How these new FTMO traders passed the Evaluation process?

A journey to receive the FTMO intial balance is not always easy. You need a solid strategy, discipline and dedication. Who can be better to provide good advice than those who passed our evaluation course? Check out the interviews with our new FTMO Traders and be motivated by their success stories.

Trader Verniel becoming FTMO Trader after losing his job

How does passing the Challenge and Verification changed your life?

It made me a better fund manager/ trader and because of that, I can now provide for my family and my little baby girl to come to see her grow up every step. I always wanted to trade for a trading company and now I can with FTMO. Losing my job due to COVID 19 made it hard on me. But now I can trade from home or anywhere that has a strong network connection an be able to trade for a living. SO yes a dream now becoming reality and am happy I took the Challenge.

How would you rate your experience with FTMO?

GREAT !! Well, for one thing, I'll say the risk management really helps me to see where was my weakness not that I can't manage risk but having a daily risk limit which is great for better risk control to protect the capital.

Has your psychology ever affected your trading plan?

Yes. Well for one losing my job due to COVID 19 build some pressure on me and that affected my trading. Also to going from a small account to now a bigger account seeing the drawdown amount at the start affected my plan but making adjustments to focus on the percentage gain over the monetary gain was a big help for me.

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

Consistency and patience. sticking to the plan waiting for the right setups. Don't rush the Challenge.

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

OH yes. I am planning to take a 100k Challenge and pass it to add to my 25k account to have 125k to trade. Also, I'll trade to meet the scale-up requirements and get scaled up to the biggest account.

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

Learn to manage risk very important. Stay consistency. Apply a lot of patience. try out the Free trial once you pass it you're ready for the Challenge.

Swing trader Drelen shares his experience

 

How does your risk management plan look like?

My risk management plan is strategized by risking 1-2% per trade. I am a swing trader so I prefer to give my trades breathing room to develop. I also target previous extreme lows/highs. Once my trades have reached my multiple take profit levels, I trail my stop losses and make them stop profits. By doing so, I guarantee myself a certain amount of profit if my stop profits or take profit is hit.

How would you rate your experience with FTMO?

My experience with FTMO has been great. I would say a 10/10!

What was easier than expected during the Challenge or Verification?

The Verification by far was easier than expected.

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

I eliminated the factor of luck by only trading high probability setups. I do not like to guess in the markets. If I am unsure about something or don't feel confident, I move on to another pair that I feel more certain about. I understand protecting capital is just as important as making profits in this industry.

Has your psychology ever affected your trading plan?

Yes. If I take poor setups or do not follow my risk strategy, I become very emotional in the markets if trades aren't going my way. This is not a great feeling to have at all. What I have to realize is that I can't control the markets, but I can control risk and high probability setups. Everything else has to fall in place.

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

The number one advice I can give to a new trader is to find your niche/strategy in the market and stick to it. Even through thick and thin. Be able to make minor tweaks and adapt in the market, but stick to what works for you when you find that strategy.

Trader Jack from the UK

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

I know that the outcome of my trading is profitable so I don’t worry about losing trades, as I know that the wins will outweigh them.

Where have you learnt about FTMO?

I found out about FTMO by finding out about what a prop firm was earlier on in my trading career. Upon researching what a prop firm did, and what top prop firms were around, I quickly came across FTMO, made an account with you yet never started the trial as I wanted more experience, and that was about 18 months ago now.

What was the hardest obstacle on your trading journey?

The hardest obstacle for me I would say was self-belief, I have now been trading for roughly two and a half years and I have questioned more than once whether I would achieve consistency.

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

I do! I personally feel as if I have taken a lot of time to get to where I am today and from the outset of trading I had a real passion for it. Despite my lack of self-belief at times, my gut told me that if I took my time to really grasp and understand the basics and not rush any stage it would be worth my time. Now I have a strategy that I never second guess and by following this I always feel in control which is something o personally think is an extremely important

How would you rate your experience with FTMO?

So far my experience with FTMO has been incredible! I cannot wait for the coming months and years. They have given me the financial opportunity far sooner than I would have independently. Not only this but their support team have always been so helpful and informative!

One piece of advice for people starting the Challenge now.

The Challenge is not easy and is rather stressful so make sure that you’re going into it with a strategy and trading plan you know works and that you believe in.

Trader Kerrod gives great advice for aspiring traders

What inspires you to pursue trading?

It's a game I can win. Freedom, another source of income. Let the system collapse and the fake rules and power continue. I have a way to produce cash and opt-out from the muggles system haha :)

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

I don't really get emotional when I'm losing 1 or 2% on a trade. If I feel emotions in trading I believe it's because I have over-leveraged. If I get caught in emotional states I just use Wim Hof breathing to rise above the emotion and look objectively. That's life every day though, not just trading.

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

It's a mind game, it's 100% an inward journey. The only thing that separates winners or losers in life is Self Belief....in any field, not just trading. Believe it then achieve it.

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

Like the rest of my life, the secret is in what you do daily. Not just on the charts and in trading but in every other aspect of life as well. If you are running at 100% of your potential and trying to squeeze every bit from the life you can, you'll win. By win I mean go to bed at night with contentment knowing you've done your best. Have that attitude and you'll always adapt to the times and find your success.

Has your psychology ever affected your trading plan?

Back in 2015/16 yes. Now, I have enough emotional awareness to know what's going on internally, change the dialogue, and move forwards.

One piece of advice for people starting the Challenge now.

Get out your own way!!!! I don't know who needs to hear this.... I've taken control of my life and left the excuses behind. Stop doing things that play/F*** with your emotions from the outside in. e.g alcohol, weed, etc. Learn to manipulate/regulate your emotions from the inside out. What you can do with breath and exercise is incredible. If you are not profitable yet and you know you've got potential inside you and you're frustrated yet still doing dumb crap.... Then stop the crap and give yourself the best chance you can to make it. How you live and what you do is reflected in your mindset, therefore reflected in your charts. Trading 300k and the results from it will be far better than anything that's holding you back right now. That's my belief.

Trader Claudia from Portugal

 

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

I would say that a robust training, seeking to learn from experienced traders and not from anyone, in my case I was lucky to learn from my husband, read technical analysis and psychology books like Mark Douglas for example. Then you have to add good risk management and, above all, be psychologically prepared to follow a trading plan.

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

I had the discipline to follow the trading plan I wrote for myself. I also know my statistics and I know that I have to accept a loss. The most important thing is to know how to stop and identify that the market is not favorable and to know that tomorrow is another day.

How did Maximum loss limits affect your trading style?

I don't think it affected much because I established a maximum daily loss and followed my plan. What helped was being able to talk to my husband, turn off the computer and go for a walk or do something else.

How does your risk management plan look like?

I try not to lose more than 2% in one day, but for the Challenge I set 3%, but with the objective of a daily loss of 0.5%. As for profit, I have no goals, because the market can offer a gain of 3%, 4% or 5% on one day, on other days it can be in breakeven and on other days it can give loss, so I have no goal of daily gain and yes an average.

What was easier than expected during the Challenge or Verification?

The easiest for me was to identify a graphic pattern, which I use in a strategy that is my favorite and most profitable, when I needed it most.

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

Do not waste time with "magic" setups, "magic" indicators and sellers of illusions. Study, read good market books and seek training from experienced traders. Then have good risk management and discipline to operate, starting with a simulator and when moving to a real account, never risk money that you cannot lose.