Based on the Chinese analysis, 股票大作手利弗莫尔的交易精髓 (Trading Secrets of Jesse Livermore)
股票大作手利弗莫尔的交易精髓 is a Chinese-language distillation and analysis of Jesse Livermore's trading methodology. Rather than retelling the Livermore story (which Reminiscences of a Stock Operator and How to Trade in Stocks already do), this book takes a practitioner's approach: it extracts the operational essence (交易精髓) of Livermore's methods and reorganizes them into a framework that modern traders can directly implement.
The book's central thesis is that Livermore's genius was not in any single technique but in his systematic integration of five capabilities:
Livermore's own How to Trade in Stocks presents the Market Key system in detail but does not contextualize it within a broader trading workflow. Reminiscences provides the philosophical foundation but is narrative, not systematic. This Chinese analysis bridges the gap by:
The principles are market-agnostic. Livermore traded equities and commodities; the Chinese analysis explicitly notes that these methods apply to:
The book distills Livermore's approach into a hierarchy of twelve core rules, ordered by priority. When rules conflict, the higher-numbered rule yields to the lower.
The single most important rule. No individual stock position should be initiated against the prevailing market trend. A rising tide lifts all boats; a falling tide sinks them. This is the supreme filter that must be satisfied before any other analysis matters.
IF general_market_trend == UNCLEAR:
ACTION = DO_NOTHING
IF general_market_trend == BULLISH:
ALLOWED_DIRECTION = LONG_ONLY
IF general_market_trend == BEARISH:
ALLOWED_DIRECTION = SHORT_ONLY
Within a bull market, not all stocks rise equally. Livermore concentrated on the group leaders (龙头股) — the stocks that moved first and farthest in the strongest industry groups. The logic: if you must take risk, take it on the names most likely to move in your favor with the greatest magnitude.
RANK sectors by relative_strength over trailing 6-12 months
SELECT top 2-3 sectors
WITHIN each sector, RANK stocks by:
- Price leadership (making new highs first)
- Volume leadership (highest relative volume on up days)
- Earnings leadership (fastest growth)
SELECT top 1-2 stocks per sector
Never enter a position simply because the trend is favorable. Wait for the stock to reach a pivot point (关键点) — a specific price level where a breakout or breakdown confirms the next leg of the move. Entering at the pivot point provides the tightest possible stop-loss and the clearest confirmation.
A valid pivot point breakout must be accompanied by above-average volume. Volume is the fuel that drives price. A breakout on low volume is suspect; a breakout on expanding volume is credible.
Never commit the full position at once. Enter in stages (probes), increasing size only as the market confirms the trade is working.
Every position must have a maximum loss threshold defined before entry. When that threshold is reached, exit immediately with no hesitation, no averaging down, no hoping for a reversal.
The mirror image of Rule 6. Do not exit a winning position merely because you have a profit. Exit only when the trend reverses or your trailing stop is hit. The asymmetry between cutting losses short and letting profits run is what generates positive expectancy.
Adding to a losing position is the single most destructive practice in speculation. It violates Rule 6, increases exposure to a trade that the market is telling you is wrong, and converts small losses into catastrophic ones.
When the market is unclear, the correct position is cash. Having no position is itself a powerful position — it preserves capital and preserves optionality. The amateur feels compelled to always be in the market; the professional knows that the most profitable action is often inaction.
Multiple conditions must converge before a trade is taken: general market direction, group strength, individual stock at a pivot point, volume confirmation. Missing even one condition means no trade. This patience filter eliminates the vast majority of potential trades — and that is exactly the point.
Record every trade, including the rationale for entry, the rationale for exit, the emotional state at each decision point, and the outcome. This record is the raw material for self-improvement.
Follow a small number of stocks (6-10 maximum). Deep knowledge of a few names is far more valuable than superficial knowledge of many. Livermore monitored the entire market but concentrated his capital in a handful of positions at any given time.
