While most people focus on Signals, Confirmations, Take Profits, and Stop Losses, many overlook the perhaps most important factor... Precision
My good friend Markus tends to trade like he's got a "Crystal Ball Interface". That is he has some pretty long term "predictions", "feelings", and "analysis" however he rides the Crystal Ball Rollercoaster when he enters trades. That is, he makes perhaps the right long term decision but the market takes it turns and valleys in the short term, which leaves his position going from positive to negative, often several times. That makes for some stressful trading.
Now he is comfortable with that style of trading, and if you are too, and you are successful at it then kudos to you.
My preference is to pick the low hanging fruit (short term market direction) and pick the tougher fruit (long term direction) later, that is I will look for precise entries on lower timeframes, (M1, M5, M15) keeping in mind what the overall long term picture (H1, H4, D1) looks like. Furthermore I will look for Take Profits using the lower timeframes. Sure I will make less pips (low hanging fruit) but while you're climbing the ladder to get to the top, I will pick many times over. That is your trade will go up and down while I'm consistently entering and exiting several times over.
There are far too many Crystal Ball Expert Advisors and Automated Trading Services that in my opinion are attempting to pick the hardest fruit while leaving the low hanging fruit rotting.
So next time you find yourself in a trade that has turned on you, perhaps several times, ask yourself if you would like to pick low hanging fruit or go for the pie in the sky.
