Livingston Charting

Step 1: Learn technical analysis to understand price movement can absolutely be broken down to basic support and resistance.

Step 2: Spend years understanding and learning how to identify these areas, the psychology behind them, and how to build a strategy to take advantage of them. Years of accurate trade plans will build the confidence needed.

Step 3: Understand steps 1 and 2 were easy. Real work begins when it clicks that it's you vs you, not you vs the market. Get to work on discipline and patience, and get comfortable with dealing with fear and greed. You need to manage all of these things daily.

I don't believe there's an "I made it" moment. Maybe more like "I understand now" moment. Discipline and patience require constant and steady attention.

Discipline is your edge, not your strategy.

March started with a bang. Markets continuing to sell off and QQQ down 10% from all-time highs, sparking some fear in the charts.

Markets selling off, and I made money EVERY DAY this week by taking calls (meaning I need the market to go up). I look for the predictable reactions at volume zones, not reversals. I don't swing for the fences, I stack base hits (11 for 11 to start the month).

Here is a snapshot of how Friday's trade plan turned out. I post a premarket plan, the result, market analysis, and the trades I take every day! Check out more about how I do things for FREE over at www.LivingstonCharting.com

Consistency is key. January I went 33 for 34 on trades. Started the month off strong going 3 for 3 today. Base hits is where it's at.

One and done this morning with a base hit on SPY puts. I don't need to stick around when the goal is to play the first move. Another base hit puts me at 5 for 5 this week. See more about how I do things over at www.LivingstonCharting.com

"10 percent a day keeps the 9-5 away"

A couple of first reaction trades this morning. One short, one long. One took some sniper ex*****on, while the other focused on proper averaging. Both result in a green trade within just a few minutes with reactions at predetermined levels of support and resistance.

Despite what many think about trading, you don't need to stick around all day. I'm all about executing the plan. The plan calls for base hits. Reactions, not reversals. See how I do things over at www.LivingstonCharting.com

Another base hit to end the week. That makes 10 for 10 this week on first reaction trades. I don't stick around and trade all day. I stick to the first proper test of support or resistance, accept the outcome, and move on with my day. I aim for reactions, not reversals. Check out more about how I do things for free over at www.LivingstonCharting.com

Very accurate!

Patience and discipline at volume levels. 3 for 3 on first reaction trades today, 6 for 6 on the week. See more about how I do things (for free) over at www.LivingstonCharting.com

Three topics to touch on today:
1. How to lose
2. How to get back up
3. When to walk away

A major goal in trading (for me) is to learn from losses, and improve on past mistakes. In the past, today's action would have wiped out weeks of hard work. Today, while I started with a red trade, I couldn't be happier with how I managed it, turning a big red trade to a small manageable red with proper adding and trade management. Trades like these have taken years to get better at. Learning how to lose is paramount in trading. How are you with learning from a loss? Can you see the value in losing properly?

Another major aspect of trading, just like life, is being able to get back up after being knocked down. I continued to play calls (going long) while the market was going down and still managed 3 green trades out of 4! The last trade was nailing morning lows! First tests of support with proper targets is part of what allows this to happen. Do you struggle with getting back up after a loss?

The line between overtrading and taking valid trades can be a thin line. Additional trades shouldn't be about getting even or getting "green", but rather it's about taking valid trades to ensure you can bounce back from a red trade. It tests your mindset, your resolve. Understanding where that line is, well, that's one of the difficult parts of trading.

See more about how I do things over at www.LivingstonCharting.com

First test of a valid volume level with speed and distance in the morning session and taking profit on the first reaction is how I trade. Base hits. Ten percent a day keeps the 9-5 away.

The strategy is simple, but it's not easy. It's taken me years to understand, listen to, and manage my emotions while in a trade. It's a battle every day. Technical analysis is easy, trading is not, and they are most certainly two different things.

Since launching my website at the beginning of the month and showcasing my daily plans and results, I'm 41 for 42 on my trades, a performance I am proud of. It's not been perfect, a lot of room for improvement and growth. But I'm not after perfection, I'm focused on excellence, discipline, patience, and consistency.

See how I do things (for free) over at www.LivingstonCharting.com

Another solid trading day in the books. There are so many ways to play the game of markets. It's about finding the way that works for you. I see all over social media people swinging for the fences, looking for big trades, trying to catch a whole move. That's NOT how I do things.

My consistency (which is my goal) comes from taking advantage of the first reaction at predictable volume areas, keeping in check both fear and greed. 10% a day keeps the 9-5 away.

One has to buy at the scariest times with this strategy (facing fear), and stay consistent with profit targets (avoiding greed). Technical analysis is easy, going to battle against your fear/greed is where the real work is put in. See more about how I do things over at www.LivingstonCharting.com

1. The plan (timestamped)
2. Morning snapshot
3. The trades