“The Threat is Stronger Than The Execution ” @TitaniumKranium
We hope you enjoy hearing what @TitaniumKranium has to say!
What brought you into trading?
My first job out of college was coding trading systems for a major bank. That allowed me to see “how the sausage was made”. I also observed what the traders themselves were doing day to do day, and learned about many financial instruments. It was natural for me to compare what traders were doing, say vs having a retail business, or investing in real estate, or other endeavors. With trading, you can literally make $ out of thin air, using just what’s between your ears. I found this very…efficient. I started trading stocks, then options, and now most recently, futures. I like to trade all three equally.
What do you like most about Convergent?
The education and community. Everyone is incredibly supportive and positive, with the sole desire to help each other learn and grow. There is a massive wealth of information available in all the webinars, the Trade Right program, and each individual member, from the Mavens + FT, through everyone who contributes in the forums and chat. Furthermore, the accountability partner program is fantastic, and I appreciate that FT and the company went through the effort to match people up.
How have these aspects helped you grow as a trader?
I discovered FT71 and Convergent via YouTube, and to date, I had been trading for a while with mixed results. I tried going it alone and it was obvious that I was missing “something”. Two topics that FT71 talked about over and over were
- The advantage of “trading with a group”
- Keeping a journal.
I joined to see where those 2 things would take me so far, I have been glad I did. In the process, I discovered a lot of other things about myself (following rules, will power etc.) that I did not know about – as I had not experienced them in other areas (corporate world, martial arts, competitive chess). Thanks to Convergent, this is now front and center and I have a plan for improvement.
Do you have a favorite community quote or webinar?
By far the most eye-opening quote for me (from FT71) is “There is no edge in Balance”.
The context here was him saying “Our job as traders is to bring the market to balance – if it is already in balance, our services are not needed”. This literally left me stunned. And I don’t stun easily. This simple concept crystallized for me how to approach the market going forward.
Another good quote from FT71 is “Don’t trade what ‘should be’ – Trade what you see”.
As far as Webinars, they are all super good. There is 10 years of material on the site – you can’t go wrong with any webinars.
Do you have any advice for new members?
- Take advantage of the Trade Right program.
- Don’t be afraid to ask questions – everyone will be willing to help you.
- Figure out “what kind of trader are you right now, and what kind of trader you want to be”.
- When you think you have it all figured out, remember that you don’t. Be humble.
- Finally, Futures can be challenging, because of the leverage – a small investment can generate a much bigger loss. Understand what you are trading and the consequences. Start small. Manage Risk. Live to trade another day.
What is your favorite non-trading activity/hobby?
I like to play chess – either at the local club, or against computers. I find that it keeps the mind sharp. I one point I had “play the chess program before trading” as a morning prep, just to see where my mind was at. I am also into martial arts – Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (purple belt). Finally, I love my dogs. No matter how bad it goes when I trade, they give me comfort.
Have you participated in the #TradeRight program/challenges? What discoveries have you made?
Yes, I have completed the Trade Right program. I highly recommend it. You may think you know who you are, but until you take this program and track your trades, and analyze your performance you won’t really know. The biggest takeaway for me was that even if you have the BEST signal generator in the world, execution and risk management are even more important. When to enter, when to exit, when to go short from long. All these skills come with time. We all hear “Risk Management and Trade Management are really important” – most of us don’t really believe it.
Follow Convergent Trading