Why does it seem so easy for other traders, but not for me? | Forex Factory

Options

Go to
Permalinks
Print Thread

Similar Threads

Why does Automated trading never seem to work? 64 replies

Easy Does It off the TDI indicator - EDI TDI 134 replies

Alpari UK Insolvency Does Not Affect Other Alpari Companies 4 replies

Why does the GBP/USD have so much more Velocity than the other majors? 6 replies

Welcome to my world... Its not easy but its profitable 12 replies

Attachments: Why does it seem so easy for other traders, but not for me?
Exit Attachments

Why does it seem so easy for other traders, but not for me?

  • #1
  • First Post: Mar 17, 2026 6:59am Mar 17, 2026 6:59am
I just had another losing trade, my 9th loss since the beginning of this month, and I’ve been trading for years, I’ve done a lot of backtesting, but somehow it feels like the more I continue, the harder it gets, while many other traders seem to be making money so easily and some of them have already gone full-time, yet I’m still stuck here struggling with both strategy and psychology.

I keep asking myself what I should do, when will I finally be able to quit my 9–5 job, because I’ve always imagined a life where I can trade profitably, go full-time, move back to my hometown and live with my family while making a living from trading.

Even though my current job is stable, trading is slowly destroying my mental state day by day, and the worst part is that I can’t really share this with anyone, no one understands what I’m doing, and honestly sometimes I feel like I don’t understand it myself either.

Right now, I just feel exhausted and lost.
BTC/USD
  • #2
  • Mar 17, 2026 7:19am Mar 17, 2026 7:19am
may i ask how much % are you risking per trade?
and what is your average risk to reward ratio looks like?
and do you manage your trade after opening a position?
Steps to profitability: Collect data, money management, stay bored
  • #3
  • Mar 17, 2026 7:38am Mar 17, 2026 7:38am
Quoting nguyenduy747
...while many other traders seem to be making money so easily...
REMEMBER : People celebrate in public and suffer in silence.

Last 7 weeks of suffering and only up $500.
I have more losers in week than you have had this month.
This month 43 losers so far.
Attached Image (click to enlarge)
Click to Enlarge Name: screenshot.webp Size: 19 KB
I might be wrong , I have been wrong before
  • #4
  • Mar 17, 2026 8:08am Mar 17, 2026 8:08am
Quoting nguyenduy747
I just had another losing trade, my 9th loss since the beginning of this month, and I’ve been trading for years, I’ve done a lot of backtesting, but somehow it feels like the more I continue, the harder it gets, while many other traders seem to be making money so easily and some of them have already gone full-time, yet I’m still stuck here struggling with both strategy and psychology. I keep asking myself what I should do, when will I finally be able to quit my 9–5 job, because I’ve always imagined a life where I can trade profitably, go full-time,...
HELLO
Maybe that's the reason.
Wrong timing, or your trading is simply bad.
There are strategies that lead to success.
From experience, I always use the same trading strategy and I'm satisfied.
  • #5
  • Mar 17, 2026 9:02am Mar 17, 2026 9:02am
Quoting remonpilip
may i ask how much % are you risking per trade? and what is your average risk to reward ratio looks like? and do you manage your trade after opening a position?
I backtest and read books about trading. I use dynamic position sizing like Brent Donnelly, risking 5%, 10%, or 20% of my free capital base on the setup.
I always set my stop loss and take profit at the time I enter a trade and then leave it.
First 2 months, it worked, but not anymore.
BTC/USD
  • #6
  • Mar 17, 2026 9:04am Mar 17, 2026 9:04am
Quoting Mandariin
{quote} REMEMBER : People celebrate in public and suffer in silence. Last 7 weeks of suffering and only up $500. I have more losers in week than you have had this month. This month 43 losers so far. {image}
How do you deal with it? I don’t know how to handle 43 losses in just half a month man.
BTC/USD
  • #7
  • Mar 17, 2026 9:37am Mar 17, 2026 9:37am
Quoting nguyenduy747
{quote} How do you deal with it? I don’t know how to handle 43 losses in just half a month man.
you answered your own question in your post. read it again
  • #8
  • Mar 17, 2026 9:46am Mar 17, 2026 9:46am
Quoting nguyenduy747
{quote} How do you deal with it? I don’t know how to handle 43 losses in just half a month man.
I just take them. Losses are normal part of trading. You can't avoid them.

