“The most important element of a trading system is the Trader” @Aircal
In Members in Profile, we interview stand-out members that show strong aptitude and work ethic. Our goal is to highlight different folks so that you can see the effort that our members are putting into their trading and hopefully learn from their experiences of the Convergent Trading Community.
We hope you enjoy hearing what @Aircal has to say!
What brought you into trading?
I became interested in trading when I was young – my father received Value Line charts in the mail and had a quotes terminal with a microwave dish. He taped the charts on the wall and would explain what he was looking at. I began investing in the 90s and moved into options in the early 2000s. I traded iron condors on index futures from 2004 to 2007, made a lot of money, and then lost it all in 2008. I began trading futures to mitigate some of the overnight risk of complex options positions.
What do you like most about Convergent?
The difference at Convergent is the members of the community are actual traders – you are in the ‘adult room’. The multiple channels allow you to participate in a discussion among pros in whichever market you choose. I also like that price action is the basis of the methodology and that there is also a strong emphasis on trader psychology.
How have these aspects helped you grow as a trader?
I feel encouraged to treat trading like a business instead of a hobby and to further develop my skills and learn from the community.
I am risk-averse but have observed that the head traders accept taking a stop as a normal occurrence and calmly move on to the next trade – I am slowly learning to accept losses as easily as they do.
Do you have a favorite community quote or webinar?
We’re not here to catch every move. We are here to get paid for taking the risk, so risk comes first -FuturesTrader71
Do you have any advice for new traders?
- I learned from Van Tharp and Convergent that the most important element of a trading system is the trader – so work to develop yourself first.
- Watch the Trader Bite and then follow the Head Trader channel to see which scenario unfolds. Observe how the market reacts at key areas and in response to news.
- Sim trading is valuable to learn the operation of your platform, but with the advent of micros and the funding prop programs, you should quickly move into trading where you have a stake in the outcome.
- Don’t miss the Group Mentoring sessions – you will likely see some element of yourself being discussed.
- Explore the Help Center – lots of good info hiding in there.
What is your favorite non-trading activity/hobby?
I enjoyed motocross racing, skydiving (I’m in yellow in the photo below), and snowboarding in the past – but I am older now so I simply enjoy spending time outdoors.
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