Any system that you’re going to use to trade the financial markets will have to have some type of rule for entering the market. That being the case, the market needs to tell you when it’s time to go either long or short according to your system. You have to have some type of reason or at least set of rules to start entering the market. One of the biggest killers of trading accounts for new traders is not having any set rules. Depending on when you enter the market can greatly influence whether or not you make money, or at least the amount of money that you make. It can also influence whether or not you lose money, which of course is something that you should try to avoid at all costs. You have to be able to justify entering a trade if you are going to be profitable. After all, you have the ability to enter the market pre-much anytime you want, so having said that you have to be careful and avoid the temptation of just jumping into the market. Unfortunately, there are a lot of traders out there who feel that staying out of the market means that you can’t make any money. While that is true in theory, the reality is that it’s easy to lose money if you are not careful. After all, you have to have a trading plan and system in order to be a professional trader as losses will, even under the best of circumstances. By knowing when to enter the trade, you can avoid a lot of trouble. The system or entry signal that you choose the use is entirely up to you and should only be applied after diligent study. Understand that the market never “has to do” what it’s “supposed to do”, but if you understand the risks ahead, and learn to recognize when it’s time to get involved, you can greatly increase your chances of making money.