The number one goal-setting mistake traders make is setting goals related to money. Active traders will often tell me that they have a goal of making X-dollars a day or X-points a day. That’s just not a good way to structure a goal.
Trading Goals Related to Money
What happens when the market trades in a very narrow range? Typically, price movement will remain within the first hour’s range throughout the day. That range might only be 5 or 6 points — too narrow to offer much trading opportunity. It is very difficult to make money on such narrow range days.
So, if you goal was to make X dollars a day how do you do that on a narrow range day? Since it is nearly impossible to make good trades on such a day, you would have failed to achieve your goal. And, if you couldn’t read that the market has narrowed its range and instead tried to reach your money goal, you would have likely been trying to trade at every little turn and wound up over trading a choppy, range-bound day. At best your money goal had set you up for failure because you couldn’t achieve it. Worse, your money goal caused you to force trades in a choppy market, and maybe you lost money. Goals that promote failure, poor trading habits, and losses are not useful goals.
A Better Trading Goal
A better goal focuses on your development as a trader. It will help you improve your trading knowledge, skills, or abilities. Rather than thinking about money, think instead about the process of trading. The process of trading simply refers to the skillful actions a trader takes in trading effectively. A useful question to ask is:
What trading process, if I were to improve and develop in this area, would add to my ability as a trader?
Example of a Better Trading Goal
An example will help to illustrate how to do this. Let’s say you want to improve your ability in trading trends. You have done a self-assessment of your trading on trending days and find that your greatest limitation is that you tend to counter trade the trend. A simple solution might be to notice whether the market is moving with momentum and making higher lows and higher highs (for a bullish trend). A useful process goal then becomes:
Prior to taking a trade that fades a move, I will assess whether the market is moving with momentum and making higher highs and higher lows. If it is trending, I will not take the trade. I will execute this process on at least 85% of all trades considered over the next 20 trading days.
Note that this goal is useful because it builds skills and ability in assessing market movement. It also keeps the trader from taking poor quality trades. The next step for this trader would be to develop a goal to execute trades consistent with the trend – again, a process goal.
Trading goals should be designed to help you achieve. Goals related to money, points, or other ‘stats’ won’t help you do that. Work on trading goals that are related to achievement by helping you to develop your trading skills.
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Editors’ Picks
EUR/USD holds losses near 1.1850 as US, China holidays keep trade muted
EUR/USD opens the week on a softer note, trading near 1.1860 during the Asian session on Monday. Activity is likely to remain muted, with United States markets closed for the Presidents’ Day holiday, while Mainland China is also shut for the week-long Lunar New Year break.
GBP/USD flat lines as traders await key UK macro data and FOMC minutes
The GBP/USD pair kicks off a new week on a subdued note and oscillates in a narrow range, just below mid-1.3600s, during the Asian session. Moreover, the mixed fundamental backdrop warrants some caution for aggressive traders as the market focus now shifts to this week's important releases from the UK and the US.
USD/JPY stays firm around 153.00 after Japan's Q4 GDP miss
USD/JPY kicks off the new week on a positive note as Japan's weak Q4 GDP growth tempers bets for an immediate BoJ rate hike and undermines the Japanese Yen. Investors, however, seem convinced that the BoJ will stick to its policy normalization path amid hopes that PM Takaichi's policies will boost the Japanese economy. In contrast, cooling US consumer inflation reaffirmed bets for more Fed rate cuts in 2026, which acts as a headwind for the US Dollar and should cap the currency pair.
Editors’ Picks
AUD/USD defends gains below 0.7100 amid the Fed-RBA divergence
AUD/USD attracts some dip-buyers near mid-0.7000s during the Asian session on Monday, stalling last week's modest pullback from a three-year peak. The US Dollar continues with its struggle to attract any meaningful buyers amid bets for further rate cuts by the Fed, bolstered by the softer US CPI report on Friday. In contrast, the Australian Dollar retains a bullish bias on the back of the RBA's hawkish stance, which further acts as a tailwind for the currency pair.
USD/JPY stays firm around 153.00 after Japan's Q4 GDP miss
USD/JPY kicks off the new week on a positive note as Japan's weak Q4 GDP growth tempers bets for an immediate BoJ rate hike and undermines the Japanese Yen. Investors, however, seem convinced that the BoJ will stick to its policy normalization path amid hopes that PM Takaichi's policies will boost the Japanese economy. In contrast, cooling US consumer inflation reaffirmed bets for more Fed rate cuts in 2026, which acts as a headwind for the US Dollar and should cap the currency pair.
Gold buyers hesitate amid holiday-thinned trading
Gold trades volatile, but within range, as US, China holidays-led thin trading exaggerates moves. The US Dollar extends range play into the US GDP week, with markets pricing at least two Fed rate cuts this year. Technically, Gold tests key support at $5,000; daily RSI still remains bullish.
Top Crypto Losers: Dogecoin, Zcash, Bonk – Meme and Privacy coins under pressure
Meme coins such as Dogecoin and Bonk, alongside the privacy coin Zcash (ZEC), are leading the broader market losses over the last 24 hours. DOGE, ZEC, and BONK ended their three consecutive days of recovery with a sudden decline on Sunday, as crucial resistance levels capped the gains. Technically, the altcoins show downside risk, starting the week under pressure.
Global inflation watch: Signs of cooling services inflation
Realized inflation landed close to expectations in January, as negative base effects weighed on the annual rates. Remaining sticky inflation is largely explained by services, while tariff-driven goods inflation remains limited even in the US.
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