It seems I have taken once 10 losses in row and I don't even remember what day it was.
Or maybe it was even 2 days in row.
Attached Image (click to enlarge)
Click to Enlarge Name: screenshot.webp Size: 26 KB
I might be wrong , I have been wrong before
  • #9
  • Mar 17, 2026 11:05am Mar 17, 2026 11:05am
Quoting nguyenduy747
{quote} I backtest and read books about trading. I use dynamic position sizing like Brent Donnelly, risking 5%, 10%, or 20% of my free capital base on the setup. I always set my stop loss and take profit at the time I enter a trade and then leave it. First 2 months, it worked, but not anymore.
In my humble opinion you're risking way too much per trade. I wouldn't be comfortable risking more than 0.5% per trade. This way even a string of losses would not affect you emotionally. Your focus must not be on quitting the job but mastering trading (execution and money management). First survival, second small and steady profits and then you can think of going semi-pro or pro.
Keep alive a genuine winning attitude
  • #10
  • Mar 17, 2026 1:10pm Mar 17, 2026 1:10pm
Quoting nguyenduy747
I just had another losing trade, my 9th loss since the beginning of this month, and I’ve been trading for years, I’ve done a lot of backtesting, but somehow it feels like the more I continue, the harder it gets, while many other traders seem to be making money so easily and some of them have already gone full-time, yet I’m still stuck here struggling with both strategy and psychology. I keep asking myself what I should do, when will I finally be able to quit my 9–5 job, because I’ve always imagined a life where I can trade profitably, go full-time,...
Take it from me, it simply means you don't have a profitable strategy yet. For this reason, I will give you an advice. Start developing a strategy anchored on these logic: 1. Minimum of 50% win rate, 2. 2:1RR. Untill you achieve this level, don't see yourself as a trader, rather, continue to work towards achieving it.
  • #11
  • Mar 17, 2026 3:53pm Mar 17, 2026 3:53pm
My tip.. Throw away ALL your indicators.. YOU DONT NEED ANY OF THEM...
The utter nonsense that goes on with peoples charts in here is hilarious, some you cant even see the ONLY thing that matter. PRICE ACTION...
Im only here for the Guzzoline...
  • #12
  • Mar 17, 2026 4:55pm Mar 17, 2026 4:55pm
Quoting TheCableman
My tip.. Throw away ALL your indicators.. YOU DONT NEED ANY OF THEM... The utter nonsense that goes on with peoples charts in here is hilarious, some you cant even see the ONLY thing that matter. PRICE ACTION...
I completely agree that price action is king. But that doesn't mean indicators aren't useful. I use a 20 MA, 200 MA, and a VWAP. The reason is because these are liquidity zones. Of course my bias is dictated from price action, but these indicators allow me to time my entries, and avoid entering a trade that runs right into support or resistance. Not to mention, these indicators are stupidly simple. I agree most indicators are a waste of time, but my chart isn't corrupted with nonsense and I have a record to back it up.
  • #13
  • Mar 17, 2026 6:10pm Mar 17, 2026 6:10pm
Quoting nguyenduy747
I just had another losing trade, my 9th loss since the beginning of this month, and I’ve been trading for years, I’ve done a lot of backtesting, but somehow it feels like the more I continue, the harder it gets, while many other traders seem to be making money so easily and some of them have already gone full-time, yet I’m still stuck here struggling with both strategy and psychology. I keep asking myself what I should do, when will I finally be able to quit my 9–5 job, because I’ve always imagined a life where I can trade profitably, go full-time,...
Man, I feel you on this one. Trading looks easy from the outside because people only show the wins - nobody’s posting their 9th red trade in a row on Instagram. Losses are part of the game, but when they stack up like that, it messes with your head and makes you question everything. Been there.

Here’s the thing: most traders who “go full-time” either (1) have other income streams backing them up, or (2) went through years of grinding, blowing accounts, and refining before they got consistent. The highlight reels make it look like they just woke up profitable one day. Reality is way uglier.

Couple of thoughts that might help:

Separate strategy from execution: If your backtests look solid but live trades don’t, it’s usually psychology or risk management, not the system itself. Paper trade or cut size way down until you can execute cleanly without the emotional baggage.

