Siegrid's Journal

[rcrglmd]

Hello Everyone,

My name is Siegrid. I heard about AIMS from a couple of friends and I am very glad they encouraged me to join. I have learnt a lot already reading Immy’s ebooks and everyone’s journals (thank-you all for being so generous with your knowledge). I’ve been following the Skype chat in the wings for a couple of months now while I get my head around all the new ideas, terminology, platforms (MT4 was a change for me), indicators, and way of trading.

In the last few months I’ve played around with M1/M5 using my beginners knowledge of AIMS, but have managed to do nothing but slowly (more often quickly) deplete my demo account. I should have done what Immy suggests and started on H1 in the beginning.

So, I am here now, but still struggling to stick to H1. I am hoping that by making my journal public it will help keep me accountable and more consistent. And from there I am hoping to develop the skills that will enable me to be able to call myself a consistently profitable trader.

For my T20 I intend to trade Setup 1 on H1 only.

I intend to trade the following instruments: AUDUSD, USDCAD, EURUSD, GBPUSD, USDJPY, EURJPY and DAX30.

Regards,

Siegrid.

[rcrglmd]

Trade Number: 1 Batch Number: 1

Setup: Setup 1 only

Date entered: 15/11/17

Pair: AUDUSD

Timeframe: M5

DS: 0

Technical analysis: I did not follow the flow chart. I knew that the gator was not completely asleep. I talked myself into it, saying that there was a red dot, and that price was below purple, with a recent cross of the AO.

With hindsight, from reading others journals, perhaps price was too far from purple too.

Discipline Score analysis: A DS 0 for a number of reasons. Firstly, my plan is only to trade H1, but I saw this setup and just wanted to get started. So I took it anyway. My thoughts were that it is going to take sooooooo long to get through T20 on H1 only. But, I continue to chop and change and get nowhere. I could discount this trade and say, “well, I’ll just start my T20 on the next H1 I see”. But I keep doing that and getting distracted and taking trades when I shouldn’t and keep putting off starting my T20. So, I’m going to include all the trades I take, even if they are ones I know I shouldn’t have.

Outcome: -1R

[rcrglmd]

Trade Number: 2 Batch Number: 1

Setup: Setup 1 only

Date entered: 15/11/17

Pair: XTIUSD

Timeframe: M15

DS: 0

Technical analysis: H1 was in W3. M15 showed, I thought, a completed W3 and W4. Price had moved back towards purple, but was still below it, and the red dot was on the right side of the purple line. Also, there was a recent cross of the AO, and the gator was sleeping. Also, I was trading toward TZ1, with lots of room between TP and TZ1.

I was a bit concerned about the bit AIMS box to the left as it was just before my BE level.

But overall, I think, even looking back now, that it was an okay S1. But very happy to be corrected if needed!

Discipline Score analysis: Again a DS0 because I am only supposed to be trading H1. I couldn’t see any H1’s and so got impatient again when I saw what I thought was a setup 1 on M15. I was following the discussion on Skype about trading M15 and thought I would try to follow along, even though it was not the timeframe I had planned to trade. Woj mentioned XTIUSD on Skype, and when I had a look, I liked it. So, again, despite knowing it was not in my plan, I took it. Also, XTIUSD is not on my list of instruments to trade.

Also, I took this trade late in the evening for me, and knew that I would be going to bed and leaving it. So, it could have hit the TP overnight or it could have moved to +1R, and I should move my stop to BE, but I wouldn’t have been awake to move my stop to BE. So I’m thinking that is a DS0 for that too.

Outcome: -1R

[rcrglmd]

Trade Number: 3 Batch Number: 1

Setup: Setup 1 only

Date entered: 16/11/17

Pair: XTIUSD

Timeframe: H1

DS: 0

Technical analysis: Gator sleeping, red dot inside AIMS, purple line is correct, recent cross of AO, trading towards TZ1.

Overall, I think it was an okay S1. Again maybe price was a bit far from the purple line?

Discipline Score analysis: DS0. Oil is not on my list of instruments to trade. Again I find myself taking trades when I know they are not part of my plan simply because I just want to get started, to feel like I am getting somewhere. I know that I am doing the opposite of that by taking these trades that are not part of my plan. And I am starting to see just how difficult it is for me to just sit here and wait for the right setup to come along.

Outcome: -1R

Note: I have included a shot of the screen when I entered the trade, and also one of it completed. On the completed screenshot my stop is lower than the AIMS box level shown, even though I did not move it. I am thinking this is because the box level changed based on a new fractal.

Outcome: -1R

[immy]

Trade Number: 1 Batch Number: 1

Setup: Setup 1 only

Date entered: 15/11/17

Pair: AUDUSD

Timeframe: M5

DS: 0

Technical analysis: I did not follow the flow chart. I knew that the gator was not completely asleep. I talked myself into it, saying that there was a red dot, and that price was below purple, with a recent cross of the AO.

