Want to learn how to find out what traders are doing?  This is called following the smart money, and order flow is a key analysis tool to help you gain an edge on the market. In today’s episode Leo and I discuss our trading into the end of the year, and openly share some of our personal struggles with our trading.  More importantly, we go into details on finding the problem and helping each other fix the issues. We then move into the topic of using the DOM (or price ladder).  This is a tool that allows you to see EVERY order that trades through the book.  This is a big advantage to find continuation or turning points in the stock market, and to trade with the momentum. We get down into the nitty gritty details of how to use this tool, and discuss the following in this episode: What is the Order Book Visible Liquidity Big Inventory as a Magnet / Target Why is a big sell order above a bullish thing? Why

A trading strategy is critical to your success, but do you know the process to create one? Every day we hear someone telling us that WE NEED a trading strategy.  So much emphasis is put on this topic, that new traders rush the process and are doomed from the beginning. In today’s episode, we really dive deep into the process you should follow to refine your idea into a professional trading strategy.  It isn’t just about having an idea and then going to SIM to start “testing”.   In this episode, I give you the complete steps to ensure that you create a strategy that works, because it is battle-tested and aligned TO YOU as the operator. Here is an overview of the strategy creation process: Start with an idea. Create a one-pager.  Back-test with software. A/RS - Analyze then Reiterate or Scrap  Live test in SIM. A/RS - Analyze then Reiterate or Scrap Live test with real money, small scale.</li

Today we talk about the art of building and sustaining performance like a top athlete.  I discuss 10 TIPS to get you to step into the mindset of a top performer.   Think of the greatest things in life you have ever accomplished so far?  What are you most proud of?  Was it easy to get?  Was it any easier after you accomplished that thing? Now here’s the real question, if you’re gonna achieve more amazing things, do you REALLY believe it’s gonna get easier? NO! The truth is peak performance requires constant effort and energy to sustain.  You are never really at the top, even when OTHERS think you are.  You need constant work, internal motivation, and an obsessive desire for success. Here are 10 tips to help you channel that high-performance energy into your trading: It never gets easier, you only get stronger.  You don’t deserve to coast. <li style="font-weig

In this episode Leo and myself talk about the most foundational concept of order flow trading in futures - the time and sales.  This is also called “reading the tape”.  This is a brand new segment we will be co-hosting and airing together the first Thursday of every month, where we will discuss a new order flow topic each month. For the first ever episode of our Between the Spread order flow series, we went in depth on these topics and much more: Market Receipts or (fills) - why it is important to follow these transactions and what information they reveal about large position traders Order Types - breaking down the types of orders retail and professional traders use and how they impact the time and sales and order flow At Ask - a market buyer matches with a limit seller <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level

In today’s episode I’ll be talking about an exciting topic - what happens when you start making money in the markets?  What ways can you generate income streams outside of trading with your profits?  We’ll dive into principles of income generation, active and passive source ideas, and I reveal all my income streams on this show.   Let’s start out by the only two ways you can use to earn income, and it’s important to understand which one will work with your lifestyle at the moment. There are also only two real ways to actively earn income Trade your time for money  This is where most people make their “income” These are salary jobs that pay you fixed annual income In exchange you offer your time, your health You exchan

Day trading with hotkeys is an amazing way to increase your speed advantage and to get a better handle on your execution.  I personally don't day trade without them anymore. However, hotkeys are often used the wrong way and at the wrong time of a trader’s development journey.   In this episode, I cover these topics and more on hotkeys for day trading: Who should NOT be using hotkeys yet Questions to ask yourself to determine if you can benefit from a faster workflow Hotkeys I use for daytrading, explained one by one The software and hotkey hardware I use for super quick trading Step by step process on how to setup hotkeys for any trading platform One of the most important things to know from the very begin

Do you blow out accounts in one day after days, weeks or even months of success?  This is a very common problem for the new trader. I know, because I have been there, and certainly done that.  The good news is, that it is fixable, if you are daring to get to the actual ROOT cause of the issue. The reality of this situation is, that it really only comes down to only 2 possible reasons this is happening: There is a lack of discipline in you as the operator - often this is a mindset issue (more later) -  There is no strategy (or you’re not following it) and you got lucky - it isn’t that YOU MADE THE MONEY, it’s that it was borrowed and with a long  enough timeline it was destined to go back to the market Now the second one is very easy to fix, but ONLY after you have addressed the root cause for your lack of discipline in trading.   Lack of discipline is often b

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 <li style="font-weight:

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 <li style="font-weight: 400

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</

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 <li aria-level=

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 <li

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 yo

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 l

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 analys

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

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 <a class="_e75a791d-denali-editor-page-rtfLink" href="https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/mind-over-markets/id1489046189" target="_blank" rel="noopener norefe

At the start of our trading journey, it is a very common problem that newer traders use too much leverage. Why? They are excited, they are new, they don’t know what they don’t know, and they just want to make a lot of money. They want the kind of returns people with 5, 10, 15 years of experience are making - and they want it TODAY! So they trade big, and inevitably run into a bad trade…. Often just one single one… and lose a large part of their trading account. They are shocked! They are stunned - they become fearful, and become paralyzed by risk. Then immediately cut down their trading size to the lowest amount possible. But the returns are now SO SMALL - that it will take them 50 years to earn back their one trade loss. This really crushes your confidence. So today I want to discuss a few scenarios that could indicate you’re trading too small: You are moving your stops to increase risk when a trade goes against you You are moving your tak

This is a very powerful, and inspirational interview with Gerald. His story spans from extreme business success, to finding himself in prison. In prison, Gerald discovered trading and even started to get quotes on the phone and drawing his own charts and indicators behind bars.  Gerald pushed through his challenges, and continued his pursuit to become a successful trader. Gerald is a fantastic example of a comeback story, and it's truly inspirational to anyone having challenges in life trying to pursue a career in trading. We go into fascinating topics on this podcast episode: The success of his business early on to 7 figures, employing hundreds of people across 6 offices How things took a turn for the worse How he discovered trading in prison The fascinating story of getting market quotes on the phone and creating his own charts with pen and paper Realizing that trading can become not just an income

In today's episode, we had the pleasure of interviewing two amazing individuals who share their journey as investors and traders. Dan and Kyle join us from the 2 Bulls in a China Shop podcast, and I get to flip the tables on them.  As a previous guest on their show, it was exciting to be the one asking the questions. In the discussion, we did a deep dive on: How Dan and Kyle got started investing, and how the journey has gone so far Talking about options writing to generate extra income Discussing how Dan has used his high risk tolerance to his advantage as an investor The greatest challenges they encountered on their path so far Advice for newer traders just starting out PLUS a fun little game at the end This was an incredibly fun podcast to record, and I hope you enjoy it just as much as we did. PLEASE NOTE: The episode does contain profanity and adult language.

In this episode we talk about 6 tips to help you prevent another account blowup. When traders lose all their capital, it can be a very emotional time. And of course, everyone knows the obvious - if you can improve your risk management, it should never happen again right? Wrong. There are many psychological and technical reasons that traders blow-up their accounts.  I share with you 6 tips that will help you get to the root cause and make foundational fixes. &nbsp; This episode includes discussion on: Starting capital for new traders - the answer will surprise you Scaling your trading, position sizing and growing your account Setting daily drawdown, limits and how to use your broker for help The surprising benefits of an accountability partner If it's broke... don't fix it yet - how to overcome challenges the right way Why YOLO'ing your trading account will never work out - even if y

Job, Leo and myself talk all order flow, trading execution and strategy. In this episode we deep dive into a lot of topics new traders have a struggle with; picking a market to trade and utilizing a strategy with an edge.  This is a fantastic discussion with two order flow gurus you do not want to miss. The first episode with Job was a hit, and you can listen to it here: Episode 79: Demystifying Order Flow with Job. In this episode we discuss: Order flow trading tools and strategies Trade entry timing Managing open trades 100 point runners Scratching trades Profit targets and brackets for Nasdaq Trading with hotkeys New amazing tools for Sierra Charts: the Order Flow Labs suite

Traders are professional loss takers - that's what makes us different. In today's episode I will share with you my 5 biggest failures, and how they actually helped me in both life and trading. I personally believe in a saying, "there is no failure, only feedback".  From this angle, we can take any experience and extract the positives, while letting go any negative emotions that may still be associated. This episode includes discussion on: How to extract the learning lessons from past failures My personal biggest failures in life, including a $30,000 USD losing day on Nasdaq How living out someone's ideas can be detrimental to your own ambitions How nothing you do is useless, and the surprising ways it can help you later on in life I waited too long to start trading for myself full time, here what I wish I knew before How ignoring my health goals led me to a nearly fatal incident </u

