Don’t look back on missed opportunities, or on trades in which you banked less than there was on the table, or you were stopped on the last tick… try to learn from your mistakes. Have I made the right decision? The question you will constantly ask yourself. Good preparation will minimize those kind of mistakes, but you can’t dwell in the past. Trader must look forward, to find new opportunities, find new entries.
This is a folks story about regret, that you can apply to trading. I have translated it from Serbian, so there could be some mistakes, but the moral of the story is what counts.
The Dark Cave
It is being told how some emperor, coming with his army to the end of the world, went to the dark cave, where nothing could ever be seen. Not knowing how shall they return back, they left there mares' foals at the entry of the cave, so that the mares would lead them out from the darkness. Inside the dark cave, they felt some tiny stones under their feet. Then, from the darkness something yelled: "If you take these stones – you will regret that, and if you don't take them – you will regret that!" Some of the soldiers were thinking: "If I should regret that, why should I take any?" And others: "I will take at least one stone." When they have returned from the darkness into the world, the cave entrance disappeared. They found out that the stones were not plain rocks, but all of it were gemstones. Then those who haven't took any stones started feeling regret for they haven't, and those who have took some, for they haven't took more.