Livermore's "tape reading" (看盘) is not about watching every tick. It is about interpreting the behavior of price and volume to determine the balance between supply and demand. The Chinese analysis identifies four specific patterns that Livermore watched for:
Price holds steady or declines slightly on declining volume, then tests a support level multiple times without breaking it. Each test occurs on lower volume than the previous test. This indicates that selling pressure is exhausting itself and that a strong hand is absorbing all available supply.
def detect_absorption(bars, support_level, lookback=20):
tests = []
for bar in bars[-lookback:]:
if bar.low <= support_level * 1.01:
tests.append(bar)
if len(tests) < 2:
return False
# Volume should decline on each successive test
volumes_declining = all(
tests[i].volume < tests[i-1].volume
for i in range(1, len(tests))
)
# Price range should narrow
ranges_narrowing = all(
(tests[i].high - tests[i].low) < (tests[i-1].high - tests[i-1].low)
for i in range(1, len(tests))
)
return volumes_declining and ranges_narrowing
After a period of consolidation at a pivot level, price surges through the pivot on volume that is at least 50% above the 20-day average. The breakout day should close in the upper 25% of its range. This signals that demand has overwhelmed supply and the next leg of the move has begun.
def confirm_breakout(bar, pivot_price, avg_volume_20d):
price_cleared = bar.close > pivot_price
volume_surge = bar.volume >= avg_volume_20d * 1.5
strong_close = (bar.close - bar.low) / (bar.high - bar.low) >= 0.75
return price_cleared and volume_surge and strong_close
The mirror image of absorption. Price reaches new highs but on declining volume. Each rally to a new high is met with increasing selling. Wide-range bars on high volume that close in the lower half of the range (churning) are the hallmark. This indicates that a strong hand is distributing shares to the public.
def detect_distribution(bars, lookback=20):
highs = [(i, b) for i, b in enumerate(bars[-lookback:]) if is_new_high(b, bars)]
if len(highs) < 2:
return False
volume_increasing_on_downs = False
for i in range(1, len(bars[-lookback:])):
bar = bars[-lookback + i]
if bar.close < bar.open: # Down day
if bar.volume > bars[-lookback + i - 1].volume:
volume_increasing_on_downs = True
# New highs on declining volume
volume_declining_on_highs = all(
highs[i][1].volume < highs[i-1][1].volume
for i in range(1, len(highs))
)
return volume_declining_on_highs or volume_increasing_on_downs
A climax is the terminal phase of a move — the final exhaustion of buyers in an uptrend or sellers in a downtrend. Characteristics:
def detect_climax(bar, recent_bars, direction):
max_volume = max(b.volume for b in recent_bars)
max_range = max(b.high - b.low for b in recent_bars)
is_extreme_volume = bar.volume >= max_volume * 0.9
is_extreme_range = (bar.high - bar.low) >= max_range * 0.9
if direction == "UP":
reversal_close = bar.close < (bar.high + bar.low) / 2
return is_extreme_volume and is_extreme_range and reversal_close
else:
reversal_close = bar.close > (bar.high + bar.low) / 2
return is_extreme_volume and is_extreme_range and reversal_close
A pivot point (关键点) is a specific price level where the probability of a decisive directional move is highest. It is not a calculated value (like a floor trader's pivot formula); it is a structural feature of the price action — a level where supply or demand is concentrated due to prior trading activity.
Type 1 — Continuation Pivot (趋势延续关键点): During an established uptrend, price consolidates in a narrow range for days or weeks, then breaks out to new highs. The top of the consolidation range is the pivot. This is the most common and most reliable pivot type.
Type 2 — Reversal Pivot (趋势反转关键点): After an extended decline, price forms a base (absorption pattern), then breaks above the top of the base. The breakout level is the pivot. This is higher-risk because it bets on a trend change, but higher-reward because it catches the beginning of a new trend.
Type 3 — Tandem Pivot (联动关键点): When a leading stock breaks out at a pivot, its closest peer (tandem stock) is monitored for a confirming breakout at its own pivot within a narrow time window (1-5 days). The tandem confirmation elevates the probability of the initial signal.
The Chinese analysis emphasizes that Livermore's pivot point entries were not merely about price level — they incorporated a time element (时间要素):
def evaluate_pivot_timing(stock, pivot_price, consolidation_days):
"""
The longer the consolidation before the pivot breakout,
the more powerful the subsequent move.
"""
if consolidation_days < 5:
timing_quality = "WEAK" # Too brief; likely noise
elif consolidation_days < 15:
timing_quality = "MODERATE" # Acceptable
elif consolidation_days < 40:
timing_quality = "STRONG" # Ideal — spring is fully coiled
else:
timing_quality = "CAUTION" # Overextended base; may break down
return timing_quality
Livermore paid intense attention to how a stock behaved immediately after breaking through a pivot point. The Chinese analysis codifies this into the "first pullback test" (首次回踩测试):
def evaluate_first_pullback(entry_price, pivot_price, pullback_low, pullback_volume,
breakout_volume):
decline_pct = (entry_price - pullback_low) / entry_price
held_above_pivot = pullback_low > pivot_price
volume_declined = pullback_volume < breakout_volume * 0.7
if decline_pct <= 0.05 and held_above_pivot and volume_declined:
return "HEALTHY" # Add to position on resumption
elif decline_pct > 0.07 or not held_above_pivot:
return "FAILED" # Exit immediately
else:
return "AMBIGUOUS" # Hold, do not add, tighten stop
Pyramiding (金字塔加仓法) is the practice of adding to a winning position in decreasing increments. The Chinese analysis emphasizes that Livermore never added to a full position all at once — he probed the market in stages, using each subsequent addition to confirm that the trade was working.
