2025-12-24 16:27:19

For beginners interested in short-term trading, don't rush to enter the market. As a live trading practitioner, I want to share some real pitfalls and ways to avoid them.

Many people register an account and then can't wait to open positions, resulting in frequent trading and losses. In fact, short-term trading emphasizes rhythm and discipline—finding the right entry point is a hundred times more important than blindly placing orders.

Here are some core ideas for short-term trading:

First, focus on the short-term charts of 1, 5, and 15 minutes; don't be fooled by the daily chart. Second, keep your tools simple, concentrating on candlestick patterns, moving averages, and volume indicators—too many tools can cause confusion. Then, have clear entry and exit points: take profits at $3-$8 and cut losses at $1-$3. Don't be greedy, and avoid holding onto losing positions. Lastly, remember to target high-volatility periods; the London session opening often presents opportunities.

Regarding avoiding pitfalls, these bottom lines must be maintained—

Stay out during the first 5 minutes after data releases; events like Non-Farm Payrolls and CPI can cause spreads to widen sharply and slippage to be severe. If losses exceed $2, cut your losses decisively. Many people hold on stubbornly, turning short-term trades into medium-term ones, and end up trapped. Also, consider the overall trend on the 1-hour chart; if the moving averages are upward, only go long. Going against the trend is like giving away money. Control your trading frequency—no more than 5 trades per day, and spend 80% of your time observing rather than placing orders.

Realistically, the success rate for short-term trading is generally around 55%-65%. It may not seem high, but as long as the risk-reward ratio is good (earning $5 while risking $3), it will be profitable in the long run. I recommend beginners practice on a demo account first, develop a stable strategy, and only move to live trading once consistent profits are achieved. Short-term trading is like dancing on the edge of a knife; the only insurance is strict trading discipline.

All my trades are real and practical, with no falsehoods. If you have ideas, feel free to exchange and discuss, and let's explore methods together in the market.

View Original

This page may contain third-party content, which is provided for information purposes only (not representations/warranties) and should not be considered as an endorsement of its views by Gate, nor as financial or professional advice. See Disclaimer for details.

7 Likes

Reward
7
5
Repost
Share

Comment

0/400

NFT_Therapy

· 4h ago

That really hits home. I've fallen into the trap of holding onto a single position and lost so much that I doubted my life. People who trade frequently every day are actually gambling, not trading. Many people get stuck on consistently profitable demo accounts; rushing to go live is just asking for trouble. I really don't dare to touch the non-farm payroll data during those 5 minutes—the slippage is just too outrageous. A short-term success rate of 55%-65% sounds low, but it can indeed make money. The key is discipline. 80% of the time, I watch the market but don't place orders. It sounds easy, but it's hard to do. I often get itchy hands.

View OriginalReply0

LostBetweenChains

· 4h ago

That's right, many beginners fail because of greed, and holding onto losses while losing money is really reckless. --- A 55-65% success rate sounds low, but with the maximum risk-reward ratio, it's a guaranteed win. The key is self-discipline. --- Exiting within the first 5 minutes before the non-farm payroll report is crucial; a slippage can lead to bankruptcy immediately. --- You really need to run simulations thoroughly; otherwise, trading on the real account is just giving away money. --- I've learned the trick of judging the trend on the 1-hour chart; fighting against the trend is definitely burning money. --- I remember that for a single day, observing 80% of trades with 5 or fewer entries, which is much less frantic than before. --- Short-term trading must be ruthless; taking profits at 3-8%, not greedy, cutting losses at 1-3%. It sounds simple, but actually doing it is very difficult. --- I've previously been caught off guard by data events; a sudden spike in spreads can catch me completely unprepared.

View OriginalReply0

MaticHoleFiller

· 5h ago

That's right, the key is to get your mindset right first and not rush to make quick money. After being fooled by the daily chart a few times, I truly understand the importance of short-term charts. Exiting within the first 5 minutes of data is something I will never forget; the slippage was brutal. Consistently making money on a demo account before moving to a real account—whoever says this is right, they save a lot of tuition fees. Discipline really matters. There's a saying, the market ultimately favors those with self-discipline. The difference between frequent stop-losses and decisive stop-losses is huge; many people get wiped out by "waiting a bit longer." Going against the trend stubbornly is really like giving away money; there's no point in arguing.

View OriginalReply0

StopLossMaster

· 5h ago

That's right, I've been holding onto positions myself and getting trapped, truly a painful lesson. It looks simple, but execution is really difficult, especially when watching the orders move. On Non-Farm Payroll day, I was hit hard by slippage, so I now avoid trading before the data releases. I ran a demo account for two months before daring to go live, this sense of rhythm really needs practice. The key is to control that greed; sticking to the discipline of running at 3-8 is very strict. Now I generally cap at 5 trades per day, spend 80% of the time watching the market, which actually makes profits more stable. I agree, short-term trading is a probability game; if the risk-reward ratio is well managed, you can earn interest.

View OriginalReply0

WalletDoomsDay

· 5h ago

Listen, not everyone can survive in short-term trading. I've seen too many accounts blow up. I don't believe anyone can master the non-farm payrolls; as soon as the data is released, slippage skyrockets, really. A couple of days ago, I saw someone hold a position until they lost $10 before admitting defeat. Isn't that just giving away money? The risk-reward ratio sounds simple in theory, but when it comes to actual trading, greed really kicks in. Winning on a demo account doesn't mean you can do the same in real trading; the toughest part is the psychological hurdle. A 55% success rate sounds low, but those who stick to discipline in the long run tend to survive longer.

View OriginalReply0