Trading discipline is a loosely thrown around term, but what does it actually  mean?  What causes you to break down discipline, and how do you fix these actions to improve your trading performance? This episode discusses the 5 reasons your trading discipline breaks down, with specific instructions on how to fix each. This episode includes tips on these topics: PROOF that YOU are extremely disciplined... just not in trading Having a trading plan - the important and connection to discipline Not following your rules - why you are purposely and willingly not sticking to your plan Getting emotional after a loss - this is why it happens and how to stop it Trading for money, not process - the desire to make money is actually harming your potential Wanting to get back into a trade after a loss - the

When is it time to stop trading for good?  Quitting has been made extremely hard by society's ideas of "fighting through" and our fascination with the underdog story.   However, there comes a time when you may want to consider making an exit from the industry. This was a somewhat difficult topic to cover with Victorio, as it can really be triggering to some people and elicit negative emotions.  However, we focus on the positives and also provide some light at the end of the tunnel you will not want to miss. If you've ever asked yourself this question, this podcast is for you. This episode covers some important topics: Should you take a break or quit altogether? Important distinction. One mindset adjustment to try before pulling the plug. 12 signs you might consider quitting. How to flip quitting into a positive outcome. Making the most of what you learned from trading. How to transition p

You are receiving messages daily, which you have no conscious awareness of.  In fact, subliminal priming can influence your behavior without your knowledge.  This has been used by marketers for decades, but in today's episode I tell you how it is impacting your trading negatively.  Also, I share with you how you can actually flip this around and use subluminal priming to your advantage in trading and in life.  This is a MUST listen, as it will help you get your power and control back. This episode is jam-packed with valuable discussion on: How something as simple as a facial expression can influence your actions Surprising function of the subconscious mind and why it can be primed and influenced How your trading losses could be caused directly by something as simple as a picture of your mom Designing your trading space to include positive priming Actionable exercises on how to turn priming into your bi

In this episode, we are going to be interviewing a successful prop trader, Seth Coley.  Seth started his trading journey after a career change, and is a current member of the TRADEPRO Academy community.   Seth transitioned from stocks to futures, and after struggling at first - he found a breakout strategy that worked for him on Nasdaq futures.  He then qualified at a prop firm and has hit a significant milestone.  He shares the details of his strategy, his results and much more. In this episode, Seth and George discuss these topics: How Seth decided to quit his career as a fire fighter and pursue trading Using the futures micros to learn lessons cheap before scaling up How he made the decision it was time to go to a prop firm When you SHOULD NOT be looking to get funded (gold nugget) Tips for minimizing your costs at pay to qualify prop firms Seth's advice for new traders just starting out<

In today’s episode, we are going to be discussing the reality of online prop firms and getting funded as a trader. Do you need to get funded to succeed? When should you consider this option? When to avoid external funding, and how to succeed if you choose to take outside money. Choosing to get funded is a deeply personal choice, and most traders make their decision without knowing the full information.  All online prop trading firms will put you in a simulator trial at first, and charge you for it on a monthly basis. You are paying to trade on a demo account, so it's important to create an action plan. In this episode, George unpacks the following topics  &amp; more: The online prop firm business model explained Advertised amount of money you get can be misleading How your fees will increase 1,000% for market data Story of a trader who grew a $500 USD account into over $100,000 in 18 months The real s

In today’s episode, George is joined by options trader Victorio Stefanov, of TRADEPRO Academy.  George and Victorio talk about the different trading styles, and how you can decide yours to match your personality and unique goals. During this episode, we deep dive into these topics and more: Breaking down the 3 styles: day trading, swing trading and investing Why new traders make the mistake to trade an asset that is not aligned to their goals Why new traders should AVOID scalping - and common misconceptions How social media sets unrealistic expectations Why people make the mistake to trade the asset they see successful people showing on socials George and Victorio discuss how they personally found their own style, and their journey getting there Tips on how to find the right asset and trading style for YOU How to set the proper time expectations while you are learning</l

In today’s episode, we are going to be discussing the psychology behind trading news events, and how to actually trade them like professional traders.  The reality is so different from what new traders assume, it will shock you! George talks about the two different types of news events, and the different approach you need to take for each.  Also, he shares the type of news trading that new traders should start with, and one type to avoid that could be detrimental to your success. During this episode, George unpacks these topics and more: 2 types of news events you have to know about Complete trading strategy for news events The 3 waves to a news event and which stage to enter on How to get a free news feed so it can read out the news to you Sources for professional paid news feeds - and his favorite one Why you SHOULD NOT watch network news channels Plus much more!

In this exciting episode, we have a guest interview with Twitter futures trader and former member Job.  You can follow Job here on Twitter. On the interview we discuss everything about order flow trading, and why this technique provides a trading strategy edge. We discuss why trading the future market is a great opportunity: Centralized order book  Transparency  Liquidity  24/5 trading hours  Our goal was to demystify order flow trading, how market participant interact with each other and how that creates a trading edge. We also discussed what order flow is not, and cleared up a lot of confusion about the topic from new traders. Job mentioned his favorite tools for futures market analysis and how he uses them: Market Profile Volume Profile Footprint Chart Time and Sales Delta</

In today’s episode, we discuss why the trend is not always your friend when it comes to trading. There’s an old saying in the financial markets that the trend is your friend, meaning that you will do well as long as you place your trades onside with the current price trend.  The only problem is that you can never know what the current trend is -  you can only know what the trend was during some prior period. This can provide a false sense of confidence for new traders because the cleaner the trend, the more confident trader will be with taking a position In fact, many new traders take breakout trades “in the direction of the trend” only to see the market reverse on them and stop them out time and time again.  The trend can be your best friend if you are able to identify it in the early stages of development before the expansion phase of the mark-up phase and get in with low risk and high reward potential. Stick around for the full episode to get some great insight on

In today’s episode, we are going to discuss why it’s so important to trade what you see and not what you want to happen! You will often hear traders throwing around the phrase “trade what you see”, however, the reality for most traders is the opposite - they trade based on what they think will happen - driven by emotions and wishful thinking.   Psychological biases can explain how our brains are hardwired to make assumptions  This goes back to the subconscious mind and the filter from which we see things  Think about the scenario where you see a huge rally but did not take a part in it  You may enter long (despite not having a trade entry) because you calculate the amount of money you could have made, and then jump in long with the hope that the rally will continue.  You make your analysis, you follow your rules, you pick a trade that fits your criteria, and then it turns into a loss. No matter how good your analysis and how well you follow the rules, even the bes

In today’s episode, we are going to be discussing some tips &amp; tricks to help you grow a small trading account!  The best investment in life is one in yourself and when you are starting out in any new industry, it's best to start small!  The reason for this is that your mistakes are the cheapest at the beginning which is important because you will make mistakes while you are learning. Now just because you have a small trading account, it doesn't mean that you have to think small!  Trading live is not about making money; it’s all about seeing if you can execute a strategy with an edge and follow a process consistently over weeks and months  When you are starting in this industry, regardless of how much capital you have, you should be starting with a couple of thousand dollars (we recommend between $5000-10,000) until you earn the right to trade a larger size. What does it mean to earn the right to trade larger size? It simply means that you are rewarding good behav

In today’s episode, we are going to be discussing how traders can deal effectively with execution mistakes!  Mistakes happen to everyone and they can be extremely frustrating especially because, in this industry, they can and often do, end up costing us money. What defines you as a trader is not whether you make mistakes or not, but how you deal with these mistakes when they end up occurring!  So what are some of the most common trading mistakes traders make?  Fat fingering trades (putting on more size than you want or fumbling your order executions)  Hotkey execution error (Having trading hotkeys enabled that are the same as other hotkeys for other applications) Taking trades in live account while thinking you are in SIM (or vice versa)  If you've been trading for any amount of time, you will likely have experienced one or two of these mistakes in your career. Reflect back on that error and ask yourself what lessons you lea

In this episode, we provide you with a layout of what the journey to consistent profitability actually looks like so that you can set your expectations for what lies ahead!   A trading journey is never the first thing a trader really considers..in fact, it’s the end result you crave. The money, the cars, the freedom - that’s what you REALLY want.  But if you don’t know a realistic route to get to your destination, you’ll never make it there.  A large part of performing is about setting realistic expectations, because when they are sky-high, even if you are doing well and making progress as a beginner, you will inevitably be disappointed in comparison to what you expect. So start by releasing all expectations! That’s not to say you shouldn’t be committed and have goals, you absolutely should. But your only expectations right now should be to learn. Think about this, there is a good chance you are looking at trading as a career change opportunity. Now ask yourse

