Nick Goold
Setting forex trading goals is essential to achieving success in the forex market. Naturally, all traders want to make as much money as possible trading forex, but focusing on monetary goals alone can make it more challenging to become a profitable trader.
Expecting to make profits quickly can lead to disappointment and poor trading decisions. Setting achievable goals not only focused on making profits will help you stay motivated and prevent avoidable losses. Enjoying the trading process will make you much more likely to become a successful long-term trader.
Here are some steps to follow to set practical forex trading goals:
Determine your motivation
The first step in setting forex trading goals is determining why you want to trade forex. For example, do you want to make a full-time income from trading, or are you just looking to supplement your income? Are you looking to become a day trader or hold long-term positions?
Understanding your motivation will help you set realistic goals. Also, clarifying your motivation will help you understand the skills you need to master to become profitable.
Set realistic goals
Your forex trading goals should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART). For example, your goal might be to make a 10% return on investment over the next six months. While a monetary target is the first thing traders consider, achieving monetary targets depends on favorable market conditions. You might follow your strategy perfectly and trade well, but there is no guarantee of making profits in the short term. Monetary goals can lead to the trader feeling pressure and taking high-risk trades to achieve the goal.
Goals not connected to your account balance are also important, as they will help you improve your trading skills and keep you motivated.
Examples of nonmonetary goals are listed below:
- Follow your stop-loss rules ten days in a row.
- Set a daily trading time limit and follow it ten days in a row.
- Only trade your favorite forex pairs every day for a month.
Achieving your nonmonetary goals is much easier than monetary goals, so it will be easier to feel like you are making progress even if your profits are smaller than you would like. In addition, as your trading skills improve by following nonmonetary goals, your monetary goals will likely become achievable.
Consider your risk tolerance
Forex trading involves risk, and setting goals that align with your risk tolerance is essential. You should only risk what you can afford to lose. Don't set goals that require you to take excessive risks. Trying to hit difficult goals increases pressure, and you will likely suffer a significant loss. Setting small monetary goals will help confidence.
The attraction of forex trading is the ability to use leverage to increase your profits. It is easy to increase your position size when you become profitable and have a trading strategy that works. However, trading a large position too quickly can be dangerous and make it less likely you will achieve your long-term profitability goals.
Develop a trading plan
Once you've set your forex trading goals, you must develop a trading plan to help you achieve them. Your trading plan should outline your strategy, including entry and exit points, risk management, and position sizing.
Matching your trading plan with your goals is crucial. For example, a day trading strategy can achieve much higher monthly returns compared to a swing trading strategy but will require a different trading strategy. Developing a trading plan that matches your trading personality and lifestyle in conjunction with your trading goals is vital.
Review and adjust your goals
As you progress in your trading journey, it's essential to review and adjust your trading goals as needed. For example, adjust your goals accordingly if you find them too aggressive or not aggressive enough.
Your goals will likely be too aggressive as most traders underestimate how hard trading can be. However, setting more realistic goals is part of learning to become a profitable trader. Keep focused on the long-term goals of making consistent profits and accept it might take longer than you hope or expect.
Setting forex trading goals is crucial for success in the forex market. Following these steps, you can set realistic goals and develop a trading plan to help you achieve them. Always remain positive, improve your trading process every day, and not focus on short-term performance.
