Jump to content

Welcome to the new Traders Laboratory! Please bear with us as we finish the migration over the next few days. If you find any issues, want to leave feedback, get in touch with us, or offer suggestions please post to the Support forum here.

  • Welcome Guests

    Welcome. You are currently viewing the forum as a guest which does not give you access to all the great features at Traders Laboratory such as interacting with members, access to all forums, downloading attachments, and eligibility to win free giveaways. Registration is fast, simple and absolutely free. Create a FREE Traders Laboratory account here.

ktartarotti

Does Anyone Truly Make a Living Solely Trading the E-minis???

Recommended Posts

We did our best in order to lower the cost of execution for our emini guys. We did it via Sierrachart so your entire cost is way below 2.00 per side (This includes execution, routing, etc) all in. I hope this saves traders on execution: Sierrachart using CTS Order Routing Please let me know if you have any questions. I would be glad to answer it.

 

Regards,

Matt Z

Optimus Futures

 

There is a substantial risk of loss in futures trading. Past performance is not indicative of future results.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I think the reason most people fail at trading is because they start trading before understanding basic, intermediate and advanced topics such as candlesticks, patters and any other technical analysis. I'm just now starting to study. And I KNOW that i MUST learn those things first. 

This is what my study plan is...

Learn Candlesrticks

Learn Candlestick patterns

Learn indicators

Learn when to enter and exit the market

Learn 2 systems and create a trading plan. 

I wont start trading until I've accomplished all the above. If I missed anything, please let me know. 

Edited by JohnnyFame

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
1 hour ago, JohnnyFame said:

This is what my study plan is...

Learn Candlesrticks

Learn Candlestick patterns

Learn indicators

Learn when to enter and exit the market

Learn 2 systems and create a trading plan. 

I wont start trading until I've accomplished all the above. If I missed anything, please let me know. 

I think the top 3 are not going to useful to take money from other traders.  

I know this will sound vague and unhelpful, but the most sensible thing on that list imo is, "Learn when to enter and exit the market."

 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I agree.  Technical analysis and candlestick patterns aren’t really going to help you IMO.  There are a number of guys recently who have proven they are profitable with verified 1099’s, and they all trade order flow by waiting for volume and delta imbalances and then trading against the guys who are “stuck”

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

So you're saying that as a beginner, you don't need to understand the technical aspect of trading? If you dont understand what's going on on the charts, how can you trade successfully?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

That's exactly right.  There are no chart patterns really, it's just your brain trying to find order in the chaos.  Order flow will create certain similarities that show up in the charts, but they never develop in the exact same way, so in my opinion it's a waste of time.  You know what moves the market?  Orders coming in, orders going out, that's it!  I would focus on that.  When you have aggressive buyers who are stuck in a bad position, and aggressive sellers who are in a good position, that is fuel for a move down.  I would focus your research on those aspects of the market.  After that you will probably be able to put that information into a chart that uses that information and gives you an edge.  My .02 of course!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

There are a couple of podcasts that interview successful guys, and you can listen to those to see if any of those interviews inspire you to focus your research one way or the other.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

i started out trading the big 500 point sp's and then 250 and now 50 and mostly that is what i have traded with some bonds mixed in.  i have traded many markets about all of them but always come back to the es. 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I really don't know why people cannot understand that trading is not difficult. Yes you heard me right - NOT DIFFICULT. Everyone  makes it looks so hard. Yes i agree that if you want to know all the ins and outs of technical indicators, macro and micro indicators, and all the stuff they teach in the MBA courses in Universities, then it will take many years. But to simply trade a system and make a living is very simple and can take a few minutes to several hours to learn. Depends on you as an individual. The catch is people do not have the proper mindset to treat trading as a business or a job. They do not treat it accordingly. They go in with fear that they gather from the public. I thought it was so hard in the beginning, but finally i came to realize that i have to leave all the gossips and negative baggage out the door. And i have been successful since. I do not have an MBA degree, i am only a Nurse. I trade 4 hours in the morning because i am selective of my trades. You can trade for 30 minutes or less - depends on how much you want to make and what your system tells you. My trade last between several seconds to several minutes. And i only take selected trades. I did not develop a system of my own, i acquired one and follow the rules as instructed. And i am comfortable making a real living without having a boss on by back. If you can follow instructions such as, A + B = C, buy or sell, without any emotional attachment, then you are on you way to success. Please do not ask me for strategies or systems as i don't think this site will allow it. And i will not post account or anything else to brag. My success is kept quiet until now because i am tired of watching people talking and writing things that are discouraging to  others. And believe me, i have met and seen many small traders making a good living with day trading the e-minis. You have to choose an instrument that you like, find a strategy that works for you and trade it. Do not let people tell you otherwise. Any job will be hard. Think of it. If you do not apply yourself and have fear in front of you always, then no job will be successful. That's all for now.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

It is certainly possible to make money consistently trading futures. I have been trading reasonably profitably den.thumb.jpg.378367ad3721fda04716e5ceb37ab224.jpgfor 15 years. 10 years before that I was a loser all 10 years.

