Today marks 5 months into my journey. I've taken to heart what Tim Sykes, Tim Bohen, and Stephen Johnson have said about one's journey; it's going to take time. When I began I wanted to be realistic about my goals and the results I can expect to see. 6 months study, 6 months paper trade along with study, and then start trading for real.

Today I did a mock run of a trading day. First one ever. Woke up at 6am MST, prepared myself for market open with some study and premarket preparations, and then set up my game plans for two tickers that caught my eye. VSTM for long and BLNK for short.  

Long story short:

Had my trades gone in with no issues, I would have walked away with a total profit of $54. After commissions, I figured I would have landed around $35. 

Lessons learned:

1) The temptation to hold on to a stock longer than you planned for is intense. Sticking to your plan is crucial. VSTM did not long like I thought it would and ended up being a dead fish. At least I got out with profit. BLNK did not short to the level I thought it would. Missed out on the lowest point which happened in the first 15 minutes of market open. Again, exited at a profit but not where I should have. 

2) Planning your moves is crucial if you don't want to be overrun with emotions, ie. FOMO.

 

Overall great experience. Excited to continue to progress. Excited for the journey. 

I would love feedback/suggestions if anything comes to mind. Cheers.