Alright, real talk. Let me show you an actual trade I took last week. Not some perfect textbook example. A real one, with real mistakes.

The Setup

ETH was sitting at $3,850. It had bounced off this level three times before. Classic support.

Bitcoin looked stable. Volume was coming in. Everything said "this might hold."

I decided to buy.

My Entry

Bought at $3,855. Not perfect, but close enough.

My plan:

  • Stop loss: $3,800 (below support)

  • Target: $4,050 (old resistance)

  • Risk: $55 per coin

  • Potential gain: $195 per coin

Risk-reward looked good. Around 1:3.5.

What Happened Next

First hour? Nothing. Price just sat there. This is normal but still annoying.

Then it dropped to $3,830. My heart rate went up. Checked my stop. Still safe at $3,800.

This is where most people panic sell. I almost did.

The Bounce

Two hours later, buyers showed up. Price climbed back to $3,880. Then $3,920. Then $3,975.

I was up $120 per coin. Felt good.

My Mistake

Here's where I screwed up.

My target was $4,050. But at $3,990, I got greedy. "Maybe it'll hit $4,100," I thought.

It didn't.

Price rejected at $4,010. Started dropping. I watched my profit shrink.

Finally sold at $3,960. Still a win, but left money on the table.

What I Learned

Stick. To. Your. Plan.

I had a target. I should've sold there. Greed cost me an extra $90 per coin.

But here's the thing - I still won. Made about $105 per coin. Not bad for a day trade.

The Numbers

  • Entry: $3,855

  • Exit: $3,960

  • Profit: $105 per coin

  • Win rate for the week: 3 wins, 2 losses

Not perfect, but profitable.

What Worked

  • Waited for my setup

  • Stuck to my stop loss

  • Took profit (even if not perfectly)

  • Kept position size small

What Didn't

  • Got greedy near the top

  • Should've taken half at target, let the rest run

  • Watched the chart too much

Real Talk

Trading isn't about being perfect. It's about being slightly better than random. Making more good decisions than bad ones.

Some days you nail it. Some days you don't. That's the game.

Next Post

I'll cover the biggest question I get: "How much money do I need to start?"

Spoiler: Less than you think.