Note: This week's Market Outlook was covered by Optionetics.com.au's Sinan Koray.

"I am not good at maths. I just freeze in front of the computer. Numbers confuse me. Calculating when to buy when to sell is so hard, why doesn't someone just tell me?" Does this sound familiar to you? Is someone you know in that situation? Is it you?

I had a fantastic history teacher. He weaved passion into the facts and figures that we had to remember. He used the human elements of kings and queens, armies and nations to tell us stories. Why did this country attack that country, why did the war go on for so long? The whole class sat mesmerized, listening to the intrigue of history. We of course remembered everything.

People who did not like maths in school simply did not have a good teacher. Similarly if you hesitate at the words "Trading System" or "Trading Plan" it is probably for the lack of a good teacher. If you attend a course and do not take anything in, the course is useless. Why would you not take anything in? Learning is a two way street. You need a good teacher and you need a good student (that is you!)

The learning process is like how the market moves. You study, you attend a course and you go forward a fair bit. The course ends, the study ends. You pull back a little. If you do absolutely nothing with the information, then the pullback continues and takes you further back. If on the other hand you put in some time, energy and practice you reverse the pullback and start moving forward. Then you need another push so you do some more study and attend another course. Like the market, you go beyond where you went first round.

The course ends and there is a little pullback. The same cycle continues. The markets need buyers and sellers to keep them active and liquid. Similarly you need activity in your learning to take you further, to keep you active.

If you have a good teacher, this process becomes easier. What is a good teacher? One who can relate the material to you and your life with examples, analogies, stories, a little humour, plenty of wisdom and experience. If you are a good student, this process becomes easier. What is a good student? One who has an open mind, gets involved, answers questions, asks questions, participates in activities and exercises.

If you like numbers, analysis, study, systems, plans, this is great. If you don't, it is in your hands to change your story. Quoting W.D.Gann, "If you want to make a success and make profits, your object must be to know more; study all the time." Learning and its rewards are waiting for you.

Believe, achieve

Sinan Koray
Trading Tutors Team