You get what you desire

Often when listening to trading streams I will hear traders say something like, “I want to get long.”  Price then goes up, sweeps a high, thus achieving its objective, and then begins to sell off.  The trader then buys the beginning of this sell off because he had already created the desire of wanting to be long.  However, conditions have changed.  A key level was swept.  But, he wanted to be long, and his brain will thus find a way to fulfill that desire.  Inevitably, price keeps selling and begins picking up speed and a loss ensues.  

This loss was the result of an improper desire, wanting to be long.  A trader should not want a direction.  The goal of trading is not to be long or short.  It is to make money.  How does one make money?  For most people, this will involve creating and adhering to a plan/strategy.  That should be the desire.  Follow the plan.  Don’t allow your desires to hijack your plan.