This is about hope.

Remember when you first entered the world of trading?

There was a belief or a concept that you just needed to find a system—put it to work and Boom! In comes the money. Sound familiar?

What happens next?

As a retail trader you enter without knowing the ropes. I know I didn't. There are no *real* courses on it. Right?

Consequently a range of painful experiences follow. Agree?

For instance blowing out accounts.

But do you know it's a cry for help?

You want out because you want the pain to end.

But the pain is misguided.

It stems from not understanding what trading is. People truly don't.

Yet even though the success rate is incredibly low—when you think of how many millions are doing it—the numbers of those who succeed are big. That's encouraging. Agree?

Therefore, do you want to give yourself the best chance possible in your opinion?

Then you have to understand what the job is. True?

Look

Imagine embarking on a journey scaling Mount Everest (just like trading):

  • You'll delve deep into the intricacies of climbing.
  • You'll grasp the essentials of safety.
  • You'll master acclimatization.
  • You'll learn the significance of oxygen supply.
  • You'll climb with experienced guides who ensure adherence to proper procedures.
  • Guides who'll restrict climbing if it's unsafe.

Whether you call it self-love, self-respect, or self-worth, the bottom line is you prioritise doing what's best for yourself. Agree?

Ultimately trading begins with knowing what lies beneath the surface.

It might appear straightforward—but let me show you how it's more nuanced.

Last Wednesday I executed the following trade sequence.

loss-loss-loss-loss-scratch-loss-loss-win.

Did I profit overall?

Before you answer you should know the winner did not move such a massive amount in price that it made up for all the losers. It's deeper than that.

You'll see the answer in a minute. But first a trading quiz.

What's the missing line?

To succeed as a trader you must:

  • First: Learn to Lose.
  • Second: Learn __________?
  • Third: Learn to Manage Yourself.

Before revealing the quiz answer:
Many people believe mastering risk management and self-control guarantees success. However it's not that simple.

In the sequence of trades from last Wednesday:
I massively increased the profit potential during the winning trade without increasing the risk beyond what I risked in the previous trades. Make sense?

Which leads to giving you the quiz answer.
To succeed as a trader you must "Learn to Win"

Now I don't need a crystal ball to know you still need to learn how to do this.

Why?

If you've tried it—you've discovered you require expertise to do it at precisely the right time so as not to experience a Big Fat Loss. Right?

How do I know?
Because it's a skill that only becomes accessible after you've acquired several levels of competency.

I've yet to encounter a single individual through either seeking mentorship, or among the thousands of retail traders I've interacted with during my brokerage days, who has attained this level.

To do what's right by you:

You need to know what a process is—what it consists of and what resources you need. You need to know how to survive losing trades and how to win.

Consider this:
I've had a personal trainer for years. It's a few sessions a week.

I remember my neighbour asking "Why do you spend so much each year on training?"
The answer is I'm not merely logging 10,000 daily steps to stave off premature death. It's about reaching peak vitality.  

A different desired outcome requires a different approach.
My trainer and I went to work on a complete overhaul. It's become a lifetime of change.

It's what trading is for that big number that succeeds—a significant transformation for a lifetime of change. It's what you sought when you initially embarked on this endeavour. Agree?

Your problem was never what you wanted from trading

The problem was the wrong path akin to turning left at a pivotal T-junction instead of right—yet persisting in that wrong direction for so long that you lose sight of your initial motivations for embarking on the journey. Sound familiar?

Did you know everyone who eventually succeeds in trading has also navigated the pitfalls of the wrong path at some point?

While delving into this topic warrants its own discussion...
You're never commencing from scratch—you're building upon past experiences.

And guess what? It's a vital part of the journey.
In the mentoring work I do I refrain from accepting new traders beause they lack this crucial initial phase.

The essence is this:

Your original vision for trading still holds true. But the path differs from what you initially imagined.

Considering why you first ventured into trading can offer valuable insights into your journey.

Explore further:

Discover what awaits you navigating the correct path. See a live trading excerpt of skills and knowledge you can develop.