In today's episode, we discuss how bull markets, much like the one we are currently in, can let new traders get away with some bad habits that will eventually lead to blowing out unless they get corrected as soon as possible.  A False Sense Of Confidence Beginner traders often get overconfident when they find a strategy that works -  which may lead to some early success, and then come the plans for how they'll spend those millions. But at some point, when market conditions change,  the golden ticket strategy will stop working.  The resulting losses burn out several months worth of hard-earned gains in just a few days, along with your confidence and will to trade.  Anybody that has started trading in the latter half of 2020 and through 2021 has experienced nothing but a strong bullish stock market. Bad habits such as chasing the markets and FOMOing into trades may have even been rewarded in recent months but where new traders tend to get into trouble i

In this episode, we're excited to bring to you another student interview with TRADEPRO member Zalman Sulmayanov! We recently sat down with Zalman for a great discussion on his trading journey since finding TRADEPRO Academy, what he has learned along the way to profitability and how he continues to develop and grow as a trader. Zalman originally hit our radars in our morning trading room one day when he commented to the panelists that he had his best day of the month and followed it up with a screenshot of his trading platform showing a live profit of over several hundred points on the ES futures - a five-figure gain on the session - not too shabby! Zalman was willing to jump on the mic that day to share some of his processes with the community and the rest, as they say, is history! Zalman's journey truly shows what is possible if you remain committed to the process regardless of the obstacles you face along the way and today you'll get some great insight into the realit

In today’s episode, we discuss why boring is actually good when it comes to trading!  This statement might be a bit off-putting - especially for traders just beginning their journey because how can trading not be exciting when you can be making life-changing money? While you certainly can make great money in this industry, the reality is that if you are in this business for excitement, you will eventually blow out your account.  Real trading is all about earning risk-adjusted returns which is dull and unexciting - the real fun part is getting to spend the gains and your time however you like!  You have to be willing to take the boring, systematic approach to your trading goals. and we’ll explain exactly how to do that today! To put it simply - a trader's job is to make risk-adjusted returns.  For those unfamiliar with what this means, let’s break it down for you:  The risk-adjusted return measures the profit your investment has made relative to the amount of risk t

In today’s episode, we are going to be focusing our discussion on some strategies that traders can use to overcome the psychological barrier of letting profits run.  After all, one of the golden rules in trading is to cut your losses quickly and to run your profits but the reality is that it’s easier said than done!  This concept itself makes intellectual and financial sense, however, when it comes time to actually execute this, most traders fumble and actually do the opposite - they cut winners too soon and let their losers run. Take a moment now to reflect on your own trading experience to see if this rings true. How often do you get out of winners too early and watch the markets run without you?  How about your losses? How often do you give your trades more “room to breath” and end up running your losers?  If you find that this is a common occurrence in your trading, then today’s episode is for you! What's interesting to note is that our natural instincts a

As we celebrate International Women's Day today, the team at TRADEPRO sends our appreciation and gratitude to all of the female traders out there!  If you look at the trading industry these days, the unfortunate reality is that it still remains a "boys club", however, we are happy to see that there are a growing number of female traders out there silently killing the markets. One of those traders, Sarah Glass, happens to be the new face on our TRADEPRO trading desk and in today's episode, Sarah joins us to discuss her trading journey and some great insights for other women looking to get started on their own trading journeys.  Since joining our team at TRADEPRO, Sarah has become a community favorite in the Options room because she is an amazing options trader with an impeccable understanding of order flow and her ability to decipher institutional orders into actionable trades is unparalleled. Learn about how Sarah got started in this industry and how she is quickly becoming

In today’s episode, we are going to be discussing how traders can tap into the subconscious mind to remove their fears about trading It’s no secret that we are our own biggest obstacles - and our minds - more specifically our thoughts - play a huge role in the actions that we take and the realities that we manifest.  If we can only get out of our own heads and get out of our own way- what kind of effect would that have on your trading performance?  If you feel like fear is holding you back from becoming the trader that you can be, stay tuned, because this episode is for you!  Fear is False Evidence Appearing Real  A person’s greatest enemy is fear  What most don’t realize is that fear is simply a negative thought in your mind  In simple terms, you are afraid of your thoughts   <li style="font-weight: 400;" ar

In today’s episode, we are going to be speaking on affirmations and how traders can benefit from adding this daily practice into their routines so as to help build a mental edge for optimal trading performance.  You will walk away from this episode with a better understanding of what affirmations are, how they work, as well as how to craft your own powerful affirmations. Stay tuned.  What are affirmations? Affirmations are a powerful tool that many successful people in business, professional sports, and many other professions use on a daily basis.  They are short statements that help you become the trader and more importantly, the person that you want to be - said differently, they are an assertion that something exists or is true.  Now you might be wondering how speaking a bunch of statements out loud might help you make better trading decisions and I don’t blame you.  It goes back to that old saying from Napoleon Hill  “What you think, so you will become” and nowada

Think back to the single worst event in your life; Did it defeat you or did you use it to your advantage and turn it into the greatest moment that ever happened to you? In today’s episode, we've got a special guest by the name of AJ Garcia, whose story is nothing short of inspirational! From rubbing shoulders with celebrities as a high-flying marketing executive to suddenly staring at a prison sentence of 25 years to life,  AJ shares the day that everything changed for him and how he ended up beating the charges but still hitting rock bottom when the judge sentenced him to serve 7 years in prison. Despite being written off by friends and family, AJ never wrote himself off and actually committed himself to develop his mindset and psychology while serving his time.  Our goal with this episode is to provide insight to help you with whatever obstacles you’re facing in life. This is a story of how AJ used prison as the launching pad for his personal success, but it's also abo

In today’s episode, we are going to be discussing the recent euphoria around the GameStop short squeeze, what actually happened and some of the important lessons that new traders can learn from this recent saga! What Happened with GameStop (Ticker: GME)?  Around this time last year (2020), GME was trading below the $5 mark and over the course of the year, the price traded as high as $20 in January 2021. Then on January 13th and January 14th, 2021, the price doubled to $40 - two days later, it doubled again. As a result of this rapid price increase, the media caught wind of this and started running stories on the stock - anywhere you looked, all you saw was “GME” and how retail traders were making life-changing money overnight and beating Wall Street at its own game.  There was euphoria in the air and everybody and their grandmothers were rushing to open brokerage accounts and pour thei

We often compare the mindset of professional traders to that of professional athletes on this podcast so we are very excited for today's special guest, Natey Adjei, who is a professional wide receiver for the Toronto Argonauts in the Canadian Football League (CFL). Natey has been playing football since the fourth grade and has been playing as a professional in the big leagues for the last seven years. He was originally drafted by the Toronto Argonauts in the 2013 CFL Draft where he played for two seasons before joining the Edmonton Eskimos prior to the 2016 season. Natey enjoyed four seasons playing as a receiver for the Eskimos before rejoining the Argonauts as a free agent in February 2020.   Making it to the highest level of a sport is one thing, but to perform as consistently as Natey has, for as long as he has, takes a different type of mindset - the mind of a champion. What does it take to make it to the top? How do champions bounce back from setbacks? How do profe

In this episode, we focus our discussion on resilience and why it's such an important characteristic for you to develop as a trader!  Despite what you see on social media, trading is not as easy as it is portrayed and the reality is that you will face challenges and obstacles on your journey that will test you financially, mentally, and even physically.  Every single trader, yourself included, will go through periods of losses and drawdown and whether you can bounce back and recover to new highs will largely depend on your resilience. Our goal with this episode is to introduce you to resilience, the role it represents in your trading, and some strategies that you can apply to start becoming a more resilient trader! What is Resilience? the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties; toughness. Why Is resilience such an important characteristic for traders?  <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level

In today's episode, we are excited to bring to you an interview with a special guest by the name of Etienne Crete, who is a full-time swing trader and is also the founder of the Desire To Trade podcast. Etienne is known as the traveling forex trader and he really practices what he preaches - in fact, he has built a life of freedom that allows him to travel the world and pursue his passions while making a full-time income swing trading the forex markets. When he's not out exploring new cities and destinations, Etienne also mentors serious traders looking to quit their jobs and pursue trading full-time while also providing huge value to the global trading community in the form of his well-known Desire to Trade podcast. Our very own George Papazov has made several guest appearances on Etienne's show and you can check out his latest interview <a href="https://www.desiretotrade.com/274-master-your-forex-trading-psychology-youll-wish-you-knew-this-earlier-george-papazov/" target="_blan

In today’s episode, our discussion is going to be focused on expectations that new traders have about trading, and more specifically, how unrealistic expectations can be extremely toxic for your journey.  If you’re serious about becoming a trader, it’s wise to understand the nature of the beast now rather than learning it the hard way later. Unrealistic expectations are one of the major catalysts that lead to emotional trading and ultimately a lot of frustration with trading - in fact, the majority of mistakes you will make in your trading career will be a result of expectations that are misaligned with the reality of the markets. Since you are here with us today, our goal is to set the record straight and provide you with a dose of the realities of trading so that you can better manage your expectations in order to give yourself the best chance of finding sustained success!  So what are expectations and why can unrealistic expectations be dangerous? 

