Business & Finance

Key pieces of advice to build your confidence as a trader

Are you thinking about venturing into investing? If so, you’re certainly not alone – more than 100,000 Australians traded on the forex market or via contracts for difference (CFDs) in 2021. Of course, there are no guarantees of successful returns and you have to prepare yourself for the possibility that you will lose money along the way as a beginner trader.

That’s why, if you’re just starting out as a forex trader or seeking to operate in any other market, it’s imperative you take steps to build your confidence before you begin. Here are a few tips to help you do that.

Educate yourself as a trader

Jumping into the markets without doing your research is only likely to end in failure. You need to take the time to familiarise yourself with the sector(s) you’ll be focusing on, seeing how the trends develop and building up your experience without any of the risk. Only by gaining that level of understanding can you feel confident in your ability to expose yourself to the market for real. 

Set realistic goals

There’s no sense in setting yourself unattainable targets, as you’re only likely to feel disappointed if you fall short. There are no guarantees in trading, and that needs to be reflected in your objectives. Think about what success looks like for you – is it a certain percentage of profitable trades? Do you have a bottom-line figure in mind? Perhaps you’d be happy with breaking even in the early stages of your journey. Whatever your goals, make sure they work for you or you risk knocking your confidence.

Start small

It’s natural that you might not feel completely assured at first. If that’s the case, don’t try and take too much on – get started with smaller trades where the potential losses will be minimal and work your way up from there. And it can help to stick to what you know. Data from the Australian Foreign Exchange Committee (AFXC) shows that the US Dollar is involved in 93% of all trades on the Australian forex market. So, why not make the most of the added stability provided by such a powerhouse currency.

Don’t despair

Are you thinking about venturing into investing? If so, you’re certainly not alone – more than 100,000 Australians traded on the forex market or via contracts for difference (CFDs) in 2021. Of course, there are no guarantees of successful returns and you have to prepare yourself for the possibility that you will lose money along the way.

That’s why, if you’re just starting out as a forex trader or seeking to operate in any other market, it’s imperative you take steps to build your confidence before you begin. Here are a few tips to help you do that.

Educate yourself

Jumping into the markets without doing your research is only likely to end in failure. You need to take the time to familiarise yourself with the sector(s) you’ll be focusing on, seeing how the trends develop and building up your experience without any of the risk. Only by gaining that level of understanding can you feel confident in your ability to expose yourself to the market for real. 

Set realistic goals

There’s no sense in setting yourself unattainable targets, as you’re only likely to feel disappointed if you fall short. There are no guarantees in trading, and that needs to be reflected in your objectives. Think about what success looks like for you – is it a certain percentage of profitable trades? Do you have a bottom-line figure in mind? Perhaps you’d be happy with breaking even in the early stages of your journey. Whatever your goals, make sure they work for you or you risk knocking your confidence.

Start small

It’s natural that you might not feel completely assured at first. If that’s the case, don’t try and take too much on – get started with smaller trades where the potential losses will be minimal and work your way up from there. And it can help to stick to what you know. Data from the Australian Foreign Exchange Committee (AFXC) shows that the US Dollar is involved in 93% of all trades on the Australian forex market. So, why not make the most of the added stability provided by such a powerhouse currency.

Don’t despair

If things don’t go to plan at first, try not to worry. All traders experience losses and it’s important that you accept that they will come with the territory. When this inevitably happens, take the learnings from it and use the knowledge to inform your future decisions.

If things don’t go to plan at first, try not to worry. All traders experience losses and it’s important that you accept that they will come with the territory. When this inevitably happens, take the learnings from it and use the knowledge to inform your future decisions.

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