June 9th, 2026

Day 32 brought another important lesson. Once again, I took a trade around 6:45, before my official start time, and once again it turned out to be a bad decision. What I’ve noticed is that these early trades don’t just cost me money—they put me in a negative mindset before the trading day has even properly begun.

This was the day the lesson finally clicked. My system starts at 7:00, not 6:45. The rules are there for a reason, and every time I ignore them, I end up paying for it. Trying to get a head start on the market has consistently done more harm than good.

Going forward, the rule is simple and non-negotiable: no trades before 7:00. That’s when my system begins, and that’s when I begin. No exceptions. The goal isn’t to catch every move—it’s to trade the plan with consistency and discipline. This was the day I stopped making excuses and committed to following that rule.

Day 32 Travel Poster

MNQ Chart

Let’s talk about the chart for the day. Unfortunately, I started by making the same mistake I had been struggling with recently: trading before my official start time. At 6:45, I took an early trade that resulted in a loss of 42.25 points on both contracts. It was another reminder that breaking my rules rarely ends well.

The next valid trade was also a loser, stopping out for 50.25 points on each contract. By that point, I was already digging myself into a hole. The third trade looked promising and came very close to reaching the profit target, but ultimately reversed and stopped out for a loss of 72.75 points. At this stage, I was down roughly $600 to $700 on the day and it was shaping up to be a frustrating session.

Then everything changed.

At 9:40, a strong setup appeared and I took the trade without hesitation. The move exploded almost immediately, hitting the first target on the very next bar for a gain of 154.50 points. Even better, the runner contract caught an enormous trend and stayed in the trade all the way to 787.75 points.

It was exactly the kind of move that reminds me why I trust this system. Not only did the trade erase the losses from earlier in the day, but it also felt like redemption after the frustration of missing a similar move the previous Friday. More importantly, I stayed with the trade and allowed the runner to do its job instead of cutting it short.

One great trade won’t erase the lesson about discipline, but it was a powerful reminder that following the plan and letting winners run can make all the difference.

Total Profit: $1,200.54