Of the trades below, only one is a live account trade

Why?

It's a set play from the trader's playbook.

The trader has practised this trade in simulation, establishing a performance record. The statistics qualify the trade for playbook inclusion. 

Now…

the chart only shows the execution of the trade. You do not see the accumulated logic that goes into the trade, including: 

1. the original hypothesis of why and when to enter long

2. the points of evidence to enter with tight risk proving the timing invalid.

The trader is developing more trading areas to build out his playbook. These include:

1. shorter time-frame opportunities within his big picture hypothesis

2. improved tape reading

3. faster execution. 

These take practice, aka the first two trades. 

Here’s the deal:

Presented with an array of playbook trades, a developing trader can try best to trade along (in SIM). Soon, the trader will get a sense (backed by data) of where they can best focus their efforts on mastering one trade. 

When you know where to focus, growth appreciates at a lightning pace. You can identify which conditions to study via playback and trading in simulation. Now your "practice" time becomes specific. Specific, targeted practice is how people make real improvements in performance fields. 

Unlike working on many trades, you magnify nuance awareness when you go deep on one trade.

Magnified nuance awareness gives you an edge over your competitors in the market

Magnified nuance awareness creates a baseline for future playbook trades. It also improves efficiency in identifying and qualifying your next playbook trade

When first moving to live trading, trades match abilities. The trader starts winning early into live trading—creating confidence. 

For traders returning to live trading post blowing out accounts - managing one trade is how you get back into the game and rejuvenate confidence. 

Moving from SIM trading to live trading requires an adjustment. Mistakes are par for the course.

Imagine the consequences of moving from SIM to live trading many different trades? No wonder so many SIM traders blow up when they go live.

Discretionary traders underutilise SIM. It's an ally! Live trading plus SIM trading is a systematic, efficient approach to growing as a trader. 

Each playbook trade mastered leads to growth. Growth moves the needle to develop more challenging trades. While mastering more challenging trades leads to revisiting and improving earlier trades. 

Truth is:

Once you discover this yourself, the process of improving as a trader takes on a lifeforce. For many traders, seeing yourself grow is where the juice is.