In today's episode, I talk about taking a small account challenge to get my discipline and confidence back as a trader.   I will also share with you some signs it might be time for you to take a new account challenge, and finish off with some tips for growing small accounts.  No matter what stage of your journey you are on, this episode is designed to help you. I started on October 11th (made a mistake in the recording saying I began on the 15th) with $464 USD and turned it to over $11,000 USD in under two weeks.  I will share the statements on this as well to give you a deeper look. Here was my plan. Execute only high probability trades Get in with conviction, get out early when you have the profit - take it and run If I lost just $164 USD, which is just 3 points on ES, I’d be out of margin I would then flip to micros, and work the balance up until I can do one ES Repeat this process until I build some cushion, then scale up to 2 lots, etc The goal of this was: Get back to the basics Get back to experiencing what it’s like to have little room for error Reconnect with myself when I started this journey Build up my discipline  Focus just on the process, eliminate the profit obsession - not matter what happens, it was gonna be small - and that felt reassuring Inspire others that their small account, is not small at all - and big things are possible Make $1,000 USD a day with this small account once I hit $2000 balance The results: Started with $464 on October 15th, 2021 Grew it to over $11,000 by October 27th, the date of this recording The goal was always to get to $10K at least, then re-assess I hit the landmark, and I’m considering if I should stop here Or keep working this account until it hits my regular account size Here are some signs that could suggest it is time for YOU to try a new small account challenge: If you are having big green days, but paying a lot more in commission If you are using your size to get out of trouble on bad days often If you find that you are obsessions over profit, and “NEED” to make certain targets If you are trading outside of your plan, and it’s working for now If your discipline is slipping, but you’re still doing okay If you’ve really lost it, and in a rut of a losing streak If you are super stressed out or burned out, and just need to take a break If you have had a life changing event and want to get back into the groove This is basically like a cool down, or warm up lap on the track Tips for Growing a Small Account A small account is not an insignificant account, with the right attitude and strategy, it can grow much quicker than YOU even think At the beginning, when you’re dealing with contributed capital, scratch your way out of losing trades before they hit full stops - you can always try them again Take profit when you have it, even if it looks early - always get paid Review your performance metrics, but NOT total profit, who cares, it’s gonna be small, focus on more rounded performance metrics (EP 93 - Performance Metrics You Need to be Using) Never yolo or swing for the fences, when you trade small you can’t afford to trade big, ever Don’t be afraid to scale up your position size, but have a target first - for me I went to 2 lots when I hit $1000, and 3 lots above $2,000 account size. Then I scaled up. Have a position size reduction threshold, if you lose 50% of the profits since you started, even though you are trading small - gear down more, go to micros if you have to ALWAYS FOCUS ON PROCESS, if you find yourself gawking at the profit, stop trading End a losing day quickly - if you are down, or feel like you’ll be down, trust your instinct and don’t trade anymore Learn to protect what you got, not chase what you don’t Here are some of the statements from my small account journey: The first image below is the first 4 days of the challenge.  I was lucky enough to start with decent volatility and was able to take some great trades on day one, which got me started on the right foot.  Again, part of this is luck regarding the market conditions, but I give credit to myself for stepping on these conditions and taking advantage. I was trading really well in the first few days. And the second screenshot is a brokerage statement from AMP, when I decided to close out the challenge after exceeding the initial goal of $10,000 - quicker than I expected, but I had gotten the learning lessons I was hoping for. Also, I was ready to go back to trading slightly bigger as we had some great economic events coming up that would present some amazing volatility, and ultimately opportunity. Here are the performance stats from Sierra Charts for the small account challenge, spanning the entire period - cumulatively and excluding commission (broker statements above included commission): Resources Enjoying this podcast? We’d appreciate it if you can drop us a rating and review on iTunes here Connect with our community online: Trade Pro Academy Catch up with our earlier episodes: Mind Over Markets Podcast Join our FREE trading room here Follow me on Instagram here and on Twitter here

In today’s episode, I’ll be talking about the victim mindset and how it silently but very quickly and effectively decimates trading accounts. I will walk you through 6 signs you may be in a victim mindset, plus ONE, and ONLY ONE simple thing you NEED to DO NOW to get out of this mindset and turn your entire life around.   This is all about escaping the shackles of victimhood and stepping into a powerful and abundant version of YOU. To become a better trader and human being. This episode is game changing. We dive into the following topics: Avoiding responsibility  Not seeking possible solutions A sense of powerlessness Negative self-talk and self-sabotage Lack of self-confidence Frustration, anger, and resentment Also we discuss some BIG ways that victimization creeps into your trading and how you can spot this crippling behavior so you can eliminate it FAST. Plus I share the simple solution with you to shift out of the victim mindset in your trading, and how to turn the corner and become a success machine. This is a must listen episode to boost your trading psychology and success mindset. Enjoy the episode, and thank you for listening and your support. Resources Enjoying this podcast? We’d appreciate it if you can drop us a rating and review on iTunes here Connect with our community online: Trade Pro Academy Catch up with our earlier episodes: Mind Over Markets Podcast Join our FREE trading room here Follow me on Instagram here and on Twitter here

