Managing Expectations and Finding the Strongest Trends

I have seen many new forex traders who while looking for at least 20 pips a day, end up losing big in an effort to reach this plateau. The problem is that the market environment changes to the point where there are many days where solid trading opportunities just cannot be found. So the new trader puts on a trade that they normally would not even think about. If that trade becomes a loser, they now have to win that loss back and then another 20 pips before the end of the day. You can see how this can turn into a nightmare after a couple of questionable setups end up as losing trades in the same day. I think a better goal is to strive to be profitable every month. If you end up with $1 more in your account at the end of the month from the beginning of the month, give yourself a pat on the back for being profitable. It is a series of monthly gains that can result in big returns. But you must treat trading as a business instead of a get rich quick scheme and keep your expectations realistic.