With hindsight, from reading others journals, perhaps price was too far from purple too.

Discipline Score analysis: A DS 0 for a number of reasons. Firstly, my plan is only to trade H1, but I saw this setup and just wanted to get started. So I took it anyway. My thoughts were that it is going to take sooooooo long to get through T20 on H1 only. But, I continue to chop and change and get nowhere. I could discount this trade and say, “well, I’ll just start my T20 on the next H1 I see”. But I keep doing that and getting distracted and taking trades when I shouldn’t and keep putting off starting my T20. So, I’m going to include all the trades I take, even if they are ones I know I shouldn’t have.

Outcome: -1R

Hi

Welcome aboard , you're on the Road to Success.

I can see that you have found the problem. Not Sticking to ONE THING... I can resonate with you. And let me tell you its not gonna be easy. But its gonna feel very good. You're gonna feel awesome when you've completed your first T20 Batch its very rewarding. You'd done the right thing to start your journal. Journal keeping, is a great tool but when its an online journal the power of it becomes 10 folds, its exponential.

Yes, you did well reporting that you traded m5 because that is another "little trick" people do when it comes to recording. They say, "oh my journal is about T20 on h1 so this m5 trade is ok i'll keep to myself afterall i did just to try things anyway". that is self deception. When you commit to T20 you have to stick to he very simple T20 plan. You trade those pairs you mentioned and those only you trade that time frame and that alone and nothing else. You follow your entry rules and you follow your Trade management rules to the T. Any tiny little deviation and your score goes 0.

Thats the Only way to learn to trade with discipline. And trading with discipline comes with HUGE rewards both emotional and financial.

cheers

[immy]

Just noticed on your OIL trade you actually tried it twice. Almost too desperate to catch the move. Now here is a great example. You are trying to catch a move. In trading you have to learn to acquire the right focus. The things we focus on is very important. In my previous posts recently I talked about how traders often exert their mental energies on the incorrect side of trading. They focus too much on the "balance" of the account and the running money value of the current trade. That will lead to many problems. In order to cure that, in order to correct that focus we deliberately start this T20 campaign and judge our trades entirely by DS 1 and 0. Even stop writing about 1R or 2R profit or loss. Simply measure one thing only. Was it a DS1 or NOT?

[vickyp]

Hi Sig

So great to see you joining us! I just read your journal and I had a little chuckle, your honesty is amazing.
It is harder than you think, but it will be worth it in the end, and we are all here to help you.
Looking forward to the journey with you.
Vicky

[rcrglmd]

Hi Immy & Everyone. Happy New Year!

Thanks Immy for your feedback, I really appreciate it. And Hi Vicky! Thanks for the encouragement.

Here's to a great 2018.

Trade Number: 4 Batch Number: 1
Setup: Setup 1 only
Date entered: 02/01/2018
Pair: AUD USD
Timeframe: H1
DS: 0

Technical analysis: At the time I took the entry I thought it looked pretty good. With hindsight I can see that there is divergence on the AO. At the time I thought it was ok as the AO had come back toward the ZL. Also, only the red and green lines were entwined, not the blue.

Discipline Score analysis: DS 0 as per above.

AUDUSDH1 - Closed.png

[rcrglmd]

Trade Number: 5 Batch Number: 1
Setup: Setup 1 only
Date entered: 02/01/2018
Pair: USD CAD
Timeframe: H1
DS: 0

Technical analysis: At the time of taking the trade there had just been a huge W3, and the AO had just come back toward the ZL, which was good I thought (but no cross of ZL, so maybe not so good). The red and green lines were entwined and below blue, but not entwined with blue (not sure how hard and fast I need to be with having all three lines entwined, or just being happy with red and green entwined so long as all other flowchart points are okay…). I’ve included the chart at the time of taking the trade and also at the time of closing the trade as the trade went for a few days.

Discipline Score analysis: If I go with the rule of red/green/blue being entwined, it’s a DS0. If I go with just red and green, I think it’s a DS1. Argh, as my original rules, as per the Setup 1 ebook were all three entwined, it’s a DS0.

[rcrglmd]

Trade Number: 6 Batch Number: 1
Setup: Setup 1 only
Date entered: 09/01/2018
Pair: USD JPY
Timeframe: H1
DS: 1

Technical analysis: Okay, I liked this one. At the time of taking it, I thought it all looked good. There had been a W3, a pullback (W4), and a blue dot heading into W5 (or so I thought!). Also, the TP was just below the box at the height of W3, all three gator lines were entwined, and AO had crossed ZL. I thought it all looked great in terms of ticking all the boxes on the flowchart.

Discipline Score analysis: 1