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A bit about my trading: I am at the screen an hour or two per day between work and family obligations. Depending on what is setting up during the hours I am on the screen, I might trade ZN, 6E, ES, CL, ZS, or any other reasonably liquid contract.
I …
I'm in Los Angeles and trading CL around 5:30am - 7:30am pacific, give or take. The first chart you usually see in my daily post is going to be a 5000 volume bar, which gives me my outlook for the morning. All subsequent chsrts are usually going to be 1000 volume bar, which I use to enter and manage trades. I switch back and forth constantly between the two timeframes. I am currently trading one lot live on my own account. I don't use any indicators, just a lot of lines. I try to enter in places where I can put my stops outside of the lines, and go for wins of 30+ ticks.
The journal has been active since January, but if you want to see what I've been up to recently, probably start around page 8:
A bit about my trading: I am at the screen an hour or two per day between work and family obligations. Depending on what is setting up during the hours I am on the screen, I might trade ZN, 6E, ES, CL, ZS, or any other reasonably liquid contract.
I …
Also, I recently posted my "rules" which are more like daily reminders, such as "Wear proper pants while trading. If it's something you can do in your pajamas or underwear, then it's a hobby, not a profession." That post is here:
On August 23rd, , I made a few tweaks to my lens on the markets. I simplified by removing longer time frame charts and started really focusing on the trajectory of the market right now in the context of the near term structures. It is perhaps coincidence, …
If you find value or entertainment in the journal, I hope you'll add a thanks here. That will encourage me to keep it public and continue to share my progress.
I am a new member here at nexusfi.com and also a new futures trader. Actually, I haven't traded futures live but did start a $150,000 trading combine at Topstep Trader and gotten through my first day of trading. Would you like to know how I did and follow along with me as I take you on my brand new trading adventure with Topstep Trader? Maybe you can help me pass my combine. If so, hit the "thanks" button and click the link to my journal below.
It's also my first trading journal ever so give me suggestions and tips on what I need to do to make my trading journal better. I want to thank SoftSoap for referring me to the FIO Journal Challenge. Thanks Softsoap!
I am a new member here (my second post after my introduction) but I've frequent this forum over the past years. I'm also new at futures trading. I've never traded futures live before. I want to take this opportunity to start a journal …
I want to congratulate everyone again for a job well done so far. As circumstance would have it, my current plans involve me being out of town Friday, Saturday and Sunday this weekend. So if that should happen, please bear with me on announcing the winners of the event as soon as I return.
Congratulations to everyone who participated in this journal challenge, and in particular congrats to the winners of the event as voted by members of the community:
The (3) prizes are:
(1st place) Lifetime license to NinjaTrader ($999 value) -- awarded to @SoftSoap w/30 votes,
(2nd place) 1-year annual license ($600 value) -- awarded to @bobwest w/27 votes,
(3rd place) 1-year annual license ($600 value) -- awarded to @citikot w/18 votes.
First of all, I would like to say many thanks to all those participants who supported my journal. I understand it is not perfect becuase I started to experience bad strip at the middle of September and almost stop posting there. But nevertheless, thank You all for support,
Regarding the question I must admit that journalling here definitelly helped me to stay cool and calm. Yes, I was forced to make some tough decisions conserinig my trading, but I saved my trading account. When I was in such strip before ususally it ended by blowing out the account completely. Second, I discovered a lot of interesting journals to follow and find some good ideas how to handle with my own issues. @SoftSoap and @bobwest really did good job and I really appreciate their detaled input. It was really good reading, friends and I'm sure that i will be.
Thank You all again! Good luck in next contests! Let't all Your longs go up and all Your shorts bankrupt, traders!
I've done a few of these contests now, and I've had my journal up (off and on) for a long time.
Every time I get active again with the journal, I start making fewer mistakes, start seeing better trading, start thinking more clearly.
Of course, there's another side to everything: because I have to explain what I'm doing, I'm more accountable and I have a harder time making BS excuses for things -- but that's a good thing.
It can be a little hard to be exposed in public, but it has only good effects. Also, there's intelligent and understanding feedback from the people reading it, which I would miss out on without the journal.
Sometimes I take a break from the journal, but it's been worth coming back to.
I recommend keeping a public journal for anyone who wants to improve.
Wow! I am so humbled to have won this contest. Thank you to everyone who voted for me, and thank you to @Big Mike and @NinjaTrader for everything you do to improve the trading community, you are the real MVPs!
The positive impact this competition and journaling has had on my trading has been tremendous, here are a few key trading-related improvements:
It has encouraged me to be more disciplined
It has helped me improve my trading routine, prioritizing things that are important and removing things that aren't
It has encouraged me to be vulnerable and open about my biggest flaws as a trader and as an individual
It has encouraged me to be subjective about myself and not just see the things I want to see
It has forced me to be accountable
It has given me an inside view of my past thoughts
It has encouraged me to better understand myself
However, journaling and being active in the FIO community has done more for me than just improving my trading process, it has had a deep personal impact (that will trickle down to trading of course). Here's how:
It has helped me cope with the lack of human interaction in this career. Trading is a lonely life, so while my wife is at work, it is me and my dog for the whole day. Being able to share my experiences through a journal knowing that there are other people out there reading makes me feel less 'lonely' haha
To top my point above, I've made some great connections with other traders who have gotten in touch with me either through my journal or PM. I love expanding my network with other traders and like-minded people, so please reach out to me if you want to talk!
I've also become attached to the FIO community. Every day I check to see what @chipps1983 did in the NQ, how @bobwest is doing on his combine, how @citikot is doing on his journey, how much @rocksolid68 is up today, and I get excited. I love reading other trader's journeys, seeing how they deal with their struggles, and seeing their seeds from their hard work come into fruition. I find myself cheering for them and many others at FIO. Their experiences inspire me, and excite me to improve as a trader
Overall it has made me happier in my trading career!
Lastly, the prize will help me out a lot. $1,000 might not be a lot to most of you, but to someone like myself who is just starting out as a trader, every little bit helps. Specially when you are in the capital preservation stage
Thank you again. I want to let you all know that the quantity and quality of posts in my journal, as well as involvement with the FIO community will only increase from here.
Cheers!
Yesterday's excellence is today's standard and tomorrow's mediocrity