How to Test for Edge in Your Trading: 4 Proven Methods That Work
One of the most important — and most asked — questions in trading is: “How do I know if I have edge?” It’s not a simple question to answer. In fact, it might be the hardest question a trader can ask. You can do everything right — follow your rules, manage risk, and read the […]
Steady Strong vs. Capitulatory Price Action in Stock Trading (And Why It Matters)
One of the biggest turning points in my trading career didn’t happen behind a screen. It happened when I began managing the trading floor in Chicago. Suddenly, I wasn’t just responsible for my own performance — I was seeing dozens of traders make real-time decisions, and with that came patterns, mistakes, and behavioral tendencies that […]
September 2025
One Current Market Observation: The IPO market is always a good indicator of market sentiment. Recently, we have seen the IPO market not just crack wide open, but we’ve seen an incredibly euphoric performance out of tickers like Circle, Figma, and Bullish. One Nugget of Trading Wisdom: A strong IPO market helped me break […]
The Six Stages of a Trader’s Journey: From Newbie to Elite
If you’ve spent any time around trading communities, you’ve likely experienced the firehose of conflicting advice. One day you’re told to size up, the next day you’re reminded to stick to your process. Should you be expanding your playbook or narrowing your focus? Should you model others or lean into your unique strengths? The truth […]
Trading Slumps, Drawdowns & Market Shifts: How to Know When to Adapt
One of the most common — and challenging — questions I get from traders, especially during tough stretches, is this: “How do I know if the issue is with me, or if the market has changed?” Closely followed by: “How do I know when to adapt?” These are fundamental questions — the kind that come […]
Exponential Bet Sizing: The Real Path to Unlocking Growth as a Trader
Let’s get one thing out of the way — yes, size matters. And no, we’re not talking about anything other than growing your trading account. If you’ve been in the trenches for a while, putting in the hours, refining your setups, and fighting through market cycles, then chances are you’ve felt the same thing many […]
Why Strategy Comes Before Psychology When Learning to Trade
One of the most common traps beginner traders fall into is obsessing over the wrong things at the wrong time. You’ll often hear traders say they need to work on their psychology. Or that their risk management is off. Or that they’re self-sabotaging through FOMO and overtrading. And while these are all valid issues, there’s […]
August 2025
One Current Market Observation: Bitcoin trades on a multiple of factors. Sometimes it’s a risk asset, sometimes it’s a currency debasement hedge, sometimes it’s a momentum play. When Bitcoin held up so well during the tariff panic, that was the big tell that it was being priced more heavily on factors beyond it being a […]
Rookie Hours: The Secret to Sustained Trading Success
A year ago, Trader X was the fastest-developing new trader I had ever worked with. He hit the ground running, adapted quickly, and saw early success that exceeded expectations. But fast forward twelve months, and that momentum had faded. After a string of sizable red months, Trader X found himself in a deep hole—one created […]
The Most Valuable Trading Heuristic I’ve Ever Learned
If I had to choose just one trading principle that’s had the biggest impact on my development, it would be this: “Pay close attention to how the market reacts to your trade immediately after entry.” It might sound simple on the surface, but this one insight has radically improved how I assess trade quality, manage […]