as entry,  SL low/high trigger,  PT next S/R level (this needs to be stretched in all likihood). Also need to start trail the stop:  track higher lows if long and lower highs if short. 
  • Avoid...Shorts triggering at S level (and Longs triggering at R levels)
    Avoid SSs(or HMs) that O/C are outside prior bars range
  • condense PA in AM if MT4 has over expanded it
  • Must listen to PA not Emotion
Don't trade these days...
  • BOE IR /policy and ECB IR/policy: fall on first Thursday of month = off
  • US NFPS: fall first Friday of month = off
  • FED IR / policy3rd Wednesday of month = off
  • BOJ IR/policy: happen over night GMT = not an issue

Sunday, 30 November 2014

24-28th November 2014: R-3.9 (Messing with Method)


Monday: Mixed Day. Some silly mistakes (failing to SAR and taking a doji trigger) and a few nice trades off a well behaved EJ chart.

Tuesday: Lots of Issues. Poor Prep (EU+EJ), Discretionary Exit (EU), Overtrading (EU).

Wednesday: No Trades, Too slow. Too great a work load updating S&R levels and highs on lows on 3 pairs.

Thursday: The Template For all Future Sessions. Simple PBs and RLs to 20EMA(and S/R) and SAR's when failed (EU)

Friday: OFF

Summary: Teething problems (messing with method!) at start of week, settled down on Thursday; Took John's comment on board dropping my work load. waited till actually wanted to trade (US session). Used 20EMA as barometer plus S&R to take trades (meant more of a waiting than "working" game), preprogrammed orders for all trades, walked away for a good deal of the time (updated stop levels occasionally), felt good.

Goal For next Week: Really very simple.... Same as Thursday's Summary...Took John's comment on board dropping my work load. waited till actually wanted to trade (US session). Used 20EMA as barometer plus S&R to take trades (meant more of a waiting than "working" game), preprogrammed orders for all trades, walked away for a good deal of the time (updated stop levels occasionally), felt good.

Friday, 21 November 2014

17th-21st November 2014 : R-1.1 (Not Following the Plan Or Gaining Experience)




Monday: Off

Tuesday: R+0.7: Long on a PB and Short a M Top (EU) Just trading the plan. But still missed some trades on UJ

Wednesday:R-0.0: Lots of Trades But Quit Early As Not Obeying Plan.  Problem was I was keeping up with the highs and lows (that dictate my trades) but I wanted to trade against what they recommended so I quit early as I recognized this and I only create a huge hole when I do this.  This actually felt like progress to me... I guess real progress would be telling my brain to shut up and to trade plan, but as any reader of this blog knows I seem to prefer take a million tiny steps instead on one big one...

Thursday:R-1.8: Poor (Doji) Trigger (EJ), Failure to SAR (UJ).  Good day despite loss as I finally clarified in my mind what a good and bad doji is but again failed to follow plan (missed trades). 

Friday: Off

Summary: The fact is I have been avoiding loads of trades and I need to trade more, to enable me to learn and earn more. Recently I read this email from Paul Wallace
"Whether you’re a Greed Based Trader (GBT) or a Fear Based trader (FBT) you need your discipline to consistently follow either your Risk Management principles (in the case of a GBT) or the discipline to consistently follow your trading plan (in the case of an FBT).... unless someone manages risk or follows their plan with discipline and consistency they're wasting their time."
In all the trading books on psychology I have (Mark Douglas, Ari Kiev etc) I don't believe any have put it as clearly and succinctly, if at all. To be honest I couldn't always understand why I was struggling to move forward. I sorted my risk management out from the start but because I'm risk averse/ FBT, risk management was never really going to be a problem. This email laid it out for me, that my issues are going to be around NOT getting enough exposure to the market... I am a fear based trader and if I am failing to follow my plan (to take the trades it tells me), I am planning to fail! This was a major turning point for me.
Personally I believe my issues derive from what I call the 3P's (psychology, physiology, plan). This weekend I want to address... 1. Psychology: this weekend I want to spend sometime focusing on the positives of taking risks as I obviously gravitate towards the negatives!. 2. Plan: Not changing it but just getting it all down so there's no excuse for not following! (and adding not to trade indecision doji).