PROBE 1 (Initial): 20% of intended full position
PROBE 2 (Confirmation): 20% of intended full position
PROBE 3 (Full commit): 60% of intended full position
Probe 1 is placed when the pivot point is broken on sufficient volume. The risk is defined: if the stock reverses through the pivot, the loss is small (20% of intended size times the distance to the stop).
Probe 2 is placed only after Probe 1 shows a profit (typically 2-3% above the first entry). The stop for the entire position is raised to the Probe 1 entry price, making the trade roughly break-even in the worst case.
Probe 3 is the commitment of the remaining 60%. It is placed only after Probe 2 shows a profit and the general market and group conditions remain favorable. The stop is raised to the Probe 2 entry price.
The structure ensures that the largest portion of capital is committed only after the market has confirmed the trade twice. If the trade fails early, losses are contained to 20% of the intended position. The expected value is positive because winners receive full size and losers receive minimal size.
def pyramid_entry(stock, pivot_price, intended_shares, account):
"""
Livermore's three-probe pyramiding sequence.
"""
# Probe 1
probe1_shares = int(intended_shares * 0.20)
probe1_price = pivot_price # Entry at pivot breakout
initial_stop = pivot_price * 0.93 # 7% below pivot
execute_buy(stock, probe1_shares, probe1_price)
set_stop(stock, initial_stop)
# Wait for confirmation...
# Probe 2 — only if Probe 1 is profitable by 2-3%
if stock.current_price >= probe1_price * 1.025:
probe2_shares = int(intended_shares * 0.20)
probe2_price = stock.current_price
execute_buy(stock, probe2_shares, probe2_price)
set_stop(stock, probe1_price) # Raise stop to breakeven
# Probe 3 — only if Probe 2 is profitable and conditions hold
if stock.current_price >= probe2_price * 1.025:
if general_market_still_bullish() and group_still_leading():
probe3_shares = int(intended_shares * 0.60)
probe3_price = stock.current_price
execute_buy(stock, probe3_shares, probe3_price)
set_stop(stock, probe2_price) # Raise stop again
Once the full position is established, Livermore would not add more shares at higher prices. The pyramiding is complete. From this point, the only actions are:
Livermore's absolute rule: never lose more than 10% of trading capital on any single trade. The Chinese analysis notes this is the hard ceiling — the actual target should be 5-7% per trade, with 10% as the disaster stop.
def calculate_position_size(account_equity, entry_price, stop_price,
max_risk_pct=0.07):
risk_per_share = entry_price - stop_price
max_dollar_risk = account_equity * max_risk_pct
max_shares = int(max_dollar_risk / risk_per_share)
return max_shares
Livermore never deployed all his capital. The Chinese analysis identifies his standard allocation:
ACTIVE TRADING CAPITAL: 60% of total equity
RESERVE CAPITAL: 30% of total equity (for averaging up / new opportunities)
ABSOLUTE RESERVE: 10% of total equity (never touched, emergency fund)
The reserve capital serves two purposes:
MAX positions at any time: 4-6
MAX capital in any single position: 25% of active trading capital
MAX capital in any single sector: 40% of active trading capital
MIN cash reserve at all times: 10% of total equity
After a significant drawdown, Livermore reduced position sizes dramatically. The Chinese analysis codifies this:
def adjust_size_after_drawdown(current_equity, peak_equity, normal_size):
drawdown_pct = (peak_equity - current_equity) / peak_equity
if drawdown_pct < 0.10:
return normal_size # Normal sizing
elif drawdown_pct < 0.20:
return normal_size * 0.50 # Half size
elif drawdown_pct < 0.30:
return normal_size * 0.25 # Quarter size
else:
return 0 # Stop trading, go to cash, reassess
Once a position shows a significant open profit (20%+), the trailing stop is tightened to protect at least half the gain. The exact level depends on the volatility of the stock and the character of the trend.