In today’s episode, we are going to be discussing the concept of a financial thermostat and how your default setting may actually be holding you back from achieving the trading success that you know you deserve! It’s no secret that trading is linked with money; if you think about what initially drew you to this industry, most people would agree that it is the allure of making life-changing money.  After all, what do we spend most of our days fantasizing about? How life as a successful trader would look like! Luxury homes, large bank account balances, exotic sports cars, and really, the freedom of time to do whatever you want whenever you want.  Now, if you’ve been with us for any amount of time, you’ll be aware that it is the logical side of your brain that actually desires and wants these things, but it’s really the subconscious mind that actually runs the show! So if your relationship with money is not aligned with your financial goals as a trader, then you will find a way

As another new year approaches, most people have an idea of what they want to accomplish but their goals might just seem so out of reach, so out there, that it’s almost too intimidating to start.  We often assume that if we want to achieve big things, we need to take big action - but the problem with this approach is that the bigger the action you need to take, and the more drastic the difference is from your current way of doing things, the more likely it is that you will have trouble sustaining these actions in order to accomplish your goal.  But what if you focused on getting just 1% better each day and seeing how your results compound over the next year? That's exactly what we are going to be discussing in today's episode!  If you were to break down your big goals into tiny, sustainable daily actions that you can practice consistently then you might just be surprised with what you can achieve!  In the beginning, these small decisions might seem insignificant, but ov

In today’s episode, we are going to be discussing a topic that people don’t really talk about much in this industry and that is the fear of success and how it can be detrimental to your end goals as a trader.  Take a moment to reflect on this question:  “Do you fear your own success?”  You might be resistant to this idea at first because after all, why would you fear getting everything that you want? Sounds crazy, right?  But you might be surprised to find out that the fear of success is actually responsible for a lot of the self-sabotage that occurs in our pursuit of what we think we want.  Fear of success is easily confused with fear of failure as both can keep you from reaching your full potential; however, the main difference between the two is that the fear of failure has more to with beating yourself up for underperforming, whereas fear of success is more built in the anticipation of how others will react to your accomplishments.  It’s one of the hardest things to

In today’s episode, we are going to be discussing a topic that we believe will help a lot of traders out and that is why every trade idea is not necessarily a trade that you should execute.  New traders as well as traders struggling to find consistent profitability tend to find themselves in a hamster wheel of frustration which occurs as a result of wanting to jump in on every single trade idea that they come across in an attempt to make as much money as possible as quickly as possible. The issue with this approach comes down to the simple fact that quality always trumps quantity and that the key to trading profitably is to only execute on the highest probability setups because that is where you have positive expectancy.  We always mention that making money is the easy part of this industry, the difficulty, and were a lot of traders struggle, is in keeping those profits as you continue trading!  The real difference between professional traders and unprofitable traders is th

In today's episode, we've got a special treat for you in the form of an interview with our very own oil desk manager, trader, and coach Stephen Box! Stephen joined TRADEPRO Academy back in 2017 as a veteran crude oil trader looking for a community of other professional futures traders to trade with. During one trading session shortly after joining, he volunteered to jump on the mic to share some of his analysis with the entire community of traders and the rest, as they say, is history! Stephen has since become the oil moderator in our trading room and for good reason! He's one of, if not, the best oil trader that we know! Stephen is an absolute gem and in today's chat, you'll get some great insight from his 30+ years of trading experience including how to bounce back mentally from a big trading loss, why pressurized trading is a recipe for disaster, the concepts of gambling in the markets, what it really is and the difference between gambling and trading. Here is a s

In today’s episode, we are going to be discussing how to break your bad trading habits so that you can finally achieve the results that you deserve!  Traders are constantly telling us that they are aware of the habits that are weighing them down but for one reason or another, they just can't seem to stop themselves from repeating them again and again.  These patterns occur at a subconscious level without our being able to control them and this can become frustrating very quickly and lead to trading on tilt which is when things can really start to spiral out of control.  Oftentimes, these bad habits are developed early on in the trading journey (especially if you stay in demo for too long) and will stick with you until you either face them head-on and change them or get frustrated enough with trading to decide that it's not for you and you exit the industry.  Our goal today is to help you identify some of the habits that are causing you frustration in your trading and to pro

In today’s episode, we are going to be discussing how to use uncertainty as an opportunity to get outside of your comfort zone and grab your life and trading by the horns. As a species, humans hate uncertainty! In fact, all you have to do is look back to our prehistoric ancestors as proof!  Think about a caveman leaving the safety of the cave (which is the “certain”) and going out to forage for food. If the caveman came across a large and fierce animal that they’ve never seen before, the immediate reaction would be to turn and go the other way because they were uncertain if this creature would attack them and if their lives were potentially at risk.  The same holds true when you are trading because your subconscious brain cannot distinguish between the perceived danger to you caused by life or death situations or the fear of losing a trade or even the fear of being wrong.  Uncertainty makes us worry, it provides stress and anxiety simply because of all of the unknown possib

!n today’s episode we are going to be discussing how to handle trading losses like a winner because at the end of the day, it’s not about how much money you make but how much money you can keep, and if you can’t take a loss then sooner or later you will take the mother of all losses.  Why Traders Have Such a Hard Time Taking Losses As a society, we are conditioned to aim for a high percentage success rate A lot of us judge our self-worth on how often we are right which makes it difficult to accept being wrong and taking a loss  Fear is a stronger emotion than greed; when faced with the potential of taking a loss, we will usually gamble and lose much more instead of accepting the loss for what it is  Trading losses are guaranteed, but newer traders are often surprised when they happen <li style="font-weight:

If you know anything about us, you’ll know that we enjoy studying disciplines outside of trading to see if there any transferrable skills that we can use to help build our mental edge as traders, and poker just so happens to be one of those cases! In today’s episode, Mark discusses some of the similarities between poker and trading and also breaks down some key lessons that professional poker players can teach us about successful trading. For those not familiar with the game of Texas Hold Em’ poker, players win by betting against other players until one person is left with the entire pot. The betting is based on the perceived value of the hand that they hold relative to what they believe the other opponents at the table have. There are several betting rounds between the flop, the turn, and the river and success take discipline, patience, and diligence! Interestingly enough some of the best candidates for Wall Street trading jobs back in the day happened to be professional card

In today’s episode, we are going to be discussing how traders can use meditation to improve their trading and their lives!  You often hear us talking about how important mindset is for trading success and one of the best ways that you can build and maintain a positive mindset is by meditating regularly.  Just like our bodies require an ample amount of rest through sleep, our minds also require a “rest” from the thousands of thoughts we have on a daily basis and meditation gives your mind that rest so that you can remain more calm, focused and productive throughout your day!  What is Meditation?  A tool to manage stress and control reactions to stressful situations  “A practice where an individual uses a technique, such as focusing their mind on a particular object, thought or activity, to achieve a mentally clear and emotionally calm state”  You observe your thoug

Today's episode is a big milestone for us at TRADEPRO Academy as we mark the 50th episode of this podcast! To celebrate, we wanted to do something different, something that you guys have been asking for and we are excited to finally be able to deliver it to you! We recently sat down with one of our most successful TRADEPRO students, Ryker Savage, for a great discussion on his trading journey since finding TRADEPRO Academy, how he uses technology to help him stay on top of his trading psychology and how his lifestyle has changed since finding success trading the futures markets! Ryker originally hit our radars in our morning trading room one day when he commented to the panelists that he had made a sizeable chunk of money on the session and was extremely grateful for the resources and support that we provide to our community! Fast forward a couple of weeks later and we received a notification of a new review posted to our TRADEPRO Academy business page on Google, in whic