Stop comparing yourself: You don’t know if those “full-time traders” are actually profitable or just living off savings. Focus on your own curve, not theirs.

Reframe the job thing: Your 9-5 isn’t the enemy. It’s actually the thing keeping you sane and funded while you figure this out. Trading under pressure to “quit the job” is a recipe for forcing trades and blowing up.

Take a step back: Sometimes the best move is to pause, zoom out, and ask: am I trading because I love the process, or because I’m chasing the dream of escape? If it’s the latter, that dream can blind you to the reality of what trading actually demands.

Honestly, trading isn’t supposed to feel “easy.” If it feels harder the longer you do it, that’s probably because you’re becoming more aware of how complex it really is - which is actually progress, even if it doesn’t feel like it. The trick is not letting the mental side eat you alive.

My advice: scale down, protect your headspace, and stop measuring yourself against the fantasy of “full-time traders.” Most of them are struggling too - they just don’t post about it.

What’s your setup like right now? Are you trading intraday, swing, or longer-term? That could be part of why it feels so draining.
For Gold, NY session offers superior tradability compared to London.
  • #14
  • Mar 17, 2026 6:28pm Mar 17, 2026 6:28pm
Quoting Newtrader025
{quote} Man, I feel you on this one. Trading looks easy from the outside because people only show the wins - nobody’s posting their 9th red trade in a row on Instagram. Losses are part of the game, but when they stack up like that, it messes with your head and makes you question everything. Been there. Here’s the thing: most traders who “go full-time” either (1) have other income streams backing them up, or (2) went through years of grinding, blowing accounts, and refining before they got consistent. The highlight reels make it look like they just...
I can't agree more, very well explained.
Keep alive a genuine winning attitude
  • #15
  • Mar 17, 2026 7:55pm Mar 17, 2026 7:55pm
If you are feeling bad because of losses it's not that your strategy or your books that your reading are the reason ...it's the psychology you have to accept losses just as you do profits....if your not ok with losses then your trading for satisfying your internal ego or making money then trading is far difficult ....maybe next time you sit down to trade just say to yourself that I'll follow my rules and what ever the outcome is ill accept....

As humans our ego is mainly effected my 3 things either our
setups (where we try to force setups and mess up the entry)
Money (where we are trading for money and not considering that by default there s a 50% chance of you either winning or lossing)
outcome ( in your case your trading ego is backed by the Human nature of win so I can provide .... essentially quitting your 9-5 and having better future)

And 3 things equate to emotions which is what you know far better then me how bad they are....hope this helps..


And trading is a probability game if you are lossing 9 trades that means you would have had. A win or 2 aswell and this lossing steak is just a statistical phase that has to occur

And see how you can fix those 3 ego things
  • #16
  • Mar 17, 2026 11:03pm Mar 17, 2026 11:03pm
Quoting nguyenduy747
{quote} I backtest and read books about trading. I use dynamic position sizing like Brent Donnelly, risking 5%, 10%, or 20% of my free capital base on the setup. I always set my stop loss and take profit at the time I enter a trade and then leave it. First 2 months, it worked, but not anymore.
professional traders only risk meaningless amounts. so you can be wrong more times until the edge works itself to profit.

i myself only risk 0.5% and i suggest you do to.

always set a takeprofit don’t let it run to the moon.
i suggest you only do 1rr

follow these guidelines. i promise you , you will see results. though the profits will seem meaningless but that’s how all professionals operate.

if you need more capital, join prop firms
that’s how you make it in this industry