def update_trailing_stop(position, current_price):
unrealized_pct = (current_price - position.avg_entry) / position.avg_entry
if unrealized_pct >= 0.20:
# Protect at least 50% of open profit
min_stop = position.avg_entry + (current_price - position.avg_entry) * 0.50
position.stop = max(position.stop, min_stop)
elif unrealized_pct >= 0.10:
# Protect at least 30% of open profit
min_stop = position.avg_entry + (current_price - position.avg_entry) * 0.30
position.stop = max(position.stop, min_stop)
The Chinese analysis identifies Livermore's method for reading the overall market as a composite assessment of four factors:
def assess_general_market(leading_stocks, sector_data, market_volume, news_reactions):
leaders_score = score_leaders(leading_stocks)
breadth_score = score_breadth(sector_data)
volume_score = score_volume_pattern(market_volume)
reaction_score = score_news_reactions(news_reactions)
composite = (leaders_score * 0.30 + breadth_score * 0.25 +
volume_score * 0.25 + reaction_score * 0.20)
if composite > 0.65:
return "BULLISH"
elif composite < 0.35:
return "BEARISH"
else:
return "UNCLEAR"
Livermore recognized three distinct phases, each with different trading implications:
Phase 1 — Accumulation (积累期): Smart money is buying. The public is still bearish from the prior decline. Stocks base, absorption patterns appear, volume is quiet. This phase rewards reversal pivot entries but carries higher risk.
Phase 2 — Public Participation (参与期): The trend is established. Earnings are improving. The public begins buying. Volume expands on advances. This is the safest and most profitable phase for trend followers. Continuation pivots are abundant.
Phase 3 — Distribution (派发期): Everyone is bullish. Stocks make new highs on declining volume. Insiders and smart money are selling to the public. This phase produces false breakouts and climax action. The correct posture is to begin reducing positions and raising stops aggressively.
MANDATORY CASH conditions:
- General market direction is UNCLEAR
- Market is in Phase 3 (distribution) and showing climax signals
- A major drawdown has occurred (>20% from peak equity)
- Your last 3 consecutive trades were losers (method may not suit conditions)
- You feel emotionally compromised (anger, revenge, euphoria)
The Chinese analysis devotes significant attention to short selling, noting that Livermore made some of his greatest fortunes on the short side (most famously in 1907 and 1929). The rules mirror the long-side rules with specific adaptations.
ALL of the following must be true:
1. General market trend = BEARISH
2. Target stock's sector/group is among the weakest
3. Target stock is a laggard within a weak group (NOT the strongest in the group)
4. Price has broken below a key support level (reversal pivot)
5. Volume expands on the breakdown
6. Prior rally attempts have failed at declining resistance levels
The same three-probe structure applies, but inverted:
SHORT PROBE 1: Sell short 20% at breakdown of support pivot
SHORT PROBE 2: Sell short 20% more if price declines 2-3% further
SHORT PROBE 3: Sell short remaining 60% on continued confirmation
STOP: Above the broken support level (now resistance) + margin
The Chinese analysis identifies three asymmetries:
A selling climax (卖出高潮) marks the end of a decline:
def detect_selling_climax(bar, recent_bars, trend_duration):
is_highest_volume = bar.volume >= max(b.volume for b in recent_bars) * 0.95
is_widest_range = (bar.high - bar.low) >= max(b.high - b.low for b in recent_bars) * 0.9
gap_down_open = bar.open < recent_bars[-1].close
recovery_close = bar.close > (bar.high + bar.low) / 2
extended_trend = trend_duration >= 30 # At least 30 days of decline
return (is_highest_volume and is_widest_range and
gap_down_open and recovery_close and extended_trend)
When a selling climax is detected, cover all short positions immediately.
The Chinese analysis identifies Livermore's four psychological adversaries:
Fear (恐惧): Causes the trader to exit winners too early, to avoid entering valid setups, or to freeze when a stop-loss should be executed. Fear is most dangerous when it prevents you from following your system.
Greed (贪婪): Causes the trader to overtrade, over-leverage, hold losing positions hoping for recovery, or add to positions that are already fully sized.
Hope (希望): The most insidious enemy. Hope prevents the trader from cutting losses. It whispers that the stock will come back. Livermore said hope should be reserved for the winning side — when you have a profit, hope it continues. When you have a loss, hope has no place.
Boredom (无聊): Causes the trader to enter positions when no valid setup exists, simply because inactivity feels unproductive. Livermore insisted that the ability to sit and do nothing was the rarest and most valuable trading skill.