One of the common struggles that most traders face is how to strike the right balance between overtrading and undertrading. In today's episode, we discuss how to define overtrading and undertrading so that you can better understand how each of them can impact your mindset and psychology as well as your trading account. We've got you covered  too because we also speak on how you can identify overtrading and undertrading in real-time and some fixes you can implement to help manage the risk and keep yourself in that fine balance! What is over trading and under trading in reference to? The market conditions High volatility means more trades Less volatility means less trades It’s important to recognize the change in volatility and to adjust accordingly If a market range in the SP500 is 100 poin

In today’s episode, we are going to be identifying some of the reasons why traders have difficulty following their trading plans and offering some tips on how you can effectively follow your plan.  Trading is the hardest easy money you can make and when done right you will be doing a lot of things that are unnatural to you which is one of the reasons that make following your trading plan so difficult!  Before we provide some effective ways to actually follow your plan, let's first peel back the curtain on why we as humans tend to make plans but fail to follow through: Humans are procrastinators by nature - our brains prefer instant rewards to long term payoffs.  The Akrasia Effect - a Latin term coined by Socrates and Aristotle- describes the human tendency of acting against your better judgment. It's when you do one thing even though you know you should do something else - similar to how you know you shouldn't take that trade because it does

Whether you are already consistently profitable or are a breakeven trader struggling to achieve consistent profitability, there will come a time ( or many) in your journey, when you feel that all the effort you are putting into trading is not providing that steady improvement in results that you instinctively know you deserve.  If you’ve been trading for any bit of time and have stopped seeing improvements in your trading or your results have started to “flat line” then you are likely at a plateau in your journey - you will know this to be true because you will almost feel “stuck” with a certain result or lack thereof. Plateaus can be extremely frustrating to deal with so if you are going through one in your current journey, then this episode is meant to help you understand this process so that you can break through it and level up your trading!  So what is a plateau? It's a state of little or no change following a period of activity or progress. As it relates to trading, a

In today’s episode, we are going to be speaking on the topic of the most effective ways to overcome analysis paralysis!  Analysis paralysis is one of the most common problems that we are going to face as traders; in fact, this is something that we dealt with during the earlier stages of our careers and we’re sure that a lot of you listening are going to deal with it at some point in your journey if you have not already experienced it!  If you find it difficult to jump into the markets or you are too afraid to make a trading decision to buy or sell then you have likely suffered from analysis paralysis!  So what exactly is analysis paralysis?  Investopedia defines this as “a situation in which an individual or group is unable to move forward with a decision as a result of overanalyzing data or overthinking a problem”  When relating this back to trading, analysis paralysis occurs any time our thinking about performing gets in the way of our actual performance. Regardless of

In today’s episode, George speaks on some of the lessons that he learned during his time as trader for an international bank in Canada including why he ultimately left the gig to pursue independent trading and focus on TRADEPRO Academy!  Here are the 9 lessons George learned from 7 years in the trading department at Scotiabank 1. The average person doesn’t know what a trader does (09:41)  But assumes they make a ton of money You only have your colleagues to relate with And then your life is all about work and hanging with work friends 2. Rich people don’t always make money (12:15) But they are better investors Because they know business   Dealt with a lot of high networth clients <li style="font-weig

In today’s episode, we are going to be discussing whether you should trade one market or many markets when you start your trading business.  A lot of new traders tend to spin their wheels by jumping from market to market, whereas the majority of consistently profitable traders focus on trading one market exceptionally well rather than try to trade whatever’s hot!  If you have been struggling with finding consistency in your trading, this episode has been created for you! So to trade one market or many markets - that is the question! Unfortunately there is no cookie-cutter answer to this and it really depends on where you are in your trading journey!   Before digging into this, let’s have a quick look at some of the benefits and drawbacks of trading one market versus trading multiple markets. Trading One Market  You become a specialist; the more screentime and experience you get with one market, the

In today’s episode, Mark discusses the syndrome that prevents many new and experienced traders from finding the consistent profitability that they desire!  This is actually something that people experience in many different facets of life (outside of trading) but it holds especially relevant as it relates to trading.  Mark personally experienced this when he started his trading journey and it wasn’t until he stopped to reflect on his results (or lack thereof at the time) that he realized he had also fallen victim to it!  What is "it"? It's the shiny ball syndrome. You may have heard it called something different; maybe shiny object syndrome, but regardless what you want to call it, it is the phenomenon where a person constantly changes their focus from one thing to another everytime they see a new “shiny ball” of potential opportunity.  Are you somebody that commits all of their focus and energy on something and as soon as you lose motivation or things don’t go as planne

In today’s episode, we are going to be discussing the characteristics of gambling traders versus the characteristics of professional traders with the goal of helping you identify if you are trading or gambling! This episode is not ABOUT you, it is for you! The discussion that we will have is meant to help raise your awareness of patterns that might be holding you back from achieving the success that YOU deserve!  Many people believe that trading the stock market is a form of gambling. Think about this and ask yourself what your opinion of this is?  Have you ever thought trading is gambling? If so, where did this belief come from?  We hear it all the time, “The stock market is nothing but a gamble” - “Trading is as good as going to the casino and betting all in on red” - “Day trading is gambling” For many who trade the market, gambling is exactly what they are doing - but is it correct to say that trading IS gambling?  Before we can differentiate between the gambling tra

In today’s episode, we speak on ego and trading, more specifically, what the ego is, warning signs that ego is getting in the way of your trading, and finally some rules to help you keep your ego under control while trading! Most people that enter this industry believe that the markets are against them, when in reality, they are the ones holding themselves back from success! This happens beneath the surface because of the ego!  While you can’t trade without ego, for the majority of traders, their ego is working against them and not for them. Have you ever asked considered the question “Do I want to be right or do I want to make money”?  Most people would believe that if you are right, then you are going to be making money - but this isn’t really the case!  How many times has it occurred that you might have an idea for a trade and then you execute the trade, get stopped out, and then the market goes in the direction of the trend without you onboard?  You were right

In today’s episode we are going to be discussing limiting beliefs about money and how they are affecting your trading performance! If you don't think you have an issue with money, ask yourself this: Do you have a fear of entering trades because you are scared to take a loss  Do you jumping out of trades with little (or no) profit  Do you beat yourself up after taking a loss  Do you revenge trade to make losses back?  Do you lie to yourself and others about your trading performance? These are all associated with your beliefs about money that you learned a long time ago. If you have never done any mindset work, then you are walking around with the beliefs that you held since childhood ( seven years old)  The mindset about money that you bring into trading is NOT the mindset th

In today’s episode, we are going to be speaking about your negative self-talk and how this misunderstood concept actually creates your reality and your trading results!  How we talk to ourselves about ourselves and our world shapes our reality -unfortunately for the majority of the population, they live out their lives stuck as prisoners of the mind.  If you tend to beat yourself up inside when you make a mistake or worse yet, if you allow yourself to only feel as good as the result of your most recent trade, then you may be prone to negative thinking -  but if you are here with us today, then you’re in luck because we will provide you with some actionable steps to turn your mind into your best friend!  Did you know that on average, humans have about 12k-60k thoughts per day? Of those daily thoughts, about 80% are negative and 95% are repetitive thoughts day in and day out! So it is any surprise that the general population, yourself included, is so familiar with their i

In today’s episode we are going to be talking about the process of getting back into trading after taking some time off! Keeping mentally sharp throughout each trading session while battling fear and greed on a daily basis can definitely wear on a trader's psychology and sometimes it's best to take a break in order to prevent burnout from affecting your bottom line. Whether it's a voluntary decision or a forced one - many traders that end up taking a break from trading go about it the wrong way. They simply disconnect from the markets and return on a whim - often expecting different results while doing the same things as before - the definition of insanity! If you are considering taking a break from trading or are currently on a break from trading - understand this - there is work to be done on the "internal operator" before you return to the markets. We've got your back here at TRADEPRO Academy, so we will share some of our own processes today that you can use and imp

In this episode, we are excited to bring to you a special guest interview on the Mind Over Markets Podcast! We recently sat down with one of our very own traders and coaches, Victorio Stefanov, for a great discussion on his trading journey and the key lessons he's learned along the way. In addition to his own story, Victorio has worked with 50+ traders in a coaching capacity, so he also shares an interesting perspective on the struggles of new traders from the viewpoint of a mentor. He is one of the most disciplined traders that we know so there is a lot that you will take away from his journey! Back in 2015, Victorio had dropped out of Engineering at McMaster University and around the same time, his father ran into George at a Starbucks and set up a meeting between them. Shortly after he met with George, Victorio decided that trading was the path that he wanted to pursue and so he signed up to TRADEPRO Academy to start the journey - in fact - Victorio was actually o