but first you have to gain consistency above all else
em hiều chưa?
Steps to profitability: Collect data, money management, stay bored
  • #17
  • Mar 17, 2026 11:44pm Mar 17, 2026 11:44pm
I don’t know what to say other than thank you guys. I have read a lot of advice about trading psychology on the internet, but this time you guys really helped me. I really appreciate your advice. I will gather everything and use it for my trading journey.
I'm still stressed so I will take a break until the weekend and just follow the market. This is such a great place to talk, hope you guys make good profits in this industry.
BTC/USD
  • #18
  • Mar 18, 2026 12:27am Mar 18, 2026 12:27am
Quoting nguyenduy747
I just had another losing trade, my 9th loss since the beginning of this month, and I’ve been trading for years, I’ve done a lot of backtesting, but somehow it feels like the more I continue, the harder it gets, while many other traders seem to be making money so easily and some of them have already gone full-time, yet I’m still stuck here struggling with both strategy and psychology. I keep asking myself what I should do, when will I finally be able to quit my 9–5 job, because I’ve always imagined a life where I can trade profitably, go full-time,...
Honestly this feels more like burnout than a strategy issue at this point. 9 losses in a row can mess with your head no matter how much experience you have. When you’re under that kind of pressure, even good setups start to feel wrong and decisions get forced. Might be worth stepping back for a bit instead of trying to trade through it. Sometimes the reset does more than grinding harder.
  • #19
  • Mar 18, 2026 3:24am Mar 18, 2026 3:24am
Quoting nguyenduy747
I just had another losing trade, my 9th loss since the beginning of this month, and I’ve been trading for years, I’ve done a lot of backtesting, but somehow it feels like the more I continue, the harder it gets, while many other traders seem to be making money so easily and some of them have already gone full-time, yet I’m still stuck here struggling with both strategy and psychology. I keep asking myself what I should do, when will I finally be able to quit my 9–5 job, because I’ve always imagined a life where I can trade profitably, go full-time,...
Switch to a demo account, look for a mentor with proven track record and learn from him.....Focus on the skill and not the money
  • #20
  • Edited 5:24am Mar 18, 2026 4:45am | Edited 5:24am
Quoting nguyenduy747
I just had another losing trade, my 9th loss since the beginning of this month, and I’ve been trading for years, I’ve done a lot of backtesting, but somehow it feels like the more I continue, the harder it gets, while many other traders seem to be making money so easily and some of them have already gone full-time, yet I’m still stuck here struggling with both strategy and psychology. I keep asking myself what I should do, when will I finally be able to quit my 9–5 job, because I’ve always imagined a life where I can trade profitably, go full-time,...
My reply might sting a little — take a deep breath before reading.

The way you're trading right now is like driving a car while staring at the steering wheel and GPS instead of the road.
Or like a sailor on the open ocean obsessing over how to operate the boat while ignoring the wind, weather, and currents.
You can operate the car or boat perfectly and still crash.

A driver or sailor first learns alignment — adapting the vehicle to the road, or the boat to the conditions — before they can become skilled.

  1. strategy = car / sailboat
  2. market = road / ocean
  3. alignment = adapting to conditions

You don’t control the market — you adapt to it.
This is the foundation of profitable trading, and most struggling traders either don’t know it or skip over it.

What pros understand and amateurs don't:

It’s the trader’s job to manage the losers.
It’s the market’s job to take care of the winners.

Struggling traders try to do the market’s job:

  1. “find a profitable strategy”
  2. “prove an edge”
  3. “optimize entries”

…while hoping their risk management rules will take care of the losses.

That’s backwards.

The trading community is full of people stuck in the same loop:
The struggling trader’s journey:

  1. Find a strategy
  2. Backtest it
  3. Try to execute it better / tweak SL & TP
  4. Repeat
  5. When it fails → fix psychology
  6. Realize years of “trading knowledge” ≠ profitability
  7. Quit or start questioning everything

You’re currently somewhere between stages 5 and 6.
Trading feels random and exhausting when you try to control what you can’t control — winning.
That’s the market’s job.

Your job is to control what you can:
Minimize losses and stay aligned with the market.

Now here’s the part most people don’t tell you:

Edges are built on losing better, not winning more.
Losing better = recognizing misalignment faster.
Recognizing misalignment faster = better market reading skills.

Not secret indicators. Not more backtesting. Not another strategy.

You need to recognize:

  1. when price is behaving as expected
  2. when momentum and structure is holding or breaking
  3. when your idea is no longer valid

Without that, “cutting losses” just becomes random exits.

The professional trader’s journey (in simple terms):

  1. Develop real-time market awareness (understanding conditions, not just setups)
  2. Develop trade management and loss control skills (cut losers fast, let winners play out)
  3. Improve positioning (better entries, better asymmetry)
  4. Align with larger cycles and capital flow (compounding phase)

Most traders never even complete step 1 — because they misuse analysis to find setups instead of understanding the market.

If you take one thing away from this:

Stop trying to win.
Start learning how to lose better.

Everything else builds on that.

0 traders viewing now