The book codifies specific behavioral rules to counter each enemy:
PROTOCOL: Anti-Fear
- Pre-define every stop-loss BEFORE entry
- Use limit orders for stops to remove real-time decision-making
- Accept that losses are a cost of doing business, not personal failure
- Review your win rate and average win/loss ratio monthly to build confidence
PROTOCOL: Anti-Greed
- Never exceed position size limits regardless of conviction
- Never add to a losing position
- If you catch yourself calculating potential profits, stop and focus on risk
- After a large win, reduce size on the next trade (euphoria impairs judgment)
PROTOCOL: Anti-Hope
- Use hard stops, not mental stops
- When a stop is hit, execute immediately and review LATER
- If you find yourself rationalizing why the stop should be moved, that is
confirmation that the stop should NOT be moved
PROTOCOL: Anti-Boredom
- Maintain a daily routine (market analysis, journal) even when not trading
- Define your waiting criteria in writing and review them daily
- Treat cash as an active position, not an absence of activity
- Set a minimum number of conditions that must be met before any trade
After every losing trade, Livermore imposed a mandatory cooling-off period. The Chinese analysis recommends:
def post_loss_protocol(consecutive_losses, last_loss_size, account):
if consecutive_losses == 1:
# Single loss: review, journal, resume normal operations
wait_days = 0
size_multiplier = 1.0
elif consecutive_losses == 2:
# Two consecutive: reduce size, slow down
wait_days = 1
size_multiplier = 0.75
elif consecutive_losses == 3:
# Three consecutive: significant reduction, mandatory pause
wait_days = 3
size_multiplier = 0.50
elif consecutive_losses >= 4:
# Four or more: stop trading, go to cash, full reassessment
wait_days = 7
size_multiplier = 0.0 # No trading until review complete
return wait_days, size_multiplier
The Chinese analysis catalogs the errors that Livermore himself committed and observed in others, organized by category:
Entering before the pivot is reached. Anticipating the breakout rather than waiting for confirmation. This is the product of impatience and produces trades with wider stops and lower probability.
Entering on insufficient volume. A pivot breakout without volume expansion is unreliable. Many failed trades originate from ignoring the volume requirement.
Entering against the general market. Finding a "great stock" in a bear market and convincing yourself it will buck the trend. It almost never does.
Entering too many positions simultaneously. Diluting attention and capital across too many names, making it impossible to manage any of them properly.
Averaging down. The cardinal sin. Every dollar added to a losing position increases exposure to a thesis the market has already rejected.
Moving stops to avoid being stopped out. This is hope masquerading as analysis. The stop was set for a reason; moving it invalidates the risk framework.
Adding to the full position. Once pyramiding is complete, the position is full. Adding more violates the concentration limits and the risk budget.
Taking profits too early. Selling a winner at the first sign of a pullback rather than waiting for the trailing stop to be hit. This caps upside and destroys the positive skew of the system.
Failing to exit at the stop. Every system produces losses. Refusing to accept them converts small, manageable losses into account-threatening drawdowns.
Exiting based on tips or opinions. Letting someone else's view override your system. If the system says hold, hold. If the system says exit, exit.
Trading for revenge. After a loss, immediately re-entering to "get it back." This almost always leads to a second loss, compounding the damage.
Trading out of boredom. Entering positions when no valid setup exists, simply to feel engaged with the market.
Changing the method mid-trade. Entering on a technical breakout, then holding through the stop because of a fundamental argument. Pick one method and follow it consistently.
Over-confidence after a winning streak. Increasing size beyond the rules after several consecutive wins. The next loss, which is inevitable, will be oversized.
This example illustrates Livermore's method applied to a hypothetical leading stock during a bull market, following the Chinese analysis framework.
General market: Confirmed BULLISH. Leading indices are making new highs on expanding volume. Breadth is strong (80%+ of sectors advancing). We are in Phase 2 (public participation).
Sector scan: Technology and consumer discretionary are the two strongest sectors over the past 6 months. Within technology, Stock A has the highest relative strength, the fastest earnings growth (35% YoY), and is making new 52-week highs.
Tandem check: Stock B (same sector) is also near new highs, confirming the group's strength.
Stock A has consolidated between 95 and 102 for 18 trading days after a run from 75. Volume has contracted during the consolidation (healthy). The pivot point is 102 (the top of the consolidation range). Timing quality: STRONG (18 days of coiling).
Day 19: Stock A closes at 103.50 on volume 2.3x the 20-day average. Breakout confirmed.
