Start Here

Your 3-step beginner path.

Follow this linear path to get comfortable before risking real money. Stay on demo until you’ve logged a stable routine and reviewed enough trades to trust your process.

2

Open a demo account

Use a reputable broker and start on demo only. Match your demo size to what you’d realistically fund.

Tip: keep demo risk small and consistent. Track outcomes for at least 20-30 trades before moving on.

Before you start

Trading is a probability game. The goal of the first month is not profit, it is consistency and rule-following.

  • • Pick one pair (EURUSD or GBPJPY) and one session.
  • • Use a fixed risk amount on every demo trade.
  • • Avoid news windows until you can manage volatility.

If your routine is not repeatable, your results will not be reliable. Document every trade so you can learn from patterns in your own behavior.

  • • Write the setup in one sentence before entry.
  • • Record the reason you exited early if you do.
  • • Review results every 10 trades, not daily.

Week-by-week starter plan

Week 1 - Foundation

  • • Complete Skills Labs 01-03 and pass the checkpoints.
  • • Mark support, resistance, and session ranges on H1.
  • • Practice identifying trend vs range without trading.

Week 2 - Execution

  • • Take 10 demo trades using fixed risk and rules.
  • • Journal every trade and note mistakes.
  • • Review at the end of the week and adjust rules.

Skill map: master these in order

Trading is a stack of skills. If you skip a layer, the whole stack collapses under stress. Use this order so you build a base that holds up when markets get fast.

Level 1 - Process

  • • Pre-trade checklist (bias, level, session).
  • • Fixed risk per trade and daily loss limit.
  • • One setup only, repeated for 20 trades.

Level 2 - Execution

  • • Entry timing around your level, not the middle.
  • • Stop placement outside obvious noise zones.
  • • Clean exits: TP, SL, or predefined rule.
Do not chase advanced tactics until you can pass Level 1 and Level 2 consistently.

Metrics that matter (not profits)

Early progress is about discipline, not PnL. Track metrics that show whether your process is stable and repeatable.

  • • Checklist completion rate (target: 90%+).
  • • Risk consistency (same size every trade).
  • • Number of rule breaks per week.
  • • Trades taken only in your session window.
  • • Journal quality (clear reason for entry/exit).
  • • Screenshot coverage for every trade.
  • • Average time between trades (no revenge).
  • • Weekly review completed on schedule.

Readiness checklist

  • • I can describe my setup in one sentence.
  • • I know my stop and target before entry.
  • • I have at least 20 demo trades logged.
  • • My max daily loss is defined and respected.
  • • I trade the same session and same pair daily.
  • • I do not increase size after a win.
  • • I accept losses without moving the stop.
  • • I review results weekly and adjust rules.

Common pitfalls and quick fixes

Most beginners fail for the same reasons. Fixing just two or three of these can dramatically improve your outcomes.

  • • Overtrading: cap your trades per session.
  • • Late entries: wait for level, then trigger.
  • • Moving stops: hard rule - no changes unless planned.

If you have a losing week, pause and review instead of doubling down. Reset the process before you reset your account size.

  • • Reduce size for 5 trades to rebuild control.
  • • Review screenshots to spot repeated errors.
  • • Recommit to one setup and one session only.

Simple journal template

Pair: ____ Session: ____ Bias: ____ Setup: ____

Entry: ____ Stop: ____ Target: ____ Risk %: ____

Result: ____ Notes: what went right / what went wrong

Keep this short. The goal is clarity and honesty, not long essays.

Stay on demo until your execution is stable and your review process is repeatable. When ready, scale slowly.