Forex and derivatives trading is a highly competitive and often extremely fast-paced environment. It only rewards individuals who attain the required level of skill and expertise to compete. Past performance is not indicative of future results. There is a substantial risk of loss to unskilled and inexperienced players. The high degree of leverage can work against you as well as for you. Before deciding to trade any such leveraged products you should carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience, and risk appetite. The possibility exists that you could sustain a loss of some or all of your initial investment and therefore you should not invest money that you cannot afford to lose. You should be aware of all the risks associated with trading on margin, and seek advice from an independent

Editors’ Picks

EUR/USD struggles for direction amid USD gains

EUR/USD struggles for direction amid USD gains

EUR/USD is trimming part of its earlier gains, coming under some mild downside pressure near 1.1730 as the US Dollar edges higher. Markets are still digesting the Fed’s latest rate decision, while also looking ahead to more commentary from Fed officials in the sessions ahead.

GBP/USD drops to daily lows near 1.3360

GBP/USD drops to daily lows near 1.3360

Disappointing UK data weighed on the Sterling towards the end of the week, triggering a pullback in GBP/USD to fresh daily lows near 1.3360. Looking ahead, the next key event across the Channel is the BoE meeting on December 18.

Japanese Yen bulls have the upper hand as hawkish BoJ outlook offsets risk-on mood

Japanese Yen bulls have the upper hand as hawkish BoJ outlook offsets risk-on mood

The Japanese Yen remains on the back foot through the early European session on Friday, though it lacks bearish conviction amid hawkish Bank of Japan expectations. Traders have been pricing in the possibility that the BoJ will hike interest rates as early as next week.


Editors’ Picks

EUR/USD struggles for direction amid USD gains

EUR/USD struggles for direction amid USD gains

EUR/USD is trimming part of its earlier gains, coming under some mild downside pressure near 1.1730 as the US Dollar edges higher. Markets are still digesting the Fed’s latest rate decision, while also looking ahead to more commentary from Fed officials in the sessions ahead.

GBP/USD drops to daily lows near 1.3360

GBP/USD drops to daily lows near 1.3360

Disappointing UK data weighed on the Sterling towards the end of the week, triggering a pullback in GBP/USD to fresh daily lows near 1.3360. Looking ahead, the next key event across the Channel is the BoE meeting on December 18.

Gold losses momentum, challenges $4,300

Gold losses momentum, challenges $4,300

Gold now gives away some gains and disputes the key $4,300 zone per troy ounce following earlier multi-week highs. The move is being driven by expectations that the Fed will deliver further rate cuts next year, with the yellow metal climbing despite a firmer Greenback and rising US Treasury yields across the board.

Litecoin Price Forecast: LTC struggles to extend gains, bullish bets at risk

Litecoin Price Forecast: LTC struggles to extend gains, bullish bets at risk

Litecoin (LTC) price steadies above $80 at press time on Friday, following a reversal from the $87 resistance level on Wednesday. Derivatives data suggests a bullish positional buildup while the LTC futures Open Interest declines, flashing a long squeeze risk.

Big week ends with big doubts

Big week ends with big doubts

The S&P 500 continued to push higher yesterday as the US 2-year yield wavered around the 3.50% mark following a Federal Reserve (Fed) rate cut earlier this week that was ultimately perceived as not that hawkish after all. The cut is especially boosting the non-tech pockets of the market.

RECOMMENDED LESSONS

5 Forex News Events You Need To Know

In the fast moving world of currency markets where huge moves can seemingly come from nowhere, it is extremely important for new traders to learn about the various economic indicators and forex news events and releases that shape the markets. Indeed, quickly getting a handle on which data to look out for, what it means, and how to trade it can see new traders quickly become far more profitable and sets up the road to long term success.

Top 10 Chart Patterns Every Trader Should Know

Chart patterns are one of the most effective trading tools for a trader. They are pure price-action, and form on the basis of underlying buying and selling pressure. Chart patterns have a proven track-record, and traders use them to identify continuation or reversal signals, to open positions and identify price targets.

7 Ways to Avoid Forex Scams

The forex industry is recently seeing more and more scams. Here are 7 ways to avoid losing your money in such scams: Forex scams are becoming frequent. Michael Greenberg reports on luxurious expenses, including a submarine bought from the money taken from forex traders. Here’s another report of a forex fraud. So, how can we avoid falling in such forex scams?

What Are the 10 Fatal Mistakes Traders Make

Trading is exciting. Trading is hard. Trading is extremely hard. Some say that it takes more than 10,000 hours to master. Others believe that trading is the way to quick riches. They might be both wrong. What is important to know that no matter how experienced you are, mistakes will be part of the trading process.

Strategy

Money Management

Psychology

Best Brokers of 2025