“Be patient and wait for the perfect set-up”

Trading is not a sprint, it's a long run, and without patience you don't have much chance of success. It seems strange at first, but in trading, it really is true that you'll slowly progress. And this approach has paid off for our new FTMO Traders Deeptishrao, Victor, Josef and José Anibal.

Trader Deeptishrao “Always have a trading plan and follow only the plan”

How would you rate your experience with FTMO?

5 out of 5. Excellent experience.

How did you manage your emotions when you were in a losing trade?

Whenever I have a losing trade, I step away from trading for a moment and meditate. It brings me back to a calm, rational and logical mind. I visualize my goals and re-calibrate myself. I then step back to trading and before placing another trade, I do a few things including assessing why the losing trade happened, what I did wrong and what I could have done right. I write in my trading journal everything that I did, including my emotions during placing the trade. I tell myself that a losing trade is part of the game and that a winning trade may just be around the corner which will make up for the loss and some more.

What do you think is the key for long term success in trading?

Discipline, dedication, devotion, excellent trading skills, self-worth, hyper focus, ambition, psychology, self-control, excellent risk and money management, fearlessness, courage, and a love for trading. Always have a trading plan and follow only the plan. Be patient and wait for the perfect set-up. If there are no set ups available, wait and do not trade, a set up will eventually become available to you. Keep the losses small and let the profits ride using a Trailing Stop Loss.

Do you plan to take another FTMO Challenge to manage even bigger capital?

Yes.

How has passing the FTMO Challenge and Verification changed your life?

I feel I am closer to achieving my wildest dreams. It is my dream and aim in life to become a full-time professional trader.

What is the number one advice you would give to a new trader?

Never give up. Look after yourself daily (exercise, meditate, rest, and always learn). Have your mind, body, and soul always sharp when trading. Always use proper risk management. Always be humble after a winning trade because the next losing trade may just be around the corner. Always research before entering a trade. Step away from the screen after a losing trade to calm yourself down and re-calibrate your emotions and thought processes. Do not overtrade, you will always find another good trade if you stay patient and confident. Strive for excellence. Aim to be the best trader and always look to find the best set up before entering a trade. Go for your wildest dreams because when you achieve it, you will feel like you are on the top of the World.

Trader Victor: “Patience and good risk management is paramount.”

What inspires you to pursue trading?

I prayed to God for a sign. Trading is an answered prayer in my life. I am a military veteran. Since leaving, I have been driving semi-trucks. Last year I felt so lost. My girlfriend moved out, and then I lost my job. I got a mentor months after. I have been getting better. I've been taking FTMO demo challenges since last December. My 2nd real try... a year later... I'm extremely grateful for this opportunity, your platform, analysis, and Account MetriX. Thank You FTMO.

Do you have a trading plan in place, and do you follow it strictly?

No. Not yet. It's inevitable. This experience is a part of my learning process.

What was easier than expected during the FTMO Challenge or Verification?

It's always dependent on the opportunity and not getting emotional. Patience and good risk management is paramount. I've taken so many Free Trials. I've gotten better since last December due to access to the Free Trials.

Do you plan to take another FTMO Challenge to manage even bigger capital?

It's inevitable. I will have max allocation. I plan on aiming for 5% a month. Aiming for low risk (<1%) / moderate return (1:2.5) risk management model.

How did loss limits affect your trading style?

It provides structure. It allows a novice to literally learn the hard way. I've learned so much because of that rule. I can look back at my demo data (via Account MetriX) and see if the risk was managed responsibly. I've had accounts where I was 50% win rate, however improper risk management skewed the numbers. If you're 50% and not profitable, it's bad risk management.

One piece of advice for people starting the FTMO Challenge now.

FREE TRIAL UNTIL YOU’RE CONFIDENT. When I was training for a deployment to Afghanistan in 2011, my unit had to train in Mississippi in the middle of the muggiest summer. We had to wear full combat gear. Rehearsing our upcoming deployment. TRAIN HOW YOU FIGHT! The market is our battleground. Free Trails provided here is our way to rehearse. It helped me experience the importance of risk management.

Trader Josef: “Be patient with the process, start to finish.”

What was the most difficult during your FTMO Challenge or Verification, and how did you overcome it?

PATIENCE. Being PATIENT with the process, start to finish. Allowing setups to come to ME, versus me chasing IT. I overcame via backtesting, repetitively trading my system until 2nd nature, and allowing setups to play out over time, with no interference, win or lose. Sit back, relax, take the trade, and WALK AWAY.

How would you rate your experience with FTMO?

Fast, professional, and the PREMIER firm EVERY retail forex trader should use from the very start. Others are "good". But FTMO is GREAT.

Where have you learnt about FTMO?

Via YouTube, few years ago. When prop firm trading started becoming a viable option where previously, it hadn't been (or very, very few).

What was more difficult than expected during your FTMO Challenge or Verification?

Risk Management, by far. It's tempting to imagine the trappings of success when funded and receiving payouts. You naturally want to "speed up" the process and "get to the funded part", but it's IN that process you realize, "HOW I get funded, is HOW if I STAY funded". So, after failing my last 50k challenge (over-leveraging and taking trades I KNEW I shouldn't have, just to 'get it over with quicker"), something "clicked", and I figured, "May as well keep my risk a steady 1/2% per trade and take the best setups possible." Funny. The most obvious thing to do, I did the very last. Such as life.

What was the hardest obstacle on your trading journey?

Me. Getting out of my own way. Believing I DESERVE success, and doing the work necessary within myself, to receive it.

What is the number one advice you would give to a new trader?

I've failed 20+ challenges across several prop firms. Tried DOZENS of strategies, and nothing clicked. Spent thousands on schemes, opportunities, and silly tricks. I, of all people, should have quit... ...but I promise you... ...if you have faith in God, believe in yourself, and persist in the face of all challenges - be it real or created by yourself - "no matter what"... ...your success, in the end, while make it all worth it. It'll be bittersweet.

Trader José Anibal: “Trading is not about luck but about probabilities.”

 

How did you eliminate the factor of luck in your trading?

The luck factor is eliminated with two things: a lot of study, practice, and dedication. There is never certainty about the outcome of an open trade, but it is possible to only operate trades with high probability. A good technique guarantees you to operate in the best way possible, regardless of whether the result will be a gain or a loss. What matters is operating correctly, according to the chosen trading system. Trading is not about luck but about probabilities.

What was easier than expected during the FTMO Challenge or Verification?

Once you get used to risk management, it becomes easy to follow and stops being a challenge. This way, daily loss limits do not become a challenge as you trade for a long period of time. This part is actually easier than expected.

Where have you learnt about FTMO?

Learned about FTMO from other traders.

Do you have a trading plan in place, and do you follow it strictly?

A trading plan is essential for trading success. Following the trading plan, leaving emotions aside, is the biggest challenge. Having this plan written down and at your side while operating is a good tool to ensure it is followed.

Has your psychology ever affected your trading plan?

Psychology is a fundamental part of any trader. When you open a trade, all your emotions appear, from fear to euphoria. The more robust your trading plan, the less susceptible it will be to psychological factors. Clear rules that leave no doubts facilitate execution and remove some of these factors. It is necessary to add very deep work on self-knowledge to become a successful trader. Trading is a battle that happens much more within ourselves than in the market itself.

What would you like to say to other traders that are attempting the FTMO Challenge?

Don't be in a hurry. There is no longer a time limit to complete the FTMO Challenge. Choose the best operations, respect risk management, and join the best.