Getting into day trading requires a solid understanding of the fundamentals. You’ll need to learn about markets, instruments, brokers, indicators, strategies, risk management, and even prop firms. 

1. Learn the basics 

2-3 weeks. materials: none.

It’s important to find a medium that works best for you to absorb all the information related to trading—whether that’s videos, articles, or courses. Personally, I started with YouTube, where I followed Ross Cameron and his trading content for about 2–3 weeks. I also learned about futures trading from Riley Coleman.

However, I don’t recommend blindly following these individuals or relying on their strategies long-term. For example, Ross Cameron’s Warrior Trading program is notoriously expensive and often seen as more of a milking business than a genuine learning platform. Similarly, Riley Coleman’s lack of verified trading statistics raises questions about his credibility. That said, people like these can still serve as a great introduction to trading. Learn the basics, gain some initial insights, and then move on to building your own approach based on trusted resources and real-world experience.

2. Read books on trading

4 weeks (or however long you take to read 2-3 books). Materials: 2-3 books.

I firmly believe that reading books on trading is an essential step to deepen your knowledge, especially during the early stages of your journey. Books provide a structured way to understand trading concepts, strategies, and the psychology behind successful trading. There are countless books available, many of which cover similar principles, but the ones I personally read and recommend are:

• How to Day Trade: A Plain Truth by Ross Cameron
• How to Day Trade for a Living by Andrew Aziz
• Trading: Technical Analysis Masterclass by Rolf Schlotmann and Moritz Czubatinski

While it might be tempting to jump straight into a trading simulator, I highly recommend focusing on building a strong theoretical foundation first. By doing so, you can avoid early pitfalls that may lead to frustration or loss of motivation. With a solid understanding of the basics, you’ll likely see faster progress and better results when you start practicing, which will keep you motivated to push through the challenges of the next steps.

Taking the time to prepare now can set you up for long-term success later.

3. Start trading in a simulated account on TradingView

This step is crucial and requires significant time and dedication. Trading in a simulator allows you to get hands-on experience without the risk of losing real money. It’s where you’ll familiarize yourself with your chosen instruments (typically 1–2 to start, no more) and develop practical skills such as understanding bid/ask spreads, using order types, navigating buy/sell buttons, mastering shortcuts, interpreting price action, and applying indicators effectively. When I started, I began trading the ES (S&P 500 E-mini) but soon switched to the NQ (Nasdaq-100 E-mini), which has become my primary instrument due to its volatility and potential for profit.

Develop Your Own Trading Strategy

During this stage, it’s vital to start creating your own trading strategy. A good strategy provides structure and clarity, ensuring you know exactly what to do at every step of a trade. Inspired by Andrew Aziz’s approach, here’s how I recommend crafting your strategy:

1. Write it Down: Clearly document your strategy, including specific rules for entries, exits, and risk management. For example:

   • Entry: “Buy when price touches the midpoint of a defined support/resistance zone and volume spikes above the 20-period average.”
   • Exit: “Sell when price reaches the top of the zone or if a candle closes below the midpoint.”
   • Risk Management: “Risk no more than 1% of my account per trade, using stop-loss orders at predefined levels.”

2. Name Your Strategy: Giving your strategy a name makes it personal and helps you commit to it. For instance, I named my initial approach “Reversal – Breakout strategy” and I still trade it succesfully today.

3. Test and Refine: Use the simulator to test your strategy across different market conditions. Keep track of what works and what doesn’t, and refine your rules accordingly.

4. Consistency is Key: Stick to your strategy without deviation. Consistency in execution is what separates successful traders from those who fail.

Creating and committing to a written strategy ensures that you trade with a plan rather than relying on emotion or gut instincts. It becomes your foundation for long-term success.

Many trading educators, such as Ross Cameron and Andrew Aziz, recommend practicing in a simulator for six months before trading live. Many traders online echo this advice, noting that six months is often when they start seeing consistent profitability. Personally, I found this timeline unnecessary. Leveraging the foundation I built in the previous steps, I turned profitable in the simulator after just one week and have since maintained profitability for 5 out of every 6 trading days.

For new traders, I highly recommend starting on TradingView. It’s accessible, affordable, and offers industry-standard charting and indicator tools. TradingView also allows you to connect directly to many brokers, enabling you to execute trades seamlessly within the platform’s environment. This streamlined setup is perfect for building skills and confidence before transitioning to a live account.

The primary goal in the simulator is to achieve consistent profitability. Treat your simulated account as if it were real—don’t overtrade, don’t use too many contracts, and avoid excessive risk. Start with one contract, or even micro contracts, to keep things manageable. Your objective should be to sustain profitability for 5–6 consecutive weeks. Negative days are inevitable, but they should:

• Be infrequent.
• Have smaller losses than your average winning days.
• Not outweigh your green days on a weekly basis.

Each week should end positive. Only move on to live trading once you’ve reached this point. Skipping ahead before achieving consistent profitability significantly increases the risk of losing real money. Worse, the emotional toll of losses can lead to frustration, lost motivation, and the temptation to quit altogether, cutting short your potential to become a successful and profitable trader. Take the time to master the simulator—it’s a small investment for long-term success.

 4. Start a trading combine

A trading combine is an evaluation pro.gram offered by proprietary trading firms like TopStep. It’s designed to test your trading skills and discipline in a simulated environment before granting you access to trade a funded account with the firm’s capital. If you’re new to the concept, I recommend visiting the TopStep page on my blog for a deeper dive into how it works and why it’s an excellent starting point for futures traders.

Passing a Combine involves meeting specific profit targets while adhering to strict risk management rules. For instance, the $50,000 Combine at TopStep costs $50/month and allows you to trade 1–5 contracts. Once you pass the Combine, there’s typically a one-time $150 activation fee, after which you’ll gain access to a funded account. The evaluation is not easy, but it’s an incredible way to learn, grow, and access professional trading capital.

The Combine is not just a test—it’s a journey that prepares you for live trading. By the time you pass, you’ll have honed your skills, developed discipline, and learned to manage risk like a professional. While the upfront cost of a Combine may seem like a barrier, it’s a small investment compared to the invaluable experience you’ll gain and the access to significant trading capital. Additionally, the losses you will likely make at this stage in a personal account will be significantly higher. 

It took me two attempts to pass my Combine. During my first attempt, I quickly became nervous and anxious, which led to poor decision-making and revenge trading. This was largely due to the pressure of losing my investment in the Combine fee as well as this being the first real test of my mettle as a trader. Now, imagine starting out with a personal trading account funded with $3,000—the emotional toll would have been far greater. After failing my first attempt, I took a step back and returned to my TradingView simulator. I focused on getting another green week, and only then did I feel confident enough to start a new Combine. On my second attempt, I passed in just three days.

Unfortunately, I often see traders rushing into Combines without mastering the fundamentals from steps 1–3. Some even reset their Combine multiple times a week—or worse, several times a day. The most extreme case I’ve come across was someone resetting 16 times in a single day or a person having bought a total of 100 combines (that’s 5k to 15k in cost). This behavior is not trading; it’s gambling. While it’s great for the prop firm’s business model, it’s a poor approach for anyone serious about becoming a successful trader. Taking the time to build a solid foundation and practicing discipline is what truly sets profitable traders apart.

For more details about the Combine and my personal tips on how to pass, check out the TopStep page on my blog. If you’re serious about becoming a successful trader, a Combine is one of the best ways to start.