Stages

Basics

Clueless Trader

Rookie Trader

Developmental

Determined

Consistent Trader

Fundamental

Trading is a professional business, with no beginner’s league.

Money goes quick.

You heard that some traders make millions and you want to be one of them.

You find hundreds of successful traders and books, sharing their knowledge at ease.

You start to realize the immense learning curve and knowledge needed to trade.

You start to specialize, recognizing that nobody trades the entire market.

You are in the market every day. You understand key price levels and trading times.

Technical

You need to understand trade probabilities, reward/risk scenarios, to put the odds in your favor.

Trading is like a high tech video game and you feel strong, you will master it quick.

You endeavor every trading method and technical indicator you come across.

You visualize various outcomes of a trade and you agree with yourself the resulting actions.

A trading system is in place: Defined entries and exits. You estimate probabilities, reward/ risk.

Your charts are telling you what to do. Relying on outside opinions is no more an option.

Mental

Define what to trade, when to trade and how to trade. Repeat it over and over and over, like a sports pro.

Optimistic: You rely in one method and you apply it until it no more works.

You are gaining trading experience by trial and error without building a trading plan.

Ambiguity: Either you yourself or somebody close to you is asking if it would not be better to give up trading.

You recognize what works in your favor and you apply it repeatedly.

You are a conscious trader and you agreed with yourself to follow your system and your system only.

Emotional

You need to master the emotional game of fear and happiness (euphoria); else, you never trade what you see!

Happiness and fear replace each other. Fear wins, because you mostly lose.

Fear dominates: You have been hurt enough. You will only trade again, when you know that it works.

Hunger and passion is needed to clear this stage. Most give up, assuming: Trading is not for you!

You learn to wait until the markets provide you with the trade situation, you desire.

You trade for a living by understanding your own psychological make-up: Risk tolerance, trading frequency.

Trading

Your trading methods are defined. You execute trades on agreed situations or signals.

You place your trades random based on a wide variety of ideas and signals.

You use new methods and add complicated trading strategies, you don’t fully understand.

You apply trading strategies and setups, and define risk parameters for every trade.

You cut losses and you scale out of winners (as silly as it sounds): You no more let the winners run, you harvest them.

Taking trades comes naturally. You see key price levels, where prices will accumulate, reverse or breakout.

Money

Capital preservation is key. You apply money management at every trade.

You lose money!

Most people blow their account in this stage.

Trades work and they don’t. Randomness dominates.

Losses continue.

You are placing small orders and you need to hold yourself back from paper trading only.

You accept losses as part of the game and you are making first positive results.

You are making constant income by applying money management.

Investment

It takes years to develop yourself into a successful trader. Buying a system that works (back test it) and coaching is the only shortcut.

You get a trading account and software and you get into the game, unprepared, risking all your funds.

You are either using standard indicators or you buy the first super indicators, classes on DVD, or fast moneymaking education packages.

Realization: You need outside help to develop yourself into a trader. It gets obvious that many systems don’t work and are not available for $597.

You learn, you train; you document like a sports pro. You are aware and you get ready for the pre-defined trade situation.

You analyze, evaluate prepare, perfect. You know times of volatility and consolidation by price action, the economic calendar and time of the day.

Cost

Losses, Tuitions

>$20,000

>$5,000

>$10,000

>$10,000

>$10,000

Time

Expect 5 Years

6 – 12 months

6 months

6 – 12 months

6-12 months

6 months, onwards