Your Belief System is Your Trading System


Moves in markets are a result of mass psychology. We make money in the markets by being masters of human psychology and supply and demand. It is well known that trading is 90% mental. Winning in the markets is more defined by your mental make-up than your trading style. What is more important than chart reading is to first understand how people think. Instead of focusing on changing our actions if you’re having issues with trading, it’s time to notice where those actions come from. Moving backward, one step at a time, actions stem from behavioral patterns, and behavioral patterns stem from beliefs. So, it’s at the level of beliefs that decisions are made, and moreover, where your ability to differentiate reality from illusion lie. It’s time to start considering where your beliefs about what works and what doesn’t in trading come from. In life, which includes trading and investing, most of us tend to repeat the same processes over and over, expecting a different result. Over my many years in the business of trading, there are some very clear differences between the consistently profitable trader and the consistent losing trader.

The Novice Trader

1.They tend to follow the crowd.

Watch what others are doing

Comfort in numbers

2.They avoid taking risk unless others are sharing the risk as well.

3.They feel that if others are buying then it is "ok" for them to buy, too.

4.They act on the advice of so called "experts", i.e. the advice of market gurus, CNBC, analysts, and their brokers.

5.As humans, they tend to complicate the trading process and ignore the important simplicity of markets.

6.They always make the same two mistakes: They buy and sell after a move in price is well underway (late and high risk) and they buy into resistance and sell into support (low probability).

The Consistently Profitable Trader

1.They lead the herd.

2.They tune out all the subjective noise that can get in the way of making proper trading decisions. They don’t care what others are doing and make decisions based on a very mechanical and unemotional set of criteria based solely on the laws and principles of supply and demand.

3.They learn to identify the proper entry that most people never see.

4.They buy after a period of selling and into support. They buy fear.

5.They sell after a period of buying and into resistance. They sell greed.

6.Successful traders:

Can identify opportunity before others.

Execute trading plans mechanically.

Successful Trading

1) Having the ability to find two sets of ill-informed individuals in the markets in any time frame.

Those willing to sell their stock or futures to you at a price you know is too cheap. You know by objectively assessing supply and demand.

Those willing to buy your stock or futures at a price that you know is too expensive. You know by objectively assessing supply and demand.

2) Having the tools, knowledge, and ability to take the proper action when these two groups appear.

3) Play the bandwagon correctly…

Proper trading is knowing how other market participants think and react when they are correct and, more importantly, when they are wrong. Price patterns are thought patterns.

Mental Musts

1)Confidence

2)Discipline

3)Patience

How to get these

1) Reduce and eliminate subjective analysis.

2) Learn to fight the urge to do what others are doing and make decisions based on a very mechanical and unemotional set of rules and criteria.

The Proper Entry

Know Where To Enter, Support and Resistance.

- Smart money enters here.

Entry Must Be Low Risk.

- Most important part of the trade.

Enter Before Others.

- This is how we get paid.

One of the most important things to understand about proper trading and investing is that visible confirmation and opportunity are completely inversely related in trading. In class, this is a point I focus on more than any other.

Editors’ Picks

EUR/USD shifts its attention to 1.1900 and above

EUR/USD shifts its attention to 1.1900 and above

EUR/USD has shaken off Tuesday’s dip, pushing back beyond the 1.1800 mark amid decent gains as  Wednesday’s session draws to a close. The rebound is largely driven by a modest pullback in the US Dollar, as markets digest the aftermath of President Trump’s SOTU speech and continue to monitor trade-related headlines and signals from the White House.
 

GBP/USD challenges multi-day highs near 1.3530

GBP/USD challenges multi-day highs near 1.3530

GBP/USD leaves behind the previous day’s decline and regains fresh upside traction on Wednesday, surpassing the 1.3500 barrier in a context of a modest decline in the Greenback and a generalised improved mood in the risk-linked space. Meanwhile, the US tariff narrative continues to dictate the mood among market participants after Presidet Trump’s SOTU speech failed to surprise markets.

USD/JPY Price Forecast: Bulls await move beyond 156.00 amid constructive technical setup

USD/JPY Price Forecast: Bulls await move beyond 156.00 amid constructive technical setup

USD/JPY attracts some dip-buyers on Wednesday and seems poised to appreciate further. Delayed BoJ rate cut bets undermine the JPY and offset a weaker USD, supporting the pair. The technical setup also favors bullish traders and backs the case for further appreciation.


Editors’ Picks

AUD/USD looks well bid, retargets 0.7150

AUD/USD looks well bid, retargets 0.7150

AUD/USD adds to Tuesday’s advance and clock strong gains past the 0.7100 hurdle ahead of the opening bell in Asia. Hotter-than-expected Australian inflation data in combination with the RBA’s hawkish stance continue to underpin the move higher in the pair.
 

EUR/USD shifts its attention to 1.1900 and above

EUR/USD shifts its attention to 1.1900 and above

EUR/USD has shaken off Tuesday’s dip, pushing back beyond the 1.1800 mark amid decent gains as  Wednesday’s session draws to a close. The rebound is largely driven by a modest pullback in the US Dollar, as markets digest the aftermath of President Trump’s SOTU speech and continue to monitor trade-related headlines and signals from the White House.
 

Gold remains bid and close to $5,200

Gold remains bid and close to $5,200

Gold buyers are returning to the fold on Wednesday, targeting the $5,200 area and possibly beyond, after Tuesday’s corrective dip from monthly highs. The rebound in the precious metal comes as the US Dollar loses traction, with Trump’s SOTU speech offering little fresh direction and AI-related nerves continuing to ease.

UK financial watchdog advances stablecoin oversight as four firms pilot issuance

UK financial watchdog advances stablecoin oversight as four firms pilot issuance

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) in the United Kingdom (UK) is advancing toward the final stablecoin regulatory framework with a pilot program involving four companies, including Monee, Financial Technologies ReStabilise, Revolut and VVTX.

Nvidia earnings to influence AI trade and broader market sentiment

Nvidia earnings to influence AI trade and broader market sentiment Premium

For the last three years, Nvidia has been the engine of the AI boom, and now Wall Street is watching to see whether that momentum can keep going. High-growth stocks have been struggling to maintain their bullish trend in 2026.

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