“Discipline and emotional control are crucial”

Discipline helps traders improve emotional stability and conversely, when one is emotionally stable, one is more likely to be disciplined when opening and managing positions. What do our new FTMO Traders think about this?

Trader Nakhorn: “With hard work and perseverance anyone can shoot for the stars and aim for the moon.”

Where have you learnt about FTMO?

Through other traders on YouTube.

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

I remain calm and composed because I trust my strategy. And if I lose, I just accept it and look for new trades.

Describe your best trade.

There was this one trade I took on my personal live account that was picture perfect according to my strategy and the fundamentals aligned. The dollar was weak against CAD, and I waited for the initial move down to retrace back into my discount zone and set a sell limit. The price hit my entry perfectly on Monday with no drawdown and hit TP within Friday for a clean 3RR and 0.95% risk.

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

Yes, I do have a trading plan in place, and I follow it strictly. I have good risk management in place so therefore losses don’t really bother me much. I have used and refined my strategy for quite some time now so I’m sticking to it since it works for me.

What inspires you to pursue trading?

The ability to be my own boss and work on my own craft. As well as the freedom that comes with the results of successful trading. It is easier said than done but with hard work and perseverance anyone can shoot for the stars and aim for the moon.

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

Be disciplined and follow your strategy. Psychology plays a massive factor in trading so make sure you keep yourself physically and mentally fit. Always work towards becoming 1% better each day and see for yourself how far it will compound in your life.

Trader Carlota: “Deviating from the plan usually leads to emotional decisions and losses.”

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

Yes, I have a detailed trading plan that covers my entry and exit strategies, risk management, and daily routine. I follow it strictly because consistency is key in trading, and deviating from the plan usually leads to emotional decisions and losses.

What does your risk management plan look like?

I risk a fixed percentage of my capital per trade, usually between 0.5% to 1%, and I always use Stop Loss orders. I ensure that my reward-risk ratio is at least 2:1, and I limit my daily and weekly losses to stay within FTMO’s drawdown rules. I also avoid overtrading and revenge trading.

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

Discipline and emotional control are crucial. A solid strategy helps, but the ability to stay calm under pressure, stick to the plan, and manage risk effectively is what makes a trader successful in the long run.

What do you think is the most important characteristic/attribute to become a profitable trader?

Patience. Profitable traders wait for the right setups and don’t force trades. Also, self-awareness and the ability to adapt when the market conditions change are equally important.

How did loss limits affect your trading style?

They taught me to be more selective and focused. I stopped taking impulsive trades and started to prioritize quality over quantity. The max loss limits helped me stay disciplined, plan better, and trade with a more professional mindset.

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

Treat it like a real funded account from day one. Focus on risk management, not just passing. Stay calm, stick to your plan, and don’t rush—consistency will get you to the finish line.

Trader Katlego Asher: “Deviations are what cost us funds, accounts and challenges.”

Describe your best trade.

USDZAR was my best trade, caught that at the low and had the whole swing leading up to serious profit while letting it be the anchor of my trade.

What do you think is the most important characteristic/attribute to become a profitable trader?

One must be incredibly disciplined and faithful to their trade plan, deviations are what cost us funds, accounts and challenges.

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

Patience, execution of trade plan without deviation, following a system built with your trading style in mind will be one way of ensuring success in trading.

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

Tariff wars, I’m a technical trader who models the technicalities which tend to hold quite strongly but I’m always aware of the fundamentals and how they can impact trades in the short term and sometimes long-lasting impact. This was overcome through understanding that the technicals were robust enough and selection of trades were fairly exempt from any fundamental shocks

How would you rate your experience with FTMO?

It was a great experience, I think growing as a trader and being more mature truly does get easier.

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

Execute your trades in line with your trading plan, your trade system that is built around your trading style as well as lifestyle. Many times, we find newcomers want to replicate strategies and styles from their favourite mentors, but this doesn’t work well as one has yet to explore or trade enough to establish how comfortable they in their trading style and how that fits their lifestyle and personality.

Trader Kee: “Every trade should come with a healthy reward to risk ratio”

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

I will maintain a neutral or either positive when I encounter a loss, as long as it falls within my planned SL and my expected drawdowns.

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

Yes, I will always be reminding myself trading is not gambling. I always follow it straightly, especially when I execute my buy or sell position by controlling the adequate lot size which fit to my account side, and reward to risk ratio.

What inspires you to pursue trading?

First of all, I have tried many demo accounts before I am pursuing in the actual prop firm’s environment which trains me to be more sensitive and effective and I execute a trade. The main reason I go for trading is that I see there is a huge opportunity to generate an extra income in my life, and I believe with my discipline and consistency in trading, I can generate a stable side income in future. This serves as a passion for me to pursue in trading.

Where have you learnt about FTMO?

What I have learned throughout the FTMO Challenges is controlling the drawdown and effective market execution, especially in the Forex Pairs, I gain more confidence in the trading environment.

Has your psychology ever affected your trading plan?

I would definitely say yes, human born with emotions but if we can control our emotions during a trade, execute our strategies precisely, setting up SL and that’s all we can do to minimize our risks and maximise our profit.

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

Technically analysis is a must, and every trade should come with a healthy reward risk ratio, knowing the acceptable drawdown and do not always fully utilise it, for me, my comfortable drawdown zone is within 0.75-1.5% daily.