In trading a number of different understandings help a trader become successful.

My experience is that most traders underestimate the practice and repetition that it takes

to fully integrate an understanding with the practice of trading. I have heard alot of stories and seen

traders go through only a couple of weeks or no practice with their tools and start trading

and empty their account.

I have also talked with a number of traders who have spent years paper trading and

developing their strategies without ever trading real time, or without finding a way to speed

up the process. If a plane was in danger of running out of jet fuel before take off, possibly the

pilot has been on too long a runway.

My solution to this is to drill and practice intensively, until the actions and recognition and

understanding of the trading system are fully understood so as to be automatic. What has been

in most cases overanalyzed and excused as emotional trading really usually is a failure to have

a fully understood and practiced trading plan in the first place.

Further I would suggest that it is really not possible to fully understand a plan without practicing its

execution in strenuous conditions, and repeatedly - until that execution is flawless. Most traders I

have been associated with seem to think it could be a good idea to practice, then either practice on

runway of simulated live trading, waiting endless hours for something to happen, and never really fully

doing all the simulations possible, or they do a few orientation type exercises such as pushing buy and sell

buttons, and leave it to that.

A professional does everything that is necessary to bring up his understanding and skill.