Find Your Edge

When trading, an important step on the road to success is to learn one thing really well. It doesn't matter what that one thing is, just that one thing will give you at least a slight edge against the next guy. Usually that edge is achieved either through research, experience, and/or skills that others do not possess.

In fact, that one thing may even be special insight to a particular industry, an unusual technical analysis pattern that offers a sense of predictability, or even a stock screen which produces consistently good investment candidates. The key is that you've got some special edge. And, no matter how much I desire to help you and will provide you with numerous clues to how I trade successfully, there are some things that I won't ever reveal and will never share with you. Like any successful trader, I fiercely protect my edge. You will do the same once you acquire your own.

No matter what level of a trader or investor you are, you will see benefits from focusing your energy toward the mastery of that one thing. For example, there are specific methods of stock selection (i.e. stock screens) that I've been working on developing for at least three years. While many times it may seem to be a fruitless and complete time wasting effort, I continue because I think I'm on the right track AND because I know from experience that doing so has paid off very well in the past. In addition, sometimes this path of learning exposes me to new ideas and strategies that help me trade better.

Those who don't do well in the market, tend to try to know everything and be an expert of nothing. If you're going to beat the majority, you have to do something to acquire that one thing that will provide you the edge to succeed. But, here is the bad news - doing so requires very hard work, patience, and absolute determination, all of which are in short supply. But, then again, success usually comes to those people who simply do things the losers won't. And, as I've told thousands of traders by email, there are no short cuts to success.