When it comes to secrets in trading, what likely comes to mind for many are industry insider information, magical trading strategies, and tools for predicting market trends.

In my view, the biggest secret in trading is actually the mindset, something rarely shared because it is the result of relentless refinement and harsh lessons from market fluctuations.

I've been contemplating the shifts in my thinking from when I used to fail in trades to when I started to succeed.

Some of my points may contradict your current understanding, but some people keep spinning in their own blind spots of thinking, and profit will forever be out of reach. I suggest considering things objectively and trying to change, as you might reap unexpected rewards.

1. Don't fall in love with your orders

Many people in trading tend to "fall in love" with their orders. For instance, once they open a position, they become obsessed with it, checking the profit and loss every few minutes.

Or, when an order has clearly reached the stop-loss level and you know you must cut your losses, you still hold on to it because of lingering expectations and attachment, ultimately getting hurt by the market.

The market is like an ex-girlfriend who dumped you; the more you cling to it, the further it goes, and the more you expect from it, the more it turns its back on you without looking back.

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You might have 100 relationships in your life; why care about just one or two? Never get too attached to your orders. We should be "heartless" when dealing with orders, cutting ties when necessary, without any mercy.

In your trading career, you might make thousands or tens of thousands of trades. If you cling to every order, I think you will be exhausted in no time and won't have the energy to find the next "girlfriend."So, in the face of the overall profit objective, each gain or loss is insignificant; do not be overly attached or entangled.

2. You don't need to be admired by others.

Often, people would tell me, "You're really amazing, you're my idol (can't help it if I'm too handsome ^_^)."

I usually respond by saying that I'm just an ordinary person, with more experiences and better luck; we can learn from each other.

Actually, when I first started trading, it wasn't like this.

At that time, I studied more than a dozen indicators and various trading techniques, such as "Gann's Master Chart," "The Book of Rivers and the Map of Luo," and so on.

I thought that "The Book of Rivers and the Map of Luo" predated the "I Ching," and many people had never heard of it. If I could develop a magical indicator from it to predict market trends, then I might be able to become a deity in this industry.

I used to hang out in many trading groups, sharing screenshots of my research on "The Book of Rivers and the Map of Luo." Many people would come asking, "What is this? How do you use it? Is it accurate in prediction?"

In fact, I hadn't even figured out anything yet, but I had already felt a unique kind of happiness, which was being "thought of as profound and mysterious" and "thought of as very capable," while knowing full well whether I was truly capable or not.

I once indulged in this emotion of being "admired" and couldn't extricate myself, also forgetting what the true essence and needs of trading are.Buffett said: To achieve extraordinary results, there is no need to necessarily do extraordinary things.

Many people who trade have a curiosity and a vanity to compete, which is human nature.

So later, I distanced myself from the so-called "trader groups" and also from a lot of noisy voices, focusing on studying my own trading system and taking profit as the only goal.

I only know one thing, in trading, as long as you can make a profit, nothing else matters. There is no need for magical indicators, no need to show and prove to others, and certainly no need to show off.

It's actually quite amusing to say, I used to look down on indicators like moving averages, MACD, RSI, feeling that these simple indicators were inferior. However, these indicators "repaid grievances with virtue," and in the end, my trading system was profitable thanks to them.

So everyone can reflect on whether what you are pursuing in trading is profit, or the feeling of being recognized and admired by others. Bragging is cost-free, let's be the ones who make money quietly.

3. Profits depend on the weather

Many people will probably be upset when they see this point. Isn't it said that success depends on one's own efforts? How can profits depend on the weather?

Let me give an example.

In December 2019, I formulated three trading plans for 2020, the first of which was to short the US stock market.At that time, many people questioned me and constantly reminded me not to take risks. In fact, I knew that the U.S. stock market had been in a bull market for 10 years. According to the laws of market operation, there would definitely be a strong downturn in the future, but I didn't know when it would happen. So, I started accumulating funds from 2018, preparing to take action when the right opportunity arose.

I had been holding cash and waiting for more than a year, and I really didn't know when the U.S. stock market would fall or where the opportunity for a downturn would come from. I speculated that it might be the U.S. election or the Federal Reserve raising interest rates, and I was waiting for the market to give me a signal to enter and go short.

Then the pandemic came, very suddenly. The U.S. stock market had three circuit breakers, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average was still at 29,568 points in mid-February. After five weeks of decline, it fell to a low of 18,213 by the end of March, losing one-third of its value.