Goal For next Week: Really very simple....
Follow the plan for the entirety of my session Monday to Thursday (don't trade Friday's as work late Thursday night). Take every trade it indicates. Never argue with what the High's and Low's say, If I do, don't enter (you will be fighting the market)! Better still fight the urge and do the opposite. Be Realistic with PTs. And keep updating charts in trade!

Friday, 14 November 2014

10-14th November 2014: R-1.1 (Some Confusion, Some Anticipation and Trading Overtired)



Monday: Small drop in PL, confusion on SARing at a TSL, turns out I can. Would have been profitable had I.

Tuesday: First upturn in PL, simply followed the plan and shorted a LH at R + 20EMA

Wednesday: Failed to take any trades. Anticipation was caused by passing on a rarely traded CT Short. Retuned how I thought about taking CT trades (It's good to take them because the more experience I build with them the more a part of my arsenal they'll become). Would have been V profitable had I just traded the plan.

Thursday: Second upturn in PL, again simply followed the plan buying a HL at S+.00. Highlighted the importance of getting convergence on my trades.

Friday: Big drop in PL, as failed to follow the plan due to being over-tired and emotions took over rationale. Would have been profitable if I'd just traded the plan!

Summary: The Plan is profitable, I just failed to follow it! I've got to stop trading Friday morning's as I am over tired and struggle to follow the plan. Maybe when I am successfully following the plan for the entire week I can work it back in. Getting an extra reason to get long or short helps trade IE Support/Resistance + (20ema / .00 / .50 / Y Hi / Y Lo)

Goal for next week: Focus solely on what you need to do to make each session successful....
Follow the plan. Never argue with what the High's and Low's say. If you do, don't enter (you will be fighting the market)! Get convergence on entries S/R + (20ema / .00/.50/ YHI/ YLO) . Be Realistic with PTs. Keep updating charts in trade! Be aware that after a new level prints (high/low) its opposite can from very quickly after (low/high). Continue to trade should I go in the red, SAR's may not get me completely back in the black but they sure get me near. Let my trade plan and orders play out or I risk the very real chance of over-trading.

Friday, 7 November 2014

3rd - 7th November 2014: R-3.9 (success went to head)


Monday: Failure to TSL meant late exit on a failed trend trade and so late entry on the SAR of it. So ended up buying where bulls were TPing.

Tuesday: Being unrealistic with PT.  Shorted but prior low only a few pips away, got hit, should have exited, didn't, it reversed and hit my ISL.

Wednesday: Again being unrealistic with PT, Got long into prior high, hit it,  held, PB and hit TSL. But focus on how to make session profitable was a better mind set.

Thursday: Not trading with trend and averaged down loss. Trying things out, not  too worried about this.

Friday: Know I'm off my game (+NFPs) so decided to end early and get summary done,

Summary: Basic, basic, basic, stuff lacking! Trend! TSL! Realistic PTs! Last week's success went to head, was focusing on LT goals in session rather than what needed to be done, as can be seen above (more here). Even the journal suffered ( was misidentifying faults). May sound down on myself  but I'm not, I just really needed to hammer home to myself here that I can't let the in session focus slip even for a minute... Not going to dwell but will remind myself occasionally this WE of what needs to be done then focus on relaxing and being fresh for Monday.

Goal for next week: Focus solely on what you need to do to make each session successful. Take each and every setup with the exclusion of  HM,SS, triggers that are not on S/R/small/ body's aren't contained by prior bar's range. Be Realistic with PTs. Keep updating charts in trade! And continue to trade should I go in the red, SAR's may not get me completely back in the black but they sure get me near. Let my trade plan and orders play out or I risk the very real chance of over-trading. Be aware that after a new level prints (high/low) its opposite can from very quickly after (low/high).

Friday, 31 October 2014

27th-31st October 2014: R+0.9


Monday: Discretionary exit cut gains short. Missed with trend RL trades.

Tuesday: Simple M top,  but lacked courage to get in on trend PB's.

