US Masters trading special - Tiger Woods: An all time great.....Trader!

Tiger Woods could be the best trader we have ever not known.

We already know he is the best putter in the world. The reason is simple - he maximises his opportunity every time by never ever hitting a putt until he is certain he knows the direction and the pace; after that he trusts his execution. The secrets to his putting success are discipline and research. Just like trading.

Can you see the similarity? No, I guessed not. Well let's keep it simple - Don't trade until you know, you are certain, you absolutely believe you know the direction of your trade. That takes discipline - not to trade before you are ready and it takes research - to use all the information around you to know the direction before you put the trade on.

Let's go back to Tiger - watch him tonight on BBC2 from 9pm - watch him stalk the green on every putt - not just some putts - every single putt - he looks at it from every angle - studies every shadow, every undulation, every gust of wind - he is doing his research. He stands up addresses the ball - eyes the line - and sometimes .....walks away and starts all over again - he has the discipline to walk away because he is not ready - he is not certain. He stands up again and hits the putt - every time on the direction he knew was right bearing in mind all the information available to him.

You watch - he'll hole more than his competitors. He can't hole them all and neither will you when you are trading but if you apply the same mentality as Tiger you will maximise your opportunity and do better than most - you may even win. But only if you do the research and only if you show the discipline every time - on every trade - not just most of them.

So there you have it - easy - Tiger Woods can teach you how to trade better - if you don't get it - sit back and enjoy the best sporting spectacle of the year and the azaleas of course.

Mama knows her markets

Mamamarkets

Trading Do's and Don'ts

MamaMarkets Spreadbetting Do’s and Don’ts

A couple of trading facts for you – 80% of all traders lose but 65% of their trades win. You can be a winner but you need to follow some rules. Try these for starters:

1. Don’t Trade because it’s easier than working for a living
2. Don’t trade because it’s fun
3. Don’t trade because you NEED to make money
4. Don’t trade because you are bored
5. Don’t trade because there was a Free Bet* offer
6. Don’t trade just because it’s tax free**
7. Don’t trade because your mate the banker made a fortune last year
8. Don’t trade a product or company you don’t understand
9. Don’t trade if you cannot admit you are wrong
10. Don’t follow someone’s stock tips unless you know them well enough to sleep with them

* There is no such thing as a free lunch
** There is never any tax on losses

And now the Do’s

1. Keep your discipline
2. Stick to a plan and have a budget
3. Set a target and start small
4. Admit you are wrong sometimes
5. Run profits not losses
6. Educate yourself and listen to the pros
7. Do your research and know your product
8. Remember your broker makes money when you lose
9. Negotiate your brokerage fees and spreads
10. Try to enjoy it

If you get into difficulty STOP! If you make money - don't get Greedy.

Mama knows her markets
Mamamarkets

Cash is King: The only true measurement of success is money

Is your mum rich? – No, mine neither and she’s the most successful person I know.

In the city money and particularly the size of your bonus is success - a guaranteed cast iron fact propagated by the former masters of the universe. And yet I cannot be the only one who is amazed on a daily basis by the fat, lazy, talentless but incredibly rich “success” stories I see. Obviously they’re right and we’re wrong and they are successful and we’re failures. But what about mum?

Let’s face it they have the boat, the £10m house just off Sloane street, the red Italian sports car and a place in Cap Ferrat whereas we …don’t. So whenever they speak we listen and they’re right and we’re wrong again….

Nope people – absolutely wrong - they’re just rich – maybe they were born that way, maybe they were lucky or maybe they made it because they had some arithmetic ability or creative talent but it doesn’t make them better or even…a success.

Is Bill Gates a successful man because he’s rich – No – he’s a success story of our times because he happened to change the way we all live because of a brilliant mind – and into the bargain he seems like a good guy who is generally interested in helping others. He’s successful, he’s rich and we like him; Richard Branson? - Hell yeah – we love the guy. The fat rich guys wallowing in the Hamptons? Dick Fuld – successful? Fred the Shred? Roman and the Oligarchs – rich beyond belief – successful? I’ll take my mum….. or Saint Bill

Define your own success criteria and only measure yourself against that – if you make it money alone you’ll be doomed to failure because like the best boxer in the world there’s always someone bigger just around the corner….

And speak up – for goodness sake people - just because someone is worth £300m or a yard or two (that’s a Billion pounds folks) – disagree with them and argue with them- don’t bow down before them - their money does not make them God – it just makes them rich…..

Live a little people – be happy – you are already a success. Just ask your mum.

Mamamarkets

Successful guys are never wrong

Just ask Rupert Low – The former Chairman of Southampton FC, which is currently in administration. Not his fault. It never is? When has the guy at the top of your organisation ever taken the blame – when is it ever his fault. The economy; the staff; his managers; the competitors; the industry, the regulators - anyone but the boss.

This guy blamed Barclays – how ridiculous can you get?

The bankers – they blame other bankers and the regulators - surely they can look at themselves just once and admit it.

Any big guys out there listening – take it on the chin – we work; you win; you take the credit we work, you lose; you take the blame – surely that’s a fair deal.

Please, please let us not hear these excuses any more – stand up and be counted and admit you got it wrong. You have passed failure on the way to success so give it a hug again on the way down – we’ll respect you more.

Mama knows her markets

Protest pah - we did it better back then...

Spot the difference - Yep no lamposts and sunshine - the naughties version look like they're off to Glastonbury!