In today's episode, we continue our discussion on the common cognitive biases that traders deal with and we close out this series with some actionable steps that you can take to overcome these biases in your own trading!  Last week we introduced why cognitive biases can be a bad thing for traders and also identified four of seven common cognitive biases that we deal with as traders. If you haven't had a chance to listen to part one of this series, we suggest you listen to that episode in full in order to get up to speed for today's discussion! As a quick refresher, last week we introduced the following cognitive biases: #1. Confirmation Bias  This occurs when you seek out information that confirms your preexisting beliefs. #2. Loss Aversion Bias  This means that you will not act because you are fearful of losing money - you will hesitate to take trade

Over the next two episodes, we are going to introduce you to the seven common cognitive biases that impact our decisions as traders. By building awareness of these common biases, you will be in a better position to identify them in real-time so that you can reframe your mindset right there and then in order to make better trading decisions going forward! When money is on the line and time is limited, human decision making can be flawed and trading is one of those fields where irrational behavior patterns can be quite common. So being aware of these cognitive biases can provide a trader with some advantages - namely - it helps you better manage these in your own trading, but also, they can help you understand some of the reasoning behind the moves in the market that may seem irrational!  Let’s quickly take a moment to look at some of the reasons why cognitive biases can be bad news for traders: Effects of Cognitive Biases  Missing out on val

In today’s episode, we are going to be speaking about the importance of thinking for yourself as a trader! A lot of people that enter this industry look to copy other people’s trades, or worse yet, sign up for signal services in the hopes of changing around their circumstances overnight! What they might not be aware of is that the trading industry favors independence and if you have a tough time trusting your gut and tuning out the noise of other people’s opinions, you will have a tough time trying to succeed. Imagine this scenario for a quick moment; You sign up for trading signals and start to generate profits every month - before long you are ready to quit your day job and enjoy true financial freedom - no boss and no stress. Best of all - you don’t have to do any additional work other than pulling the buy or sell trigger when an alert comes in - sounds like a dream life right? Now, what happens if the service suddenly shuts its doors? You are basically SOL - you’v

In today’s episode, we are going to be discussing how traders can prepare for the transition to summer trading. When we say summer trading, we’re referring to low volatility market conditions with tight ranges and choppy price action.  These are the types of environments that challenge traders of all experiences and both George and I would agree that it is a lot more difficult to transition from a volatile market to a slower market than vice versa. We’ll talk about how you can prepare for the transition to summer volatility and some rules that you can implement into your trading plan to give yourself the best shot at success!  There is an old industry adage that used to be thrown around along the lines of “Sell in May and Go Away”. In fact, from 1950 - 2013, the Dow Jones posted lower returns from the May to October period compared to November through April - which gave further merit to this saying - however, it's worth noting that this trend has somewhat changed since 2

In today’s episode, we will be speaking on the topic of how to cope with burnout.  It’s been said that trading is the hardest easy money that you will ever make and we believe this to be true here at TRADEPRO Academy.  As traders, we are required to perform at a high-level and this constant grind can weigh on you after some time, after all, nobody is immune from burning out. With that being said, there are some warning signs that you can look out for because burn out doesn't just happen - there are several stages that lead up into it. Since there are several stages that lead to burning out, that means that you can prevent it from happening by being proactive from the start! If you are already dealing with burnout, then it's okay! We'll share some tips that will help you navigate through this rough patch and get you back into the right mind space. Before we can identify the stages of burnout, let's first define what it actually is! Our two favorite definitions f

In today’s episode, we will be speaking on one of the most common fears in trading; the fear of missing out!  FOMO is one of the biggest account killers that we’ve seen as educators in this industry, so we believe it is important for you to understand what it is and how to manage it before you you fall victim to it.  Have you ever jumped into trades early without confirmation because the market was moving and you didn’t want to miss out on potential profits? How about scaling up your size to catch up to other people’s results in trading groups that you are part of?  If this sounds familiar, then you have already experienced the fear of missing out to some extent in your trading. It's only natural as humans for us to want to be part of the action especially when volatility starts to pick up!  If you stick around for the full show, you will learn what FOMO is and how it manifests so that you can be better prepared to manage or even avoid it!  So what exactly is the

In today’s episode, we are going to be speaking on the topic of trading while traveling! It’s no secret that one of the major benefits of trading the markets successfully is having the ability to work anywhere in the world (being location independent) while making a full-time income.  While there are several benefits of trading while traveling, there are also a number of challenges that you will face on your journey that are not often marketed on social media.  It is important to first understand the pros and the cons of trading while traveling before determining whether it is something you can consider as an option for yourself! So what are some of the benefits of trading on the road? You can trade for a few hours and then use the rest of the day to fulfill other purposes You get to see the world and experience cultures while making a full-time income Being on the road forces you t

In today’s episode, we are going to be talking about something we feel strongly about and how overconfidence can really ruin your trading success. This pattern occurs when you've been on a stretch of above-average performance and suddenly your mindset shifts out of alignment and causes greed. If you've had multiple winning days or weeks at a time only to erase all of that progress in a single session, this is an episode meant for you! At TRADEPRO Academy, we refer to this overconfidence in your trading ability as the "God complex". It's called the God complex because you start to feel indestructible - it’s a point during a hot streak where you start to develop the belief that everything you touch turns to gold or said differently, you just can't seem to stop winning trades. This is where the mindset of a trader shifts from confident to cocky - the trader bypasses the process mindset which has given them confidence in their performance and turns everything into a matt

In this episode, we're excited to bring to you a new guest interview on the Mind Over Markets Podcast! We recently sat down with our colleague and former prop trader, Brad Alcini, for a great chat on what it's like to be a professional trader. Brad shares some great insight into how big traders stay alive, what's required to be successful in this business, as well as examples of seven-figure traders and what they do to win consistently! If you are looking to level up your trading mindset, this is an interview that you will not want to miss! Brad's trading journey started back in the pits of the Chicago Board of Trade as a clerk in 1995. In his time as a clerk, Brad worked for several successful traders and was able to learn a lot about trading and mindset from people that were winning on a daily basis. In 1996, only one year after joining the CBOT as a clerk, Brad was hired on by Goldenberg Hehmeyer to trade firm capital in the 10-year T-note pits as an interest r

In today’s episode, we discuss how your physical environment influences your trading performance, as well as the components that go into building a high-performance trading environment so that you can put together a space that inspires you every time you sit down to trade!  Working from home has its obvious benefits and these include: Avoiding the daily commute Working flexible hours Relaxed, comfortable environment With this freedom comes great responsibility! It becomes increasingly more important to separate your trading environment from where you spend the majority of your day at home when not trading because failing to do so can lead to a lot of distractions that will throw you off of your game..and that's the opposite of what we are after here! So what are the components that make up a high-performance home trading environment? (1) A quiet, dedicated space for YOU. (2) A comfortable desk. (3) A comfortable, ergon

In today’s episode, we are going to be speaking on some of the morning routines and rituals that traders can use to put themselves into the right mindset for high-performance trading!  Routines and rituals are actually an integral part of daily life and every person has their own that they have developed over the years - both consciously and subconsciously - that allow them to get through the day.  Traders are no different, we are creatures of habit and require routines in order to complete our jobs effectively.  So let's unpack this topic in deeper detail and along the way you will learn how to build a powerful morning routine that you can implement right away!  When studying successful individuals (whether athletes or business moguls), a majority of them swear by their morning routines that they use to get into the required state for action which is necessary for achieving high-performance.  Some common traits of the morning routines of these high-performers include

In today's episode, we are going to be speaking on the benefits of being part of a trading community!  More specifically, we will be looking at some of the challenges that new traders face when learning to trade on their own, and how being part of a trading community can provide them with the resources to address each of these challenges.  We’ve experienced the benefits of being in a community first hand and when speaking with many other successful traders, they often mention that having a community to lean on was one of the key factors that influenced their own paths towards consistent profitability! It's that important for your success!  So what are the challenges that new traders face when they start trading live capital? Well, it's easy to get lost when you first start out because there is a sea of information out there on trading strategies and indicators.  Most of it is useless and irrelevant but there are some hidden gems if you know what to look for!  You