Wednesday: No trades market very sloppy before FOMC

Thursday: Simple W bottom, again missed a with trend RL.

Friday: hard trend created by BOJ,  struggled to get in on PB's no doubt due to my apprehension regarding the trend trades this week.

Notes: First profitable week in a long time. All trades were reversals however I don't think this reflects why the week was profitable as I clearly missed some good with trend PB and RL trades. Started the week quite fearful of HMs and SSs after getting ripped up by them last week. Think/know this fear transferred into fear of doji,  hi wave and narrow range bars all of which usually occur at PBs and RLs so completely debilitated me in these situations. Ironically I was reading "naked forex" this week which is particularly good at defining good and bad HMs and SSs so this started to dissipate towards the end of the week but threw me as I was trying to follow my statement from last week not to trade HMs and SSs.

Summary: Continue to trade classic M tops and W bottoms. Re-read "naked forex" chapters on HM's and SS's and apply rules to my trading strategy over the weekend to regain courage in entering with trend on PBs/RLs.  Take every setup that meets my critrea (PB/RL on S&R or S/R failure) remembering I can always SAR should they go against me.
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UPDATE 031114
Basically I want to trade every Bull and Bear Sweet Spot be it counter trend or a with trend PB/RL with the exception of those with trend setups whose triggers are HMs and SSs that ...
  • print after a large correction 
  • Don't stick out of consolidation (HM lower/SS higher)
  • Don't occur on S/R level major or minor
AND SAR any with trend trades that fail.

In the last 2 weeks of the 22 with trend setups only 4 failed to reach the next level of S/R! An 80% success rate.

Friday, 24 October 2014

20-24th October 2014: R-1.6


Monday: Away

Tuesday: failed to SAR!

Wednesday: Nice simple setup

Thursday: Discretionary exit triggered 2 unneeded extra trades that mounted to a loss I couldn't surpass (1st big drop in PL)

Friday: With trend HM trigger got whipsawed and like Thursday triggered 2 unneeded extra trades that mounted to a loss I couldn't surpass (2nd big drop in PL)

Goal for next week: Take each and every setup with the exclusion of those with a HM,SS,Doji trigger. Continue to trade should I go in the red, SAR's may not get me completely back in the black but they sure get me near. Let my trade plan and orders play out or I risk the very real chance of over-trading.  Be aware that after a new level prints (high/low) its opposite can from very quickly after (low/high).

Friday, 17 October 2014

12-17th October 2014: R-1.0



Monday Issues: would have been profitable, Failed to SAR and to continue trading.

Tuesday Issues: Profitable Trade. Could/should have continued.

Wednesday: Good trade just screwed up sizes on SAR's so didn't get back to BE.

Thursday: Better day. Took all trades initially, got out once back to BE. Could have continued.

Friday: Late start plus avoided some profitable trade as triggers were doji.


Goal for next Week:  Take each and every setup and continue to trade should I go in the red. SAR's may not get me completely back in the black but they sure get me near. Also start trading doji triggers again.

Monday, 6 October 2014

29th Sep - 2Oct 2014 Summary: R-1.7


Fairly massive week for me and my trading: A far more proactive method...
  • Searching for the sweet spot (where bulls and bears are going the same way). 
  • Trend Indicator changed to: Start labelling Highs and Lows (HH/LH and LL/HL)
  • Start labelling potentially sketchy PA (SS/HM/Hi Waves/ Tests)
  • pairing a SAR candle reversal with western TA to strengthen it.
  • removed GU chart as it rips me up and I feel overstretched. 
  • Stopping trading doji triggers
  • Accepting trades don't need to be at 20EMA
Monday Issue: Bought into a High wave Shooting Star.  (Certainly not a sweet spot!)

Tuesday Issues: not being aware of new trend, not being aware of PA, not trading off S/R

Wednesday Issues: trying to pick tops and bottoms (counter trend)

Thursday Issues:  trading a doji trigger

Friday: OFF

Sunday, 28 September 2014

22nd-26th Sep 14: R+0 Miriad of Issues

Monday: Physiological issues. Head Sludge... really struggled to concentrate, missed 2 easy plays. Introduced warm up for body and mind.  Body = Callisthenics, Mind = hard sum before starting day, certainly helped rest of week.