We made it to episode 100! Today we have two episodes into one, where Victorio and myself take turns asking each other 10 trading questions, and 10 funny questions designed to embarrass one another and share a good laugh. I want to thank you for listening, and for helping make the podcast a success.  Without YOU, there would be no Mind over Markets, or anything else. So from the bottom of my heart, a big THANK YOU! In the first half, Victorio and I discuss: Trading through the COVID crises and how we adjusted What we think the future of trading will be Victorios trading strategy, including entry and exits How new traders should start their journey, but few do If everyone can be a trader - the answer will surprise you In the second half, things get fun and the roast commences. Victorio and I ask each other funny questions designed to reveal a side of us you would never know from our trading content.   We talk about fun things like: Why Victorio IS actually a robot How his bike wheels were stolen, and he ran into the thief minutes later Why Vic keeps cutting and growing his beard so often Why George has horrible style and owns 7 pairs of the same slippers Victorio’s WORST pickup line at a bar - that actually worked And MUCH MUCH more, funny and revealing things It was an incredibly fun podcast to record, for our 100th podcast milestone. Thank you for supporting us on this journey, and helping make our show a success.  We love you all and look forward to continuing to provide the best trading content in the universe for the next 900 episodes!   Onwards and upwards TRADEPROs. Resources Enjoying this podcast? We’d appreciate it if you can drop us a rating and review on iTunes here Connect with our community online: Trade Pro Academy Catch up with our earlier episodes: Mind Over Markets Podcast Join our FREE trading room here Follow me on Instagram here and on Twitter here

Anthony Drager discusses his personal trading strategy and how he executes on order flow in the futures market. He draws on some fascinating experience from the trading floor and his transition to electronic trading at a prop firm.  In this episode we get personal and ask him questions about HIS trading. This episode touched on some amazing golden nuggets you won’t want to miss: Ready, aim fire - three step trading approach Anthony uses We hone in on his personal trade entry and exit strategies Nothing is gonna go up that’s expensive Nothing is gonna go down that’s cheap What to do instead of starting the day with a bias How to make more money in trading without catching bigger moves How to fund your account with the amount of money that’s right for you How long professional traders have to start performing or be fired - the answer WILL shock you You didn’t start trading when you thought you did - this will get you thinking deeply, guaranteed Biggest winning and losing days revealed We love having Anthony on the show, and thank him for opening up about his personal trading and sharing so much value with our listeners. If you want to get a hold of Anthony: Edge Trading Group website Edge Trading Group Twitter page   Edge Trading Group YouTube channel  Thank you for listening. Resources Checkout Edge Trading Group video about Iceberg orders here. Enjoying this podcast? We’d appreciate it if you can drop us a rating and review on iTunes here Connect with our community online: Trade Pro Academy Catch up with our earlier episodes: Mind Over Markets Podcast Join our FREE trading room here Follow me on Instagram here and on Twitter here

In this fascinating episode we talk about how buying and selling actually moves the markets.  This isn’t an indicator or strategy, this is the VERY REASON that MARKETS MOVE! We do a deep dive on market and limit orders, and how big position traders move through the book.  When you understand what you are watching for, it gives you high probability trades with little risk when you see it happen.  This is the true power of order flow. Find out more about: How to find desperate buyers and sellers Reading level 2 like a professional order flow trader What truly moves markets, and exactly how it is done How institutional traders work huge positions Finding high probability, low risk trade setups on a daily basis Why retail traders always buy the extremes and get stopped out How to find good trend entries, and good trend reversals using order flow PLUS an example of a trader working a big order for a client This episode is a must listen for every trader, because when you understand how large positions are executed, you will understand what truly moves the market.   Imagine being able to know with certainty when institutions are either dumping or accumulating massive positions? What power do you think this WILL have for your trading?   Enjoy this episode, it is by far one of my favorite and most impactful I have recorded. Resources Enjoying this podcast? We’d appreciate it if you can drop us a rating and review on iTunes here Connect with our community online: Trade Pro Academy Catch up with our earlier episodes: Mind Over Markets Podcast Join our FREE trading room here Follow me on Instagram here and on Twitter here

