CogAlpha's Journey to Fulltime Trading

Hello everyone,

Many of you likely know me already as a TradingView script developer.
While I genuinely enjoy coding, my true passion has always been trading.
I traded full-time for several years until personal circumstances forced me to reduce the time I could dedicate to chart analysis, ultimately compelling me to take a conventional job.

I'm now returning to pursue my dream again—trading full-time. I'm starting conservatively and plan to gradually increase my position sizes month by month until I feel confident enough to make the significant transition back to full-time trading.

To maintain accountability for my trading decisions, I've decided to share my trades publicly. This transparency will help keep me disciplined and focused.
Will I deplete this account? Will I break even? Or will I successfully compound it into a million-dollar portfolio? Only time will tell.
This journal will be 100% transparent, documenting my entire trading journey with complete honesty.

Journal Structure

I'm primarily focusing on a single index: NASDAQ (US100).
My trading sessions will cover both London and New York market opens. Due to my alternating work schedule (switching between early and late shifts weekly), I'll be trading different opens each week.
Most trades will be posted after completion, unless I have time to document them at entry. I may use TradingView's replay mode to demonstrate exact entry points.
For account growth, I'll add €50 to my balance each month (possibly changing to weekly) when I'm profitable overall. During unprofitable periods, I'll maintain my current balance.
I may also drop a Video from time to time explaining my Trades depending on my Work Schedule.


I have started with a 500€ Account and I have made +90€ (+18~)Gains.
This is me Trading the Account for a bit more than a Month.

I would love to connect my broker to this Journal, but sadly its web app only.

So here is my image of my Trades that I have taken the past couple of Days...


Feel free to Join and ask questions.

First!
And subscribed!

Looking forward to it!
Best wishes on your journey

London about to open in 5Minutes.

Good luck Trading.

I have benefited from your TV coding, thank you. Currently trading S&P but sometimes Nasdaq so will watch with interest.
Good luck

NASDAQ Short Trade - Currently at about 1.5R.




Mental State:

Based on my Stats I know I make A LOT more Gains when I shoot for a 1:2 RR each Trade.
At times like this, where the Market is moving slugglish I really struggle not to just take the 1:1 Trade and leave.
I know my Edge. Losses are part of the Game, losses are a necessary Business fee for long time profitability.

As Driver would say. Dont let the Market mindfuck you.

I have done my Part. Now its the Markets turn.

Hey axecap!

Great to hear that you benefited from the Scripts I have posted. Much love.

Time frames you prefer?

NASDAQ Short Update - 2R Win

Attached Image (click to enlarge)

For the Trades shown in this Journal (and my main way of Trading)

I use the Daily / 30Min / 1min / Timeframe.

the Daily timeframe shows whether my ideas for the current Open make sense or not.
current Bearish Body... Support/Resistance etc etc

the 30Min is my main reason for Entering a Trade. If there is no 30min reason to Enter, there is no Trade.

The 1minute Timeframe is there to fine tune my Entries.
It gives me more details about the current movement.

Hope that helps!

At times I also look at few of my other Scripts to help make a decision. (both Private and Public ones)
Its always about adding Confluences. Important is to take consistent Confluences.. dont cherry pick confluences to validate a shitty setup.

great thanks, it would be good if you could add the time frame for each chart you post.

Right! I forgot to show that.

Here is my Setup on XTB


Tradinview: Here is where I do my analysis.

Im trading S & P , in and out, up and down, on m5 but short bias. Hands off at NY open and then rinse and repeat.
I use Nasdaq to see where we are going, often there is a lag and nasdaq always leads when short.
Im always only one tweet (or twit) away from a big trade.

I dont really have a bias going into the opens.

for most of my Setups -> Only longs above the Opening Range -> Only shorts below the opening Range

Of course together with the 30min and Daily timeframe picture.

Here is an example screenshot of Stuff I look at (this usually happens before my Trading begins.

Dont judge me for having 350 different colour schemes.. my brain just gets bored looking at the same colours for too long.

GBP/JPY .. sell Position

This is a TINY short I have taken..
I normally wouldnt Post it as its a "let me try stuff out" type of Trade, but I want this to be 100% Transparent.




Either we break to the upside and we get more longs or we get back into the Range.
Lets see.

Edit: Cancelled the Order, I dont like it afterall. I'd rather wait for a long Signal

London about to open.

Good luck all

No Trades for now.

Nice thread Cog. Not my way of trading but very interesting to follow. Subscribed!