I have been trading (part-time) for 25 years and had my fair share of experience.  From blowing my account (and then some) during the 90’s dot come era, to riding epic bull and bear markets, from great winning runs and periods of poor trading practice, I think I have seen a thing or two. More importantly, I have spent the past 10 years writing a weekly newsletter where I converse frequently with my members.  During that period, I have been a mentor and a sounding board to members, many of whom have gone through some real-life changing trading events.  Writing a letter and working with members has given me a unique peek into the mind of the retail trader. What you have below is a list of some of my lessons learned, whether through personal experience or through the repeated experiences of my members.  Experiences listed here are deemed important enough to me that I classify them as lifelong lessons, understood, but never mastered.  I do not claim to be a superior trader or investor, I have met far too many people I know who are better.  But I know I am personally far better than I was five, ten, and twenty 20 years ago.  And I expect I will be able to say the same again in five- and ten-years’ time. Many of the topics I share are not new and I am not the first to have experienced or discovered them.  They are experiences I have found to be impactful to me or my members, and by sharing them I hope they provide some benefit to you on your personal journey.   In no particular order: Read More