Having clear trading goals can help a new futures trader guide his investments and measure his or her success. A commodities broker can assist them in defining his or her goals and creating a plan to achieve it. A general objective for futures trading, such as income generation, is nice to read but unhelpful. Simply earning an extra cent is enough to fulfill this goal, which can lead to extreme conservatism in investments. On the other hand, new traders may make risky plays in the quest for more income. And even if they did make money, they are unable to appreciate it because they «lost» potential income, if they mistimed their sell order.
