Follow my trading journey from day trading pitfalls to swing trading success. Learn key skills, strategies, and insights for consistent 2% monthly returns in 2025.

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Chasing the Dream: My Rocky Start in Trading

Back in 2020, I dove headfirst into the markets, armed with a smartphone and a dream of day trading my way to riches while juggling a gruelling engineering job. Spoiler alert: it wasn’t what I’d hoped for. Social media had me believing I could compound 4% daily and become a billionaire by Christmas. Shiny pennies? I chased them all with the SMC tribe. The result? Burnout, inconsistency, and a bruised ego. I’m not saying SMC don’t work but they just wasn’t suited to my personality. After hitting a wall with trading and some personal issues, I took a 12-month break from trading to clear my head. It was humbling, but necessary.

The Timeout That Changed Everything

During my market time out, I flirted with other paths—like training to be a wealth manager—but nothing lit a fire in me like trading. I spent months reflecting on my scalping days with NQ and ES futures. The 2020 post-pandemic volatility was wild, with massive price swings on higher timeframes where institutions play. It hit me: the real money isn’t in frantic day trades but in calculated, infrequent bets aiming for 2%+ monthly returns. Institutions use AI and economic analysis to drive decisions—why couldn’t I?

Day Trading vs. Swing Trading: Finding My Fit

Day trading felt like sprinting on a treadmill—exhilarating but exhausting. I loved diving into economic analysis of the U.S. dollar and bond markets, but my price-action scalping lacked conviction without a fundamental thesis. Studying fiscal and monetary policy tempted me, but my engineering job left little time. That’s when swing trading clicked. It suits my lifestyle and personality—methodical, patient, and analytical. Since April 29, 2025, I’ve been all-in on swing trading, and it’s been a game-changer.

The Must-Have Skills for Swing Trading Success

Swing trading isn’t just about charts and gut feelings. Here’s what I’ve learned you need to thrive:

• Patience: Positions can take weeks or months to play out. No instant gratification here.
• Adaptability: Markets shift, and so must your strategies.
• Risk Management: Protect your capital like it’s your lifeline.
• Technical and Fundamental Analysis: Blend price action with economic drivers for conviction.

I love the slower pace—it gives me time to analyse markets thoroughly, from COT reports to seasonality in Forex and Commodities. Mistakes happen, but I log every trade to build a dataset for statistical modeling. Gut instinct plays a role, but data is king.

Explore CFTC’s COT reports for market insights here: https://www.cftc.gov/MarketReports/CommitmentsofTraders/index.htm

My Strategy: Low Risk, High Conviction

My swing trading method focuses on currency markets, targeting 2R (2% risk-adjusted return) per month. I’m selective, only taking high-probability setups to keep drawdowns low. If I exceed 2R, great. If I’m down a bit, no panic—my portfolio stays stable. What I’m getting at here is keep expectations low but over deliver. I’m also eyeing proprietary trading firms, but only once my dataset proves my edge. Past prop firm challenges taught me not to rush in without statistical backing.

You can check out my swing trading results on the Fortis Fund page.

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The Next Chapter: Economics and Systematic Trading

With a consistent approach in place, I’m looking ahead. Markets move on economic data—think CPI, GDP, employment, and commodity imbalances. I’m diving into economics courses to master micro and macro fundamentals, aiming to build systematic trading strategies with Python. My goal? Manage capital and deliver risk-adjusted returns like the pros.

Stay tuned for upcoming Economic, Market & systematic Trading insights.

Why I’m Sharing My Journey

This blog is my space to share insights, from trading lessons to economic analysis and systematic strategies. Whether you’re a newbie trader or a seasoned pro, I hope my journey inspires you to find your edge in the markets. Let’s keep learning, adapting, and profiting together.

Speak soon,
Liam

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