In this episode, we continue our discussion on full-time trading and how to know when its time for you to go full-time with your trading! You will learn some of the common mistakes that many traders make when transitioning to full-time trading, which ironically enough, often sabotages their chances of a successful career from the get-go! By being aware of these mistakes, we aim to help prevent you from making the same ones on your journey. These mistakes include the following: Unrealistic expectations - expecting smooth sailing from the get-go Putting themselves in a situation where they NEED to make a certain amount of money Trading randomly - no plan, no tactics, no results Overlooking the progress - not appreciating how far you have come After breaking down the above mistakes in detail, we also take some time to speak on the two scenarios below: (1) When you should you NOT consider taking your part-time tr

In today's episode, we discuss the things that no one tells you about full-time trading! As a bunch of guys that have been trading full-time for the last several years, we are able to share some of our own insights on the benefits and challenges of trading for a living. If you look on Youtube or on social media, the marketing tactics from charlatans are to pinpoint your problems (time or money) and try to solve it with trading. It's a magic pill industry and we have a problem with that at TRADEPRO Academy so we're here to set the record straight We reflected on our own experiences as full-time traders and put together the following  list of thirteen things that no one tells you about full-time trading: You are becoming an entrepreneur You have to embrace uncertainty You have to constantly look at challenges as opportunities You will become more self-aware and reflective You will look at everything as risk vers

Let's face it, nobody takes a trade with the intention of eating a stop..but it happens and sometimes when things don't go your way, you can end up hitting your daily stop limit early on in the session. This can leave you in a very vulnerable position if you do not have a plan of action and that's exactly what today's episode is going to focus on! Whether you should stop trading for the day after hitting your daily drawdown limit or if you should reset and fight back. The truth of the matter is that many traders have difficulty with this decision in real-time and not knowing when to walk away can lead to a downward spiral in performance and trading results. Don't worry though because we've got you covered over here at TRADEPRO Academy! We've put together a two-step process for you to follow in order to ensure that if you are going to be resetting your daily stop, you're in the best position to do so and fight back! You’ll walk away from this episode with a better underst

In this episode, we're excited to bring out our friend Matt Brown for a great discussion on consciousness, personal development and abundance.  Matt has been working on his own personal development for over 10 years now after being introduced to the concept by a friend while living overseas in Spain. We believe that a lot about success has to do with the inner-self and that by learning how to work on yourself, you will, in effect, be making yourself a better trader. A lot of the success we've seen in our community is when traders get to the stage where they realize that they are the ones standing in their own way to their goals. This could be for a number of reasons such as limiting beliefs kept since childhood or not understanding their relationship with money. Everybody deserves to be successful but they must first believe it and be in harmony with their actions in order to receive that which they desire. That's exactly the focus of this discussion! How to allow you

In today’s episode, we will be breaking down the emotional cycle that traders must understand in order to deal with the challenges that they will face in the live markets.  Different market cycles tend to challenge the emotions of those traders and investors that choose to participate. In fact, these market participants are the reason that these market cycles exist; because traders are human and humans are emotional beings!  Fear and greed drive the markets so not only do we have to learn how to control our own emotions, but we also have to recognize what the collective crowd is thinking.  By understanding how the collective crowd thinks and reacts during certain market cycles, we can start to read market sentiment a bit more clearly and even learn to identify our own emotional states with more clarity in the real-time.  So what are the emotions that make up the stages of the cycle that we will be discussing today? Optimism Excitement

In this episode, we are excited to bring to you the first guest interview on the Mind over Markets podcast! We recently had the pleasure to sit down and chat with veteran futures trader Anthony Drager, who is also the founder of Edge Trading Group and a great friend to us at TRADEPRO Academy. Anthony is one of the most experienced and knowledgeable traders that we know in the futures industry and we can't wait for you to hear and learn from his trials and tribulations! His trading journey started on the floor of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange as a runner in 1991 when Anthony was only seventeen years old. He managed to find his way back into the pits as an arbitrage clerk in 1996 and then became a member of the Chicago Board of Trade in 1999 as a floor trader in the Dow Jones futures pit. As the industry transitioned from the pits to the screens, Anthony was picked up by Chicago based prop firm International Trading Group in April 2000 where he went on to trade European

As the title suggests, in today's episode, we focus our attention on the topic of how to stop overtrading! A lot of the feedback we hear from our community of traders on Youtube is that overtrading is something that they regularly struggle with...and we get it! New traders often enter the industry enthusiastic to start trading and making money - but this enthusiasm can be a double-edged sword at first. Why? Because when you are new and you see markets moving, you want in - you've always gotta be in a trade to be a trader right? WRONG - in fact, one of the things we hear quite often from TRADEPRO members is that they are surprised at how little we actually trade throughout the session. And there is a good reason for this! Want to know why? Well, it's really quite simple - we are only looking to take the highest probability setups - anything else is just noise! But does that mean that experienced traders are immune to overtrading? Not in the slightest - they have just l

In today's episode, we discuss how to bounce back after blowing your trading account! Because let's face it, blown accounts are sort of considered an "initiation" if you plan on sticking around this industry for any amount of time. In fact, we don't personally know of any traders that have reached a level of consistent profitability that haven't blown an account (if not many accounts) on their path towards profit. This is a very common stop on the journey towards becoming a consistently profitable trader and how you decide to proceed once you've blown your account will determine your future success or failure in this industry. If you blew your account and did not learn anything from it, then wiring some more funds to your broker and topping it back up will likely lead to the same disastrous result. So if you find yourself in this position, fear not! We've got your back here at TRADEPRO Academy so we've put together a structured, 5-step process that you can follow

Things get controversial on this episode of Mind Over Markets. As the title suggests, we’re discussing demo trading and why too long on the stock market simulator can really hurt your chances at being a successful day trader.  In all honesty, your success in demo does not guarantee your success in live trading. There’s no real risk involved in sim trading, so it can lead to you developing some really bad habits when it comes to trade strategy. This doesn’t mean you’re a terrible stock trader - you just need to learn how to use demo trading properly. We typically see new traders overstay their welcome in demo. It’s a comfortable and safe place for you to practice day trading. Unfortunately, live trades are anything but safe and comfortable. Too much time in demo means too much time fake risking fake money. When you have real money on the line, your reactions can change pretty quickly. If you don’t have a well-practiced strategy in place, your first few live trades could blow u

Are you keeping a journal? We get it - stock trading and journaling seem like they’re on the opposite ends of the spectrum, but we’re here to tell you that that’s just not true. Keeping a journal is the one thing you need to do if you want to be a successful stock trader. Think about it this way - all businesses keep a record. As a stock trader, you are your own business. It’s important that you keep a record of your wins, your losses, and your bank account. But keeping a journal is more than just tracking your performance metrics. Journaling helps you recognize patterns, inventory emotions, and build your confidence. In fact, actually writing in a journal can help remove the stress and mental blocks that are affecting your trades. Take a look at some of these other benefits of keeping a journal:  reduces depression and anxiety cultivates gratitude helps with

P&amp;L. This term gets thrown around a lot in stock trading, but what does it really mean? Profit And Loss is the obvious answer, but the P&amp;L means a lot more to many different traders. In this episode, we’re going deep into why focusing on the P&amp;L can be detrimental to your trading strategy. For stock traders, especially new traders, focusing on the P&amp;L will only lead to emotional trading. Emotional trades will force you off of your intended plan and will almost always end up in losses. We know this from personal experience. George used to be one of those traders, staying glued on the P&amp;L, completely ignoring the rest of his charts. This is so common among traders. Since we’re in a competitive situation, we instinctively want to keep score. How else will we know if we’re winning or not? But that’s the problem - you can’t keep score if you want to win.  Keeping score is for the fans. The players - the traders - they need to create the score by focusing on

Patience is something you have to get used to as a trader. You’re never going to get to a point in your career where you just don’t need to be patient anymore. That’s why we dedicated this episode of Mind over Markets to helping traders cultivate PAYtience. Yes, we’re spelling it that way because having patience in trading means earning capital, and cultivating patience means you’re setting yourself up for long-term success. Developing a strategic plan is the only way you’re ever going to cultivate patience. Get over that instant gratification that defines our generation RIGHT NOW. We’re sharing tips and tricks for how you can stop looking for that instant win or fast-lane to success and start training yourself to look for the market signs and signals that will point you to the good trades. It’s going to take a bit of practice. Successful trading is the opposite of what you see on social media. In fact, it’s really boring. Cultivating patience will help you make it through th

