[thalestrader]

Hi folks,

I know that sick will, at some point, explain to us his approach to money management and how he manages to trade a small account. I have no such secrets to tell. Someone mentioned in a PM to me this evening that he is looking forward to learning how to trade a small stake to one million dollars. Well, so am I! I am here to learn by doing.

Taking 1k to 1 million is, admittedly, a seemingly insurmountable task. Certainly it is a rare feat. But it has been done. Typically the time span is measured in years if not decades, rather than weeks, but it has been done. It is well known that Richard Dennis parlayed an initial $200 stake into an estimated $200 million fortune. Of course, this was done over many, many years, and not over the course of a 20 week contest.

While I intend to give it the "old college try," I know the odds do not favor me parlaying my initial $1500 to $1,000,000 during the initial 20 week period, I am going to try. But in order to try, I must learn how.

In another PM I received, a TL member said he'd like to participate, but, perhaps fearing failure, he did not feel comfortable making his attempt in so public a manner.

Here is what I said to him:

I think a thread tracking our efforts to grow a real trading stake from a small stake is a worthwhile thread on its own, whether any of us turns a million or not, don't you? I started trading stocks with a mere 5K in 1986, added options in 1987 when my balance was but 10K, and I funded my first futures account with a paltry $3K taken from my stock account in 1995. We all have to start somewhere, and most of us start small.

While I'd love to make a million out of my sand box, I am starting off with a much humbler goal of doubling the $1500 to $3000 without falling below $750 in the process. We'll see how that goes. After all, if I am to make a million, I have first to make $100, right? Making a $100 profit on a $1500 stake hardly seems ridiculous, now does it? If $100, is reasonable, then, given some time and opportunity, is $500 ridiculous? Hardly. And if $500, why not a double? A $1500 stake run to a $1500 profit? No mean feat, but certainly not insurmountable, wouldn't you say?

The secret to this thread, I feel, is this - too many are overwhelmed by the sheer ridiculousness of attempting to run 1K to 1 million. However, if you break the ridiculous up into less and less and less ridiculous goals, eventually you will get to a level that not only is no longer ridiculous, but is downright reasonable.

Trade for the reasonable, and at some point, you may astonish yourself to find you have accomplished the ridiculous.

Best Wishes,

Thales

[sicktrader]

Well, I don't want to get into details until I have proven something. At this point, I am fine, as I needed to get by $1,300 to reduce the risk of blow-out to single digits. The next step will be to add another contract at $2,600, then every $1,300 from there. In my 20 week goal I assumed doubling my account every two weeks, but my average is better that. I also have a reserve fund, built from what I take out of my account, to use when I have a bad week, which does happen. I have numerous expected trades before the end of the week, so I'll just wait and see how that plays out. I'll stop for the week if I get up 100 to 120 points, which would mean I have doubled. Up 45 points so far, so one or two trades could get me there. Then again, I can lose 50 in a day.

[thalestrader]

Originally Posted by sicktrader »

... The next step will be to add another contract ...

What you have outlined here is very close to what I have worked up on my end. I have several weeks coming up where I will be unable to trade much if at all, however, so my pace will be hampered somewhat. But I am having great fun puzzling this out.

Best Wishes,

Thales

[sicktrader]

On another note, one thing that has always pissed me off are those people saying that "if you double every two weeks you would be a billionaire in blah blah blah". Well, I don't perpetually increase my account. I have a base, I double it, then I cash out, then do it again the next week. I also have a reserve fund ready to post up when I have a big drawdown, which happens a few times a year. I know what I need, or want, to make each month, and I make it. This isn't that difficult.

[macdfx]

Just a tip to those of you posting actual account statements...

Unless you know how to redact them appropriately, please don't expose your details to the world.

Enoch, you might want to take a second look at your recent 4/27 statement above, as I didn't have to do anything special to reveal your data in that .pdf file

[bathrobe]

how late is the latest possible time to post a statement from the 28th?

[snowbird]

Originally Posted by enochbenjamin »

I might add slow stochastics (5,3,3) after a losing streak - not for entry but to filter out trades.

Interesting... most advocate a slow stoch for entry. Care to elaborate how you employ it as a filter?

snowbird

[thalestrader]

Originally Posted by macdfx »

Just a tip to those of you posting actual account statements...

Unless you know how to redact them appropriately, please don't expose your details to the world.

I would suggest taking a screen capture and posting a .jpeg rather than the actual .pdf of your statement.

Best Wishes,

Thales