On February 24, 2020, the Dow Jones Industrial Average opened with a significant gap down, forming a very clear downward double top break after a bullish trap. My opportunity had arrived, and I entered the market to go short without hesitation.

If I hadn't prepared in advance, I would not have been able to seize this rapid short-selling opportunity. Of course, the biggest reason I was able to make money this time was that fortune favored me, coupled with my own preparation and planning, which allowed me to truly make a profit.

So I say, in the financial market, 70% of profit depends on the market conditions, and the remaining 30% depends on patience.

In the financial market, each of us is just a tiny grain of sand. To break through the fierce waves, we must be well-prepared and planned, and the rest is 120% patient waiting.

4. Complex trading systems are also good

Previously, I always emphasized that the simpler the trading system, the better. But in fact, the core issue is not about the complexity or simplicity of the trading system; the key is whether you can control it.

For example, are you impatient or patient? Does the frequency of your trading match your temperament? Does the holding period of your positions align with your schedule? Different contracts have personalities; some varieties move quickly and like to move in straight lines, while others prefer to oscillate. Does the chosen variety match your personality? If you encounter a declining cycle or multiple stop losses, what is the maximum limit you can withstand?Previously, I emphasized that the simpler the trading system, the better, because a simple trading system is easier to learn, easier to execute, and thus easier to control. Of course, our sole purpose is to make money. Whether it's a simple or a complex trading system, the best one is the one that suits you.

In fact, the process of establishing a trading system is also a process of self-analysis. Knowing what you are good at and what your weaknesses are, and leveraging your strengths while avoiding your weaknesses, can maximize effectiveness.

I have shared both simple and complex trading systems on my public account (Eight-Digit Garden), and interested friends can check it out for themselves.

5. When you find trading enjoyable,

you are usually not successful.

I often receive private messages from netizens asking, "Hey, what kind of products do you trade? How long have you been trading? Are you trading forex or futures?"

I particularly dislike using the word "play" to describe trading. For many people, trading might just be a game, but for me, trading is a serious job. The more seriously and diligently you approach trading, the higher the probability of achieving successful trading outcomes.

I am a very serious person in trading, and I demand the same attitude from the traders in my team.

Trading is a job that requires a high level of self-discipline. Many people aim to make a lot of money or even achieve financial freedom through trading. Imagine if you have such ambitions, how can you succeed in trading without being serious, diligent, and earnest?Many traders engage in transactions while also chatting and laughing in WeChat groups, discussing market trends, orders, and various topics. Some even argue and curse in the group when they disagree. This is far from a normal trading state.

Discussing market trends and orders can affect one's judgment of the market, and arguing in the group can impact your trading emotions. These activities are of no help to trading and may even lead to losses. Focus is crucial for a successful trader.

Making money can bring happiness, but the process of making money is not always joyful, and this is true for any industry.

The successful traders I know are very serious and meticulous when trading. Even when we discuss the outcomes of trades, it is after a period, when we review past transactions for summary and reflection, and then discuss a solution.

6. Trading will inevitably encounter unexpected events.

Don't think I'm a pessimist, but unexpected events are bound to happen in trading. Even after more than ten years of trading, and with a trader in my team who has been trading for over a decade, we still make mistakes.

On the trading software, there are several types of K-line charts laid out. Sometimes I intend to trade gold, but mistakenly trade crude oil instead. Sometimes I want to trade 1 lot of gold, but the software has a memory function that defaults to the last position size, which was 3 lots, and I carelessly place an order for 3 lots.

Holding positions over the weekend, and then a risk event occurs, leading to a gap opening on Monday, are examples of the unexpected that we encounter several times a year in practical trading. These surprises are inevitable, and there is no need to fear or worry excessively.

Sometimes, when you intend to buy gold but end up buying crude oil, you might find that the crude oil has made a profit; other times, when the market opens on Monday, it might gap in the direction of your position, leading to additional earnings.Good surprises and bad surprises can both occur, and they naturally offset each other.

However, I also have a piece of advice for trading: after each position opening, habitually check the order. This is a good habit that a successful trader should have.

It's true that mistakes will be made in trading, but we should try to minimize the probability of making mistakes so that profits and losses can be within a controllable range.

7. Summary

These are the secrets I want to share, which are also the blind spots in many people's trading thoughts. Many newcomers may not be aware of these issues, and many veterans are also stuck in their own thought blind spots, consistently losing money.

The reason many people cannot solve the problem is that they cannot see where the problem lies. I hope that the mental patterns I shared today can help you.