Acknowledging your powerlessness over market moves. Rather, responding armed with logic and techniques to make money.

I read a book, where the author calls is a mechanical approach. You mechanically search for setups, enter them, and get out. For now, I subscribe to it, until I find something better.

Yup, I agree. It's the robotic nature of looking for, entering, managing, and exiting trades that removes emotions from the mix. Once you achieve that, you're on a different plane.

Every trader is different. The major factor influencing this progression is trader psychology. Master this before all else.

I read a book, where the author calls it a mechanical approach. You mechanically search for setups, enter them, and get out. For now, I subscribe to it, until I find something better.

I think you should do a journal. I think it will be very helpful.

How long did it take you to switch from trading paper money to trading real money? Some say that one should trade paper for at least three months. Most brokers (systems) limit demo to two weeks. There is a possibility to continue but how long will they allow one to keep doing so?

One also hears that it takes 9 years to become a professional trader and that every pro lost an initial deposit at least once, so it makes sense to trade with an amount that one is okay to lose. Thoughts, ideas, suggestions, and philosophies are all welcome!