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Last week the Australian market went up with some hefty volume behind it. Well "it's all happening" as those of you who remember Bill Laurie, the excitable cricket commentator, liked to say.

Lots of new 52 week closing highs last week, perhaps as a result of the Brexit and English situation settling, perhaps of more money being pumped in, but who really knows and do we actually need to know to trade well?

For example the eBook system is now sitting on a return of 31% p.a for the calendar year of 2019 (more if you were compounding from the year before) and as of the end of this week, Peters Portfolio is up over 50% for the same year. Both results achieved from a year of extreme uncertainty. However I know from my two professions of Zen and trading, nothing is permanent or predictable. To be effective as traders (and people) we need to learn how to detach from having to know the what and why of everything.  What we know now is 2019 has certainly been a dynamic year and great rewards for those that stuck to their system.

If you are asking I wonder how the year will end? I wonder how next year will be? Perhaps you could ask not why, but what? A more productive question may be "what is happening and what can I do about it?"

Perhaps also this is a good time to repeat the teaching mantra from my eBook Trading Mindfully using Winning Probability.

There are 2 reasons why traders do not make money from the market.

1/ They do not have a method

2/ If they do have a method, they won't stick to it.

If you are not achieving the results you would like, I suggest it will be because of one or both those reasons.

Investing in the markets is risky, and there are always those reminding of you of that or making it incredibly frightening with doom and gloom comments. The best way to manage that risk and keep your sanity is with a method that you feel you can stick to when the going gets tough. For example my trading method risks less than 1% (0.75 to be exact) of capital on every every trade, I could use more risk in an attempt to boost profit but I don't want the volatility. I know from experience that the second reason above has been my greatest challenge, and I am guessing that is the case for the majority of market participants. 

I am busy at present writing my second book on that topic, but I do have time for a free 30 minute consult about coaching if you're thinking about it.

I stumbled across these wonderful quotes about Christmas, from Mary Rose O'Reilly, the author of The love of Impermanent Things.

Shopping
May I walk mindfully amid distraction, attraction, neediness, and panic, remembering that peace is every step.

Giving a gift
In this season of high expectations, may I lovingly offer what is truly needed.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Peter Castle

(Rev. Taishin Shodo)

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