Tuesday: Plan issues. Actually failure to plan. During my session I realised that I don't actually know what I'm doing! My guide had taken me all the way up to prepping charts but no further. I have now added planning trades off the levels and am writing them( the plans) on the charts. Which means I am not constantly flicking through the charts and exhausted when a trade finally appears.

Wednesday: Trigger Issue: I have only been trading off inside bars for about 6 months which is not an excuse for missing a trade , it is a lesson and have added to the plan/guide to visibly mark IB triggers on my chart so I don't miss them!

Thursday: Session Issue. missed 2 really easy trades because they occurred 15 minutes before my session starts. I have got more lax of late and need to start by 0800 rather than 0830 like recently.

Friday: No Setups off 20EMA. PA was just stuck in ranges and BW all session.

20EMA Thoughts: As for the 20EMA I am just going to let the removal happen naturally, like I did with  the 8SMA. At the mo it is more of a hindrance not having the 20EMA so that is a clear sign that for the time being it needs to stay and as there are clearly trades to be had I shouldn't sweat it. This is not to say that I am not striving to get my charts naked long-term but the more pressing issue is to get some trades going and see if I can with the above changes start to get in the black.

Summary: It's been an enormous week really. I have gone from thinking most of my problems have been psychological (which in part they were), to realising they can't be entirely if I am getting up and doing the work! So thinking they were then physiological (which in part they were) to finally seeing that there was also plan failure in terms of it not guiding me throughout my session. Ultimately in all three there were issues, these 3 things I am going to call the "3P's" (Psychology, Physiology,Plan Failure) as identifying each of them as potential areas problems can begin this week has been most useful.

1. Get up work and warm up Mind and Body
2. Prep charts and write trade plan for each pair on charts
3. Start watching by 0800GMT
4. Chillout until one the plans begins to setup
5. Mark potential triggers on charts particularly IB's
6. Take all setups they are high prob!
7. Should they fail SAR as this is high prob!
8. Issues? check the 3 P's (Psyc, Phys, Plan)

Monday, 1 September 2014

August 2014 Summary


A Issues:
1. Good trade off R failed but failed to SAR to get back to BE. (Not having much fun and feeling stiff)
2. Good  trade off R failed but failed to SAR to get back to BE. (Not having much fun and feeling stiff)

B Positives:
1. Simple PC+ .00 trade and Having Fun.  meant I was relaxed and happy to adapt to PA.
2. Simple PC+240 trade and Having Fun.  meant I was relaxed and happy to adapt to PA.

C: Issues:
1. Good Trade off R but "Adapted" / exited early. fear.
2. Good trade off multiple R failed but failed to SAR to get back to BE.
3. Good trade off multiple R failed but failed to SAR to get back to BE.

D Positives:
1. Simple trade off multiple R and Having Fun so happy to adapt to PA.
2. Simple trade off multiple R and Having Fun so happy to adapt to PA.
3. Simple trade off multiple R and Having Fun so happy to adapt to PA.

E Issues:
1. Too tight on ISL meant early stop. (Not having much fun and feeling stiff)

Summary: I don't think I'm taking bad trades, I just think I'm managing them poorly and this usually happens when I'm not having much fun because I am so to react to PA.
Failing to SAR when a trade fails and being too tight on a ISL were my causes of loss and happened when I wasn't having fun/ under the weather.
Having fun and reacting to / giving PA its required space were the times I made money. 


25-29th Aug 14 : R-1.4




Monday: On Holiday

Tuesday: Over tired from weekend away decide not to trade.

Wednesday: Short session as had to do maintenance at flat,  no setups

Thursday: Needed a slightly wider ISL. Range highs not prior high.

Friday: Some apprehension creeping in. remember the play not trade!

NB: Friday night - Saturday I had a full blown fever. Thought I wasn't feeling quite myself on Thursday but didn't have have any clear syptoms.