There are some things that must be assumed about this inquiry (why do such a high percentage of trades loose?).

I don't believe it is possible to know the answer to this firmly since many farmers and others hedge positions and consider the hedge to be just a matter of doing business. So...for them they are merely paying a premium for insurance.  Also, many trader have accounts open at different brokerages and through their accounts buy both sides of the market with an equal size of contracts and close one side when a definite trend arises. He may lose on the one side of the trade but do well on the other side of the trade. Doing so establishes that he will make money even if he has experience with trading futures.

Another concern comes to mind.  Breakout trading is much more difficult than it seems, Selling short immediately upon seeing the market breakdown might require the trader to hold the trade for 2. 3 or even as many as 6 points before price will return to the desired entry price. Many traders will think themselves fortunate to be at break even they scratch the trade. Of course trading the opposite  Certainly a breakout long position could work the say way.

Some years ago I made a change in my personal trading.  At most entries I will look to enter my trade at a price in the direction momentum is moving but during the 1st tick or two of the new bar, The same works no mater which way momentum is headed. I look for fewer ticks. Maybe only 2 or 3 ticks each trade.  I try to get 250 - 300 each day on each contract.  Now that I am older I stick with one instrument the ES and rarely co past 10 AM Central.  With NinjaTrader all in charges are very low,  On average it cost me 7 dollars to make 60 bucks. 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
On 3/23/2019 at 9:51 AM, garydeona7@gmail.com said:

I really don't know why people cannot understand that trading is not difficult. Yes you heard me right - NOT DIFFICULT. Everyone  makes it looks so hard. Yes i agree that if you want to know all the ins and outs of technical indicators, macro and micro indicators, and all the stuff they teach in the MBA courses in Universities, then it will take many years. But to simply trade a system and make a living is very simple and can take a few minutes to several hours to learn. Depends on you as an individual. The catch is people do not have the proper mindset to treat trading as a business or a job. They do not treat it accordingly. They go in with fear that they gather from the public. I thought it was so hard in the beginning, but finally i came to realize that i have to leave all the gossips and negative baggage out the door. And i have been successful since. I do not have an MBA degree, i am only a Nurse. I trade 4 hours in the morning because i am selective of my trades. You can trade for 30 minutes or less - depends on how much you want to make and what your system tells you. My trade last between several seconds to several minutes. And i only take selected trades. I did not develop a system of my own, i acquired one and follow the rules as instructed. And i am comfortable making a real living without having a boss on by back. If you can follow instructions such as, A + B = C, buy or sell, without any emotional attachment, then you are on you way to success. Please do not ask me for strategies or systems as i don't think this site will allow it. And i will not post account or anything else to brag. My success is kept quiet until now because i am tired of watching people talking and writing things that are discouraging to  others. And believe me, i have met and seen many small traders making a good living with day trading the e-minis. You have to choose an instrument that you like, find a strategy that works for you and trade it. Do not let people tell you otherwise. Any job will be hard. Think of it. If you do not apply yourself and have fear in front of you always, then no job will be successful. That's all for now.

Gotta agree with you.  My method is so simple it is 'embarrassing' to say it aloud.  I spent years looking for a secret or Holy Grail where none exists or if it does (like Goldman Sachs 98% success rate) they will NEVER share it with you.  If you are profitable, keep doing what you are doing and do NOT allow your head to be turned by the latest" sure-fire" snake oil nonsense.  If it make sense to you and works learn to enjoy dragging all that $$$ to the bank every month.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
10 hours ago, Minetoo said:

Gotta agree with you.  My method is so simple it is 'embarrassing' to say it aloud.  I spent years looking for a secret or Holy Grail where none exists or if it does (like Goldman Sachs 98% success rate) they will NEVER share it with you.  If you are profitable, keep doing what you are doing and do NOT allow your head to be turned by the latest" sure-fire" snake oil nonsense.  If it make sense to you and works learn to enjoy dragging all that $$$ to the bank every month.

Make I ask you to embarrass yourself? What is your method?

 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Perhaps he was already brought up in this thread or others.. but an entertaining example of someone who trades for a living (before retiring having made his money,) is Lakai -- TradeItDontDateIt 

He has a youtube with many videos of him just punting around sometimes hundreds of contracts of ES at a time. 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.


