It's-all-too-common

It's a universal experience. You feel personally attacked or demoralised when it happens, correct?

The good news is there's a solution, which I'll share in a minute. But first, knowing the issue is key to understanding the solution.

Lost on traders is:
Trading is
not waiting for a pattern or setup to appear to enter the market—that's amateur hour.

Instead:
Imagine you're a detective solving a crime. You start by gathering evidence and—like a puzzle—putting the pieces together to form a plausible thesis.

The same applies to trading. But instead of solving a crime, you're solving:

  • Who's going to move the price?
  • Why will they move the price?
  • Where will they move the price to?
 
What do you notice about the questions above? They're focused on the actions of human beings, and for good reason.
 
If not familiar, the Medallion fund is famed for the best record in investing history.

It's a fund that trades using computer-programmed models. Founder Jim Simons revealed:

"We don't want to predict price, but we want to predict when other market participants are going to do something."

Cycles, sectors, technology, and market activities are always changing, which is why trading strategies have short shelf lives.

The only approach built to last is rooted in human behaviour because human beings don't change.

 

But what about playbook trades?

Let me explain:

You did or still travel the same route to and from work.

But ignoring the time they take, there are alternative routes you can choose.

Price takes different routes from one price level to another regularly. Each signature trade is a map of a one of the routes price can take.

If and when the market starts agreeing with your thesis, choose the signature trade matching the current route.

Now you have accurate directions to trade your thesis. Make sense?

 

A note on human behaviour:


You can pay experts on human behaviour who'll tell you everything there is to know about:

  • Unconscious bias,
  • What happens at a brain-chemical level and,
  • How it impacts decision-making.

But ask them to show you all the different ways it's expressed in the markets, and it's... crickets.

Yet the footage below is your front-row seat to a trading approach rooted in human behaviour.

Human beings don't change, so these principles have always been effective and will continue to be so in the future.

Now's the perfect time to cement your understanding of how effective trading is when based on human behaviour with the 3 minute demonstration below.
 

 


Forex and derivatives trading is a highly competitive and often extremely fast-paced environment. It only rewards individuals who attain the required level of skill and expertise to compete. Past performance is not indicative of future results. There is a substantial risk of loss to unskilled and inexperienced players. The high degree of leverage can work against you as well as for you. Before deciding to trade any such leveraged products you should carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience, and risk appetite. The possibility exists that you could sustain a loss of some or all of your initial investment and therefore you should not invest money that you cannot afford to lose. You should be aware of all the risks associated with trading on margin, and seek advice from an independent

Editors’ Picks

EUR/USD treads water near 1.1200 ahead of key Eurozone GDP data

EUR/USD treads water near 1.1200 ahead of key Eurozone GDP data

EUR/USD remains firm around 1.1200 during Thursday’s Asian session, recovering daily losses as the Euro gains traction ahead of the preliminary Eurozone Gross Domestic Product (GDP) report for Q1 2025, due later in the day.

GBP/USD edges higher to near 1.3300 ahead of Q1 GDP data from UK

GBP/USD edges higher to near 1.3300 ahead of Q1 GDP data from UK

GBP/USD is rebounding from recent losses, trading near 1.3280 during the Asian session on Thursday. The pair is supported by a softer US Dollar (USD), as investors weigh ongoing trade-related uncertainties despite a slight easing in tensions. Market focus now shifts to the release of US Retail Sales and Producer Price Index (PPI) data later in the day.

USD/JPY remains heavy near 146.00 on renewed US Dollar selling

USD/JPY remains heavy near 146.00 on renewed US Dollar selling

USD/JPY is deep in the red near 146.00 in Asian trading on Thursday, struggling to capitalize on the overnight bounce from the 145.60 area. The divergent BoJ-Fed policy expectations underpin the Japanese Yen amid the lack of USD buying interest. Focus shifts to top-tier US data, Powell's speech. 


Editors’ Picks

AUD/USD holds gains near 0.6450 after Australian employment data

AUD/USD holds gains near 0.6450 after Australian employment data

AUD/USD holds the latest uptick near 0.6450 after strong Australian jobs data for April, which showed the Unemployment Rate steadied at 4.1% while the Employment Change jumped to 89K, supporting the Australian Dollar. The optimism over the US-China trade deal also acts as a tailwind for the Aussie. 

USD/JPY remains heavy near 146.00 on renewed US Dollar selling

USD/JPY remains heavy near 146.00 on renewed US Dollar selling

USD/JPY is deep in the red near 146.00 in Asian trading on Thursday, struggling to capitalize on the overnight bounce from the 145.60 area. The divergent BoJ-Fed policy expectations underpin the Japanese Yen amid the lack of USD buying interest. Focus shifts to top-tier US data, Powell's speech. 

Gold threatens key $3,155 support ahead of US data, Powell

Gold threatens key $3,155 support ahead of US data, Powell

Gold price is looking to extend the previous day’s over 2% sell-off early Thursday. The yellow metal remains vulnerable near monthly lows, trading below $3,200, as it awaits the high-impact US Producer Price Index (PPI) and Retail Sales data ahead of Federal Reserve (Fed) Chair Jerome Powell’s speech.  

Shiba Inu Price Prediction: 91T Age Consumed supports 25% SHIB rally 

Shiba Inu Price Prediction: 91T Age Consumed supports 25% SHIB rally 

Shiba Inu closed trading above $0.000015 level despite a 4% correction on Wednesday. Market reports suggest the SHIB price dip is linked to controversy surrounding a Chinese firm acquiring $300 million worth of Trump’s official memecoin.  

US-China trade truce only emphasizes timeless investing truths

US-China trade truce only emphasizes timeless investing truths

Markets roared back to life as the US and China hit pause on their escalating trade war, with both sides emphasizing mutual respect and dignity. But it wasn’t the fine print that moved markets—it was the mood shift. Investors rushed back into risk assets, betting that the worst might be behind us.

RECOMMENDED LESSONS

7 Ways to Avoid Forex Scams

The forex industry is recently seeing more and more scams. Here are 7 ways to avoid losing your money in such scams: Forex scams are becoming frequent. Michael Greenberg reports on luxurious expenses, including a submarine bought from the money taken from forex traders. Here’s another report of a forex fraud. So, how can we avoid falling in such forex scams?

What Are the 10 Fatal Mistakes Traders Make

Trading is exciting. Trading is hard. Trading is extremely hard. Some say that it takes more than 10,000 hours to master. Others believe that trading is the way to quick riches. They might be both wrong. What is important to know that no matter how experienced you are, mistakes will be part of the trading process.

The Best brokers to trade EUR/USD

The Best brokers to trade EUR/USD

SPONSORED Discover the top brokers for trading EUR/USD in 2025. Our list features brokers with competitive spreads, fast execution, and powerful platforms. Whether you're a beginner or an expert, find the right partner to navigate the dynamic Forex market.

Strategy

Money Management

Psychology

Best Brokers of 2025