What It Really Takes to Become a Trader Who Lasts
The truth is: becoming a successful trader is hard.
Not Instagram-trader hard. Actually hard. The kind of hard that punches you in the gut, forces you to question your decisions, your process, and sometimes even your own sanity. It’s not for the thin-skinned or the get-rich-quick crowd. It’s for people who are serious about turning this into a business.
And it’s a long road. I should know, I’ve been walking it for 28 years.
Why Most Traders Wash Out
Here’s the truth that nobody markets on YouTube: most traders blow up their accounts within the first year. Why? Because they jump in without a plan. They get seduced by the fast money, take advice from the loudest person online, and they treat trading like Vegas with better charts.
They don’t track what works. They don’t study their results. They don’t course-correct. They just trade. And in this game, if you’re not learning from every trade, win or lose, you’re gambling.
My Journey: From Hot Mess to Data-Driven
When I started trading, I made all the classic mistakes. Overtrading. Revenge trading. Chasing headlines. Following gurus who had no skin in the game.
Some days I felt invincible. Other days I questioned if I had what it took. But here’s where things finally turned around for me: when I stopped treating trading like an opinion contest and started looking at the data.
I had my Moneyball moment.
I started logging every trade. Entry. Exit. Strategy used. Market conditions. Time of day. Emotion level. I looked for patterns, not just in price, but in me. That was the pivot. I realized certain setups worked better in the morning. I noticed I traded worse on Fridays. I spotted that my biggest drawdowns came from deviating from my plan.
This wasn’t about feeling. It was about facts. Data doesn’t lie, and it doesn’t care how confident you feel. That’s what finally gave me consistency.
Have a Plan or Pay the Price
Every trader thinks they have a plan. But when I ask them, “What are your rules for entry, risk, and exit?”, I get silence or vague generalities.
That’s not a plan. That’s a wish.
Your trading plan should answer:
- What setups do you trade?
- What’s your risk per trade?
- Where do you get out if you’re wrong?
- Where do you take profit?
- How do you manage your emotions?
If you don’t have that written down, you’re guessing. And the market punishes guessers.
Start Small. Earn the Right to Go Big.
Here’s another one: too many traders want to swing for the fences on day one. They want to trade 10 contracts, 1,000 shares, or max out their margin because they think “more size = more money.”
Nope.
If you can’t make money trading one contract with discipline, you won’t make money with 10. You’ll just lose faster.
You’ve got to earn the right to trade big. Start small. Track your stats. Prove to yourself that you can be consistent over time. Then and only then, increase your size. Size is a privilege, not a starting point.
Find Real Mentors, Not Flashy Fakers
There’s a lot of noise out there. Everyone’s an expert. Everyone’s a “7-figure trader.” Everyone’s selling something.
The people you want to learn from are the ones who’ve been through it. Traders who’ve made mistakes, learned, adapted, and stuck around. That’s why I teach at Trading Academy. Because it’s real. Because it’s rule-based. And because I believe in surrounding yourself with professionals who hold you accountable and teach from experience, not hype.
A mentor isn’t there to give you all the answers. A good mentor teaches you how to ask the right questions about your own trading.
Track Everything Like It’s Game Film
Think of yourself like a pro athlete. Every play counts. Every misstep is a lesson. You need to review your trades like an NFL coach reviews game film.
If you don’t know:
- What strategy made you the most money last month
- What time of day you perform best
- What your average win/loss ratio is
… then you’re flying blind.
I review my trades constantly. That’s how I adjust. That’s how I grow. That’s how I protect my edge.
The Truth About Consistency
This is what separates pros from pretenders: Consistency.
Not flashy trades. Not once-a-year home runs. But the ability to show up day after day, follow the process, and execute with discipline, even when it’s boring.
The best traders I know don’t chase thrills, they chase repeatable results. They know the goal is not to be right every time, but to follow their edge and manage risk like their capital depends on it, because it does.
You Don’t Need to Be Perfect, You Just Need a Process
I’ve been doing this for 28 years, and here’s what I know:
- You will make mistakes.
- You will take losses.
- You will have doubts.
But if you build a plan, surround yourself with the right people, and let data guide your decisions, not emotion, you’ll have a real shot at lasting in this game.
This isn’t about being fearless. It’s about being prepared. It’s about making trading boring, repeatable, and disciplined, so your results can be anything but.
Our community is one of the best places to build your skills and grow as a trader. So get involved—show up to your XLTs, ask questions, and engage in the live events we host both online and at our local centers. Myself and the entire Trading Academy team are committed to giving you the tools, the structure, and the support you need to reach your trading goals. Let’s go.