  • Topics

  • Posts

    • How's about other crypto exchanges? Are all they banned in your country or only Binance?
    • Be careful who you blame.   I can tell you one thing for sure.   Effective traders don’t blame others when things start to go wrong.   You can hang onto your tendency to play the victim, or the martyr… but if you want to achieve in trading, you have to be prepared to take responsibility.   People assign reasons to outcomes, whether based on internal or external factors.   When traders face losses, it's common for them to blame bad luck, poor advice, or other external factors, rather than reflecting on their own personal attributes like arrogance, fear, or greed.   This is a challenging lesson to grasp in your trading journey, but one that holds immense value.   This is called attribution theory. Taking responsibility for your actions is the key to improving your trading skills. Pause and ask yourself - What role did I play in my financial decisions?   After all, you were the one who listened to that source, and decided to act on that trade based on the rumour. Attributing results solely to external circumstances is what is known as having an ‘external locus of control’.   It's a concept coined by psychologist Julian Rotter in 1954. A trader with an external locus of control might say, "I made a profit because the markets are currently favourable."   Instead, strive to develop an "internal locus of control" and take ownership of your actions.   Assume that all trading results are within your realm of responsibility and actively seek ways to improve your own behaviour.   This is the fastest route to enhancing your trading abilities. A trader with an internal locus of control might proudly state, "My equity curve is rising because I am a disciplined trader who faithfully follows my trading plan." Author: Louise Bedford Source: https://www.tradinggame.com.au/
    • SELF IMPROVEMENT.   The whole self-help industry began when Dale Carnegie published How to Win Friends and Influence People in 1936. Then came other classics like Think And Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill, Awaken the Giant Within by Tony Robbins toward the end of the century.   Today, teaching people how to improve themselves is a business. A pure ruthless business where some people sell utter bullshit.   There are broke Instagrammers and YouTubers with literally no solid background teaching men how to be attractive to women, how to begin a start-up, how to become successful — most of these guys speaking nothing more than hollow motivational words and cliche stuff. They waste your time. Some of these people who present themselves as hugely successful also give talks and write books.   There are so many books on financial advice, self-improvement, love, etc and some people actually try to read them. They are a waste of time, mostly.   When you start reading a dozen books on finance you realize that they all say the same stuff.   You are not going to live forever in the learning phase. Don't procrastinate by reading bull-shit or the same good knowledge in 10 books. What we ought to do is choose wisely.   Yes. A good book can change your life, given you do what it asks you to do.   All the books I have named up to now are worthy of reading. Tim Ferriss, Simon Sinek, Robert Greene — these guys are worthy of reading. These guys teach what others don't. Their books are unique and actually, come from relevant and successful people.   When Richard Branson writes a book about entrepreneurship, go read it. Every line in that book is said by one of the greatest entrepreneurs of our time.   When a Chinese millionaire( he claims to be) Youtuber who releases a video titled “Why reading books keeps you broke” and a year later another one “My recommendation of books for grand success” you should be wise to tell him to jump from Victoria Falls.   These self-improvement gurus sell you delusions.   They say they have those little tricks that only they know that if you use, everything in your life will be perfect. Those little tricks. We are just “making of a to-do-list before sleeping” away from becoming the next Bill Gates.   There are no little tricks.   There is no success-mantra.   Self-improvement is a trap for 99% of the people. You can't do that unless you are very, very strong.   If you are looking for easy ways, you will only keep wasting your time forgetting that your time on this planet is limited, as alive humans that is.   Also, I feel that people who claim to read like a book a day or promote it are idiots. You retain nothing. When you do read a good book, you read slow, sometimes a whole paragraph, again and again, dwelling on it, trying to internalize its knowledge. You try to understand. You think. It takes time.   It's better to read a good book 10 times than 1000 stupid ones.   So be choosy. Read from the guys who actually know something, not some wannabe ‘influencers’.   Edit: Think And Grow Rich was written as a result of a project assigned to Napoleon Hill by Andrew Carnegie(the 2nd richest man in recent history). He was asked to study the most successful people on the planet and document which characteristics made them great. He did extensive work in studying hundreds of the most successful people of that time. The result was that little book.   Nowadays some people just study Instagram algorithms and think of themselves as a Dale Carnegie or Anthony Robbins. By Nupur Nishant, Quora Profits from free accurate cryptos signals: https://www.predictmag.com/    
    • there is no avoiding loses to be honest, its just how the market is. you win some and hopefully more, but u do lose some. 
    • $CSCO Cisco Systems stock, nice top of range breakout, from Stocks to Watch at https://stockconsultant.com/?CSCOSEPN Septerna stock watch for a bottom breakout, good upside price gap
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.