Fear is one of our most natural subconscious responses, but it’s also one of the most important elements of trading. In this episode of Mind Over Markets, we’re sharing our own experiences with the fear of loss and how our own personal risk management strategies help us - and will help you - overcome the fear of loss in trading.  The important thing to remember about fear is that it will never go away. There will always be a little element of fear in everything you do, especially when the risks are high. That’s because fear is an innate defense mechanism. Fear exists to keep us alive, and fear helps us recognize and react to perceived threats. For early humans, these threats were more likely large predators, but for those of us in the modern age, these threats can come in many forms. In trading, the threat could be to our income, our livelihood, even our emotional well-being. George believes in two different types of fear: fears that we need to listen to, those ones that truly th

On this episode of Mind Over Markets, we are taking a closer look at our emotions and - most importantly - our emotional awareness. Emotional awareness is more than just being aware of what moods you’re experiencing. It’s about being able to manage and maintain these natural feelings. All of our emotions lead to thoughts, and you have to be able to manage your emotions before they start to negatively influence your decision-making on the trading floor. Think back to our earlier episodes. Remember when we said all emotions are based in the subconscious mind? That’s because our lizard brains are designed to react to perceived threats with a fight-or-flight response. Emotions trigger this kind of response, but fight-or-flight is really dangerous if you’re a trader. What we’re talking about on this episode are ways you can learn to identify and interrupt this natural pattern before it takes over and starts controlling you and the way you trade.  We’re both sharing our different s

Are decisions made with the conscious or the subconscious mind? That’s the big question we’re answering on this episode of Mind Over Markets. We have strategies to help you break out of your subconscious decision making patterns, and the personal challenge in this episode is designed to challenge your unconscious decisions.  You make roughly 35,000 decisions per day. That breaks down to making a decision about every two seconds. And when you’re making that many decisions, how can you be conscious of every single one of them? The truth is - you can’t. And this truth is even more important when it comes to decision making as a trader.  Unconscious decision making comes from our subconscious desire to find the “right” answer. In trading, the right answer isn’t always so obvious. That’s why decision making is so hard for new traders. The decisions we have to make as traders aren’t always easy, but taking the pressure off of yourself to make a profit right away can make it a little le

Get ready! We’re flipping the script completely today here on Mind Over Markets. Your host, George Papazov, just finished writing his first book and we’re asking him all about it. You’ll discover the inspiration behind his book and the motivations that led him to finally put pen to paper. You’ll even find out how he came up with the title - Path to Profit: A Trader’s Journey to Success. What George shares with us today is that writing a book is a very vulnerable project. But being able to share his story and his journey with fellow trade pros like us is worth every bit of the struggle. Back in our day, when we were first stepping into professional trading, it was really hard to access other successful traders and learn from their stories. Being able to learn through Geroge’s story and what he’s been through is an extremely empowering process and can make you a better trader.  That’s why George included personal questions and exercises at the end of each of his chapters, and w

If you never thought of trading as a sport, this episode of Mind Over Markets is going to blow your mind. Because you’re more like a professional athlete than you think. Just like playing a professional sport, pulling off trade strategies requires a lot of mental strength and acuity. There’s a lot of competition - and a lot of pressure - out there on the trade floor, and your mental toughness is going to make or break your trading success. Mental toughness is at the core of today’s episode. It’s a term we picked up from one of our favorite books - The New Toughness Training in Sports. In this book, mental toughness is likened to a psychological edge athletes have which allows them to take on the mental, emotional, and physical challenges of the professional arena. Trade pros can develop this same psychological edge by strengthening their inner selves. What do we mean by “inner self”? We

It’s that time of year again, time for all the new goals and resolutions for the New Year. But did you know that nearly 80% of people give up on their goals by the middle of February? That’s barely 45 days into the New Year. It’s almost embarrassing to think about, but we’re all guilty of it. Our goals can get away from us sometimes, especially if we aren’t setting smart and authentic resolutions that actually align with your purpose. There is a way to set smarter goals, and in this episode of the Mind Over Markets podcast we’re taking a closer look at the psychology behind the infamous New Year’s Resolution. We’re discussing ways you can use Neuro Linguistic Programming - or NLP - to set goals you’ll actually stick to. You’ll start to notice the amazing effects it has on your attitude and, ultimately, you’re trading too.  Before we go any deeper, it’s important to understand why some people set goals and others don’t. Some people set goals to create a sense of motivation and dir

Last episode we wrapped up on the power of positive thought, and it’s an excellent segway into our sixth episode on rethinking your self-worth. You may not realize it now, but your sense of self-worth has a huge effect on your trading. The things you think you deserve revolves around how much you think you’re worth. If you think you aren’t worthy of something, how do you think you’ll ever become a successful trader?  Listen to this episode now with that thought in mind. Self-worth is your opinion of yourself and what’s most important to you once all the external factors are removed. Think about it, because we want to know not only how much you think you’re worth, but what does self-worth mean to you right now? What do you value most about yourself? How much of this value rests on the opinions of others?  Don’t get overwhelmed by these questions. There’s actually a simple equation that will calculate your self-worth for you, and it might surprise you. We’re discussing it today but

We all have a special superpower, which is the power of positive thinking. The thoughts you think and how you share them is powerful enough to change who you are. Words and thoughts are energy, and they interact with all of the energy around us to influence our life and our decisions. Remember, there’s no such thing as empty space. It’s all filled with energy, and the kind of energy you put into it will directly influence what you get out. So if you fill that space with self-doubt and negative thinking, how are you supposed to pull something positive out of it?  Don’t worry, the trick to positive thinking is easy. We’re sharing our favorite quotes and social experiments to show you how positive thinking works and, more importantly, how you can make it work for you. The first step is taking a mental inventory of what you’re thinking about. Try it right now. Before listening to this podcast, make a note of all the things you were thinking this morning. What were you thinking abo

We’re still here unlocking the user manual for your brain, and today’s podcast is all about unlocking the subconscious’ secret to motivation. If you haven’t caught up with other episodes yet, get over to our website and start listening. You’ll need to know what we did last episode and have your list of values ready in order to participate in today’s motivation exercise.  We already know that motivation is what inspires us to move forward and pursue our goals. Whether these goals are for trading, your daily life, or both is entirely up to you. We just want to give you the tools and resources you need to get there. To all of you listening right now, if you’re ready to unpack your values and your motivations, it’s really important for you to be honest with yourself. As you go through the exercise with us today, be sure to answer these questions as quickly and as honestly as you can. Your subconscious will always answer with your gut instinct, so the first and fastest answer is going

Welcome to the third part of our five-part series: Unlocking the User Manual for Your Brain. In our last two episodes we discussed the motivations and directives driving the subconscious mind. Today we’re taking a closer look at the personal value system these directives create for us. Today’s episode in particular is very near and dear to us because values motivate everything we do. At Trade Pro Academy, our top value is Empathy. We call it “we care” because it’s the genuine emotion our team is going for when we work together. Right now, we’re working together to help you cultivate the winning mindset you need to become a successful trader because we care about your success story.  Your values are important to your success story. They are instilled in you at birth and are fully formed by the time we turn 7. All of our internal programming is based on this personal value systems, and these values continue to guide our subconscious mind as it processes and interprets our reality.

Welcome back to the second episode of our mini-series Unlocking the User Manual for Your Brain! If you missed our first episode, head on back to our website and listen in to learn how you can tap into your subconscious mind and start what we call “living at cause”. We are summarizing a bit of our first episode today, but today’s episode is really going to get into the meat and potatoes of the subconscious mind. When was the last time you went on vacation? Do you remember what it was like to pack up your things and head to the airport? What would happen if the flight attendants took you to the pilot’s chair instead of your assigned seat? Would you be able to fly the plane?  You might not be able to fly the plane right away, but we bet you’d take some time to find your resources, seek some education, and learn how to become a pilot. Trading isn’t much different. You’re already on your way. You’re learning your way around the markets, and now - listening to us - you’re going to l

Welcome to the first ever episode of our brand new Mind Over Markets podcast! We’re two trade pros with Trade Pro Academy, your host George Papazov and co-host Mark Borszcz, and what we’re here to do is bring psychology back to the market. What percentage of success do you think psychology represents in trading? Because it’s 100% for us. The market is more based in psychology than you think, and our podcast will help you narrow in on this science to cultivate a bulletproof mindset. Because you have to come into trading with a winning mindset. There isn’t time for negative thinking or self-doubt. Who wants to be bogged down with those kinds of thoughts anyway? Getting you into a positive and successful trader mindset is our ultimate goal.  We both gave up the comfort and security of our full-time jobs to be professional day traders, but that decision didn’t come easily. It took a lot of mental preparation. Embarking on that journey was very intimidating, but if you’re ready to