Summary: Listen to body, turns out you were run down.  Stretch your ISL to the best tipping point.  it may not be the prior high/low but a bit further. Remember to Play not Trade!

Tuesday, 26 August 2014

18th-22nd August : R+1.4



Monday: Simple with trend trade (short) off multiple R

Tuesday: Another simple with trend trade (short) off multiple R

Wednesday: Again another simple with trend trade (short) off multiple R

Thursday: Stinking hangover: fight with an old friend, interestingly he's also a trader. Don't know if this is going to effect my trading. I don't want it to.  There could be an element of wanting to do better than him to" rub his nose" in it, despite the fight having nothing to do with trading.

Friday: On Holiday

Psychology: Should mention I've been working the LOA (law of Attraction ) before starting trading each day, basically making sure I feel good before I start.  This has meant that my start time has varied a lot as I will lie in if I feel I need it, or will spend longer on certain exercises until I feel good. But clearly this has not had a negative effect on my PL, or may be more to the point..."clearly this has had a positive effect on my PL".

Summary:  Getting head feeling good before I start, makes trading the plan easier. I didn't do anything other than read PA, wait for it to PB/RL and trigger as my plan states but the results have been complete different because I'm more relaxed!

Saturday, 16 August 2014

11-15th Aug 14: R-1.4


Monday: Following the rules. First trade worked out.

Tuesday: Missed a simple trade because too caught up on one pair (not having enough fun).

Wednesday: Perfect read and trade, discretionary early exit.

Thursday: Good trade went against me, but I didn't SAR to limit loss!

Friday: Again a good trade went against me, but I didn't SAR to limit loss!

Summary / Next Week To Do's:  
1. Must continue to have fun. 
2. Must not exit a trade until it hits my ISL or (is very near my) PT.
3. Must program SAR trades at same time as taking trend trades. 

Saturday, 9 August 2014

4th-8th August 2014 : R-0.9


Monday: On Holiday

Tuesday: Rusty and too intense a mindset made process unenjoyable and probably lead to missing a trade.

Wednesday: Correct trade, slightly incorrect ISL placement. Main fault not SAR when 1st trade failed. Serious mindset continues, not enjoying trading.

Thursday: Again Correct trade, just should have SAR'd when it failed. Mindset still too serious.

Friday: Correct Trade, read chart well. Mindset was one of "play" rather than "trade"made process far more enjoyable.

NB: Going to continue to "play (by the rules), not trade (as a job)" next week. 

Saturday, 19 July 2014

14th-19th July: R-1.2


Monday Issues:  Trading off a weak level of S (bit rusty)

Wednesday Issues:  Good trading just didn't keep at it!

Thursday Issues: Human error on Entry (hadn't actually triggered)

Friday, 11 July 2014

7th-11th July: R+0 No Trades, Being Too Hard on Myself

I have not been able to trade this week, I have had the time but not the inclination. I mentioned earlier in the week that I was feeling pressure from external sources but I have also been very busy in my other line of work, which has lead to me being pretty tired and struggling to get up each morning.

Last week I felt great, relaxed, happy go lucky, chilled out and willing to go with the flow.  This week I have not once felt that way so decided that it was probably best not to attempt to trade, as it would likely only lead to mistakes and frustration.

 This doesn't mean I haven't been stupidly beating myself up for not trading. I often forgot that trading is exhausting. It feels like it shouldn't be as I'm just sitting in front of a computer screen for something to happen. But being docile and observant for large chunks of the time and then having to suddenly become wide awake and proactive is tiring and stressful (an enjoyable stress , but stress none the less).  I feel like we all have to go to work when we don't feel like it. But my action this week was almost certainly correct as I really wasn't in a state of mind to perform the tasks well enough to trade successfully.

Summary
I have to accept that when I am exhausted not trading is the correct thing (When others go to work tired, they're just less productive, when i go to work tired I lose money). When I don't trade I need  a back up for what I am going to do with my day, something enjoyable ( a relaxed morning and then some study ./blogging). God if I'm lucky enough to be able to take a day off work when I want to I should be taking advantage of it, not watching day time TV and getting depressed that I'm not trading.