Learning Your Risk Tolerance The secret to successful investing is learning your own style, or in other words trading method(s) that work for you. There is no correct approach that everyone should learn. However, every trader needs to assess how much risk they can comfortably handle. It is the single most important investment issue for long-term success in the Forex market.
Whether it is investing, driving, flying, swimming, or just walking down the street, everyone exposes themselves to risk. Your personality and lifestyle play a big role on how much risk you are comfortable with. For most investors, risk simply means "losing money." But if your investment choices leave you unable to sleep at night you are probably taking on too much risk.
The Different Types of RiskThere are two basic classifications of risk: Systematic Risk - A risk that influences a large number of currency pairs. Examples of systematic risk are global political events, natural disasters, or war. Unsystematic Risk - Sometimes referred to as "specific risk". Its risk affects a very small number of currencies and currency pairs. An example is economic news that affects a specific country or region, such as a sudden strike by employees or a change in the Canadian interest rate. Diversification across multiple non-related currency pairs is the only way to truly protect yourself from unsystematic risk. The Risk Reward BalanceThe risk/return balance could easily be called the iron stomach test. Deciding what amount of risk you can take on while allowing yourself to walk away from your computer without worrying and to get sound rest at night while you have long-term trades open is a trader's foremost important decision. The risk/return balance is the balance a trader must decide on between the lowest possible risk for the highest possible return. Remember to keep in mind that low levels of uncertainty (low risk) are associated with low potential returns and high levels of uncertainty (high risk) are associated with high potential returns. Trading is all about risk and probabilities. Understanding the inner functions of your trading strategy(s) and proper placement of entry and exit orders will assist in limiting your risk exposure while maximizing your profit potential. There is Not One Correct Risk LevelJust as there is no single favorite food for everyone, there is no right risk level for everyone. Only you can determine what level of risk is right for you. You need to find the right balance between the amount of risk you are willing to take, and the amount of risk you can actually take. All too often investors think they are willing to take risk, but when it happens, they find out they aren't. Surviving in the market long-term is the most important way to make the market work for you. To do that, you need to learn your own risk tolerance ability. This could mean that you loose money during this learning process, but if this loss helps you achieve this level of understanding then you can financially afford the loss. This financial and emotional tuition is a valuable trading resource and something most experienced investors have paid through the process of trial and error. In ConclusionDifferent individuals will have different tolerances for risk. Tolerance is not static, it will change along with your skills and knowledge. As you become more experienced tolerance to risk may increase as your strategies or systems of trading become more and more proven in your mind and wallet. But don't let this fool you into not adhering to and thinking about proper money management practices. Achieving the right median between risk and return will ensure that you achieve your financial goals while allowing you to get a good nights rest. |