In this episode I talk about something really personal and deep. I had a gambling problem, which became a trading problem really quickly and early on in my career. This is an area very few talk about, because it requires deep reflection, and the ability to view yourself as someone who can improve!   This can be tough for someone who truly believes “they can come back, if they just have one more shot”.  Gamblers often value the chance  to play more than money itself. We discuss these topics and much more: Shocking science of gambling - it’s not about the money at all How gamblers disguise their problem with constant search for technical details How gambling could be ruining more than your trading, and impacting your entire life How to come to the realization that you have gambling tendencies 7 different ways I worked to resolve my gambling problem Resources Read more on the science of gambling and dopamine here Enjoying this podcast? We’d appreciate it if you can drop us a rating and review on iTunes here Connect with our community online: Trade Pro Academy Catch up with our earlier episodes: Mind Over Markets Podcast Join our FREE trading room here Follow me on Instagram here and on Twitter here

In this episode, former floor and prop trader Anthony Drager comes back for another interview. This time we talk about the foundations of order flow, and unpack some “seemingly simple” concepts into full detail, and explain why most people are doing order flow wrong. Also, Anthony Drager shares his awesome 4 golden rules of trading - and you definitely want to catch those and start applying them immediately. This will easily become a top episode and a favorite - be sure to have a listen. In this episode, we cover these topics and more in depth: You’re not supposed to make money in the micros Liquidity and HFT programs how they work Hidden liquidity and iceberg orders  Once you’re short you have to buy to get out How to spot turning moments when stops are gonna be run 4 golden rules of day trading Why the market always goes to the orders It’s okay to be wrong, but not wrong for long PLUS a lot more golden nuggets you DO NOT want to MISS Resources Checkout Edge Trading Group Here. Enjoying this podcast? We’d appreciate it if you can drop us a rating and review on iTunes here Connect with our community online: Trade Pro Academy Catch up with our earlier episodes: Mind Over Markets Podcast Join our FREE trading room here Follow me on Instagram here and on Twitter here.

In this episode we talk about a common mistake all new traders make.   The mistake is starting a new career in the wrong position.  It’s a costly mistake that ruins would be traders before they even start. There is a way to fix this, and I share the full details on something that will have a HUGE impact and could turn around your trading. We cover these topics and more in depth: You have to be a good analyst before you become a trader Trading is not an entry level position, it’s a promotion How to switch from working FOR money to working WITH money What makes a successful analyst? When can you promote yourself to a trader? Can you make more money as just an analyst? PLUS - a roadmap to restart your trading career the RIGHT way RIGHT NOW Resources Enjoying this podcast? We’d appreciate it if you can drop us a rating and review on iTunes here Connect with our community online: Trade Pro Academy Catch up with our earlier episodes: Mind Over Markets Podcast Join our FREE trading room here Follow me on Instagram here and on Twitter here.

The biggest problem with goals is that they are a prediction of the future.  Sure it’s amazing to know what you want, but sometimes planning too much on how exactly you will achieve them leaves blind spots to the reality of how you’re gonna get there. There’s an old saying, “make a plan so you know what’s not gonna happen”.  You can’t predict the future 5 mins out - how the heck do you expect to predict something complicated as a goal, the steps you need to take, the exact timing, foreseeing an infinite possibility of challenges, health, lifestyle, needs… etc.  You can’t.  It’s impossible. The good news is that you don’t have to even try.  There is an easier way. In this episode I will share with you some life changing shifts: How to finally let go of your anxiety about achieving goals, or not having them at all How to start thinking like you have already achieved your goals Creating strong visualizations that will achieve what you want faster than having goals How to become instantly successful now, without goals Living a more fulfilling life than a billionaire Plus so much more, to help you become a success machine I hope you enjoy this episode, and I look forward to hearing how you plan to apply this material to get what you want faster. What were some of your goals before listening?  What are you trying to achieve now? Resources Enjoying this podcast? We’d appreciate it if you can drop us a rating and review on iTunes here Connect with our community online: Trade Pro Academy Catch up with our earlier episodes: Mind Over Markets Podcast Join our FREE trading room here Follow me on Instagram here and on Twitter here.

Total profit is the worst performance metric you can use, because it ignores what you actually did to generate it.  In this episode I share my favorite 6 performance metrics, and the story they tell about your trading.  Using these metrics, you can uncover areas of improvement before these small issues become big problems, and start generating massive losses. Oftentimes, before that big losing day, you will have a lot of clues as to what you can adjust to avoid these blow out sessions. PLUS, at the end, I do a full review of one of my recent trading days - and I share with you what I did great, and where I could have improved. This is a must listen episode, jam-packed with value. Resources Enjoying this podcast? We’d appreciate it if you can drop us a rating and review on iTunes here Connect with our community online: Trade Pro Academy Catch up with our earlier episodes: Mind Over Markets Podcast Join our FREE trading room here Follow me on Instagram here and on Twitter here.