ACTION: Buy Probe 1 — 200 shares at 103.50 (20% of 1,000-share target)
STOP: 95.00 (below consolidation low, ~8% below entry)
RISK: 200 * (103.50 - 95.00) = $1,700
Days 20-23: Stock A pulls back to 101.20, holding above the 102 pivot on declining volume. Day 24: Resumes advance, closing at 104.80.
ASSESSMENT: HEALTHY pullback. Pivot held. Volume declined.
Day 26: Stock A closes at 106.50 (2.9% above Probe 1 entry).
ACTION: Buy Probe 2 — 200 shares at 106.50 (now 40% committed)
RAISE STOP to 103.50 (Probe 1 entry = breakeven on first tranche)
RISK: Worst case, lose on Probe 2 only — 200 * (106.50 - 103.50) = $600
Day 32: Stock A closes at 110.00. Both probes profitable. General market still bullish. Technology sector still leading.
ACTION: Buy Probe 3 — 600 shares at 110.00 (now 100% committed, 1,000 shares)
RAISE STOP to 106.50 (Probe 2 entry)
TOTAL POSITION: 200 @ 103.50, 200 @ 106.50, 600 @ 110.00
WEIGHTED AVERAGE ENTRY: 108.10
Days 33-60: Stock A advances to 135.00 with normal pullbacks along the way. Each pullback makes a higher low. Stop is trailed to the most recent swing low minus a small margin.
TRAILING STOP progression:
Day 40: Stock pullback low = 118.00 → Stop raised to 117.00
Day 50: Stock pullback low = 126.00 → Stop raised to 125.00
Day 55: Stock pullback low = 130.00 → Stop raised to 129.00
Day 62: Stock A gaps up to 138.00, trades as high as 141.00, but reverses to close at 133.50 on the highest volume of the entire advance. This is a buying climax.
RESPONSE: Tighten stop to 133.00 (just below today's close)
Day 63: Stock A opens at 132.00 and declines through the stop at 133.00.
ACTION: Sell all 1,000 shares at 133.00
RESULT:
200 shares: 133.00 - 103.50 = +29.50/share = +$5,900
200 shares: 133.00 - 106.50 = +26.50/share = +$5,300
600 shares: 133.00 - 110.00 = +23.00/share = +$13,800
TOTAL PROFIT: $25,000
RETURN on weighted average entry: +23.0%
Record in trading journal: setup, entry rationale, pyramiding execution, exit signal, emotional state at each decision point, what went well, what could be improved.
The following quotes capture the essence of Livermore's trading philosophy as highlighted in the Chinese analysis:
On Patience:
"The big money is not in the buying or selling, but in the waiting."
"It takes a man a long time to learn all the lessons of his mistakes. They say there are two sides to everything. But there is only one side to the stock market, and it is not the bull side or the bear side, but the right side."
On the General Market:
"No stock is an island. Every stock swims in the sea of the general market. Even the strongest fish cannot swim against the tide for long."
On Cutting Losses:
"I never lose my temper over the market. It is useless to get angry at the market. It is not personal. The market does not know you exist. When you are wrong, the only remedy is to get right by getting out."
"Sell what shows you a loss, and keep what shows you a profit."
On Averaging Down:
"Of all speculative blunders, there are few greater than trying to average a losing game. Always sell what shows you a loss, and keep what shows you a profit."
On Pivot Points:
"Whenever I have had the patience to wait for the market to arrive at what I call a pivot point before I started to trade, I have always made money."
On Timing:
"There is a time for everything in the market. A time to buy, a time to sell, and a time to go fishing."
On Self-Reliance:
"A man must believe in himself and his judgment if he expects to make a living at this game. That is why I do not believe in tips."
On Discipline:
"The speculator's chief enemies are always boring from within. It is inseparable from human nature to hope and to fear. In speculation, when the market goes against you, you hope that every day will be the last day — and you lose more than you should. And when the market goes your way, you fear that the next day will take away your profits — and you get out too soon."
On Simplicity:
"There is nothing new in Wall Street. There can't be because speculation is as old as the hills. Whatever happens in the stock market today has happened before and will happen again."
On the Time Element:
"It is not enough to know what to buy. You must know when to buy it. And it is not enough to know when to buy. You must know when to sell. And to sell, you must know when to sit still."
On Learning from Losses:
"Every loss teaches something, but only if you are willing to be taught. The speculator who refuses to study his losses is condemned to repeat them."
End of specification.