Trading Insights

Going long makes you eager to buy, going short makes you eager to sell, and holding makes you eager to add. Any direction isn't the problem—what matters is frequency. The market offers too many temptations; both long and short positions seem reasonably justified at times. Today you want to catch a bottom, tomorrow you want to short a peak, next week you think you should add to your existing position... Over time, you're no longer waiting for opportunities—you're reacting to stimuli. The real essence isn't whether you're long or short, nor whether your judgment is correct, but rather—can you resist the temptation of seemingly promising yet actually just noise? Opportunities are rare, impulses are common. This reminds me of a classic story about Jesse Livermore. After going bankrupt, he touched nothing, did nothing, waited for a long time—until a structural, major opportunity finally emerged, at which point he went all in on the Bethlehem Steel trade (those interested can search for 'Jesse Livermore - Bethlehem Steel Trade,' an incredibly powerful comeback). Others thought his secret to rebirth was 'getting that one trade right,' but he said himself: 'I won because I could wait.' He didn't trade when he felt like it—he traded only when it was necessary. That's how masters play:>> Not constantly active, but only acting at critical moments.>> Not constantly hunting for opportunities, but letting opportunities come to you.>> Not more is better, but less is more precise. Whether long, short, or holding, human nature gradually increases your trading frequency, making you more scattered and distracted, until when a real opportunity arrives, you've already lost your edge. So the core principle is actually just one sentence: The people who truly win aren't the ones with the strongest judgment—they're the ones who can wait. Fewer trades, but each one counts.