Tom emphasizes the importance of keeping trading simple by focusing on market structure, trends, price action, support and resistance, and candlesticks.
Tom prefers to trade independently and maintain complete focus on his strategy, believing that trading floors can be counterproductive for his trading style.
Deep dives
Tom's Journey to Full-Time Trading
Tom began his trading journey by investing in stocks and gradually shifted his focus to Forex trading. After years of practice and honing his strategy, he transitioned to full-time trading, leaving behind his day job. He emphasizes the importance of putting in the time and keeping trading simple by focusing on market structure, trends, price action, support and resistance, and candlesticks. Tom's day starts with thorough chart analysis in the morning, where he identifies potential trades and sets alarms for entry points. He manages risk by adjusting his position size and uses hedging instead of stop losses. Tom's goal is to focus on his setups and trade what the charts give him, without setting specific profit targets.
The Pros and Cons of Trading Floors
Tom briefly shares his experience of being part of a trading floor. While it provided the opportunity to interact with other traders and learn from them, the noise and distractions from fellow traders on the floor were counterproductive for Tom's trading style. He believes that trading floors can be valuable for traders who need risk management support, but for him, the costs outweighed the benefits, and he preferred to trade independently with his own capital and maintain complete focus on his strategy.
Tom's Risk Management and Exits
Tom adheres to a risk management strategy by risking 1% per trade and adjusts his money management based on the trade setup. He sets stops based on H1 swing highs/lows in line with the trend and trails his stop as the trade progresses. He employs a hedge instead of stop losses, allowing him to maintain a position if the trade goes against him, and he waits for the next setup to reevaluate the trade. Tom's focus is on managing trades and capitalizing on successful setups, rather than aiming for specific profit targets per day or month.
Advice for Traders
Tom's key advice for traders is to develop discipline and patience. These attributes take time to cultivate but are crucial for trading success. He encourages traders to focus on keeping their strategies simple and emphasizing market structure, trends, and basic price action principles. Tom also emphasizes the importance of putting in the necessary screen time to gain a solid understanding of the markets and refine one's trading skills.