Background

I am unsure how I’m even sitting here today. If you told me a few years ago that I would be trading full time in front of an audience, I would have told you you’re insane. I’ve always been a very private and introverted person, and to this day it’s something I’m constantly working on. Sharing my thoughts was never my strength — but here we are.

 Trading was always a fun hobby I was “somewhat” good at. It was something I did to pass the time between endless meetings, client calls, and the nonsense the big tech world offers. I don’t miss those golden handcuffs from back-vested RSUs and senior leaders from hell who take credit for your hard work to justify their existence to VPs. I wasn’t happy, but it provided a life I had busted my ass in school and work to earn. I didn’t think that cycle would end.

 At this point, if you’re reading this, you probably have an idea of my history. I was laid off (fired?) from the Mag7 in early 2023. From there, trading went from a side thing to the only way I could generate income until I found a new gig. With some pain, luck, and a ton of screen time, I was able to replace my old 9-5 income through trading — the majority of which came from “prop” trading firms. In this playbook we’ll go over lessons I’ve learned and the things that helped me succeed.

 Before we jump in, let me set the record straight: I am not the best trader. Most of my ideas and knowledge come from mentors, trading buddies, and friends I’ve made along the way.* Even with a few years of success, I still constantly look to learn new things from others around me.
*(Spoiler alert — one is Leo, and his playbook is also on this site.)

 One common theme you may have gleaned from this website and the other playbooks is that many of the concepts, teachings, and ways of executing are cut from the same cloth. One thing I learned coming into the trading world from big tech was how there are millions of ways to ingest and digest information. You may hear me talk about a trading concept slightly differently than someone else. Maybe it helps you retain it; maybe it makes absolutely no sense, and I’m just an idiot. Either way, my hope through this playbook is that people take what resonates and ignore what doesn’t. After doing this full time for a few years, the one thing I always come back to is that keeping things simple is when I’m at my best.

 So enough of the sob story — we’re here to talk about how I trade. PTT will be an outlet for me to share what’s helped me on this journey to full-time trading. One thing you’ll notice is I keep things simple, try not to overtrade, and call it a session as quickly as possible. I’ve learned how valuable that autonomy can be.

How I Trade

Prep/Planning for the Session

When prepping for the week or session, one of the biggest things I look at is a long-timeframe chart. For me, this is the go-to weekly prep chart I use to zoom out and frame areas of interest, key support and resistance, and Market Generated Information (MGI) levels that help me gauge reactions. Are we trading in balance or a long-timeframe range? It’s always important to identify areas where larger players may rebid or re-offer.

For daily prep, I try not to overthink it:

• Get an idea of how Globex traded (overnight highs/lows)

• Note reaction to data/news in premarket

• Review my levels from the previous session’s volume

• Then it all comes down to what I’m seeing in real-time order flow.

How I structure my LTF chart:

• Weekly volume profiles

• Rolling 15-day or visible range volume profile on the right

• 1-hour candles

• Plot key MGI levels (prior-week VAH/VAL, week open, etc.)

Beyond MGI, I also identify long-timeframe areas to watch for reactions if price returns to them. These can be LVNs or old Point of Control levels.

3 Key Tools I Use for Day Trading

Volume Profile

Most of my trade opportunities come from the Volume Profile. I use a session profile and look for opportunities with what I see on a delta-by-price session profile as well.

Simple intraday setups I take:

• Value Area Rotations: If price opens inside value, trade rotation from VAH to VAL.

• Value Acceptance / Absorption of sellers above VAH: Go long toward new areas of high volume.

• Rejection / Failure to find buyers at VAH: Look for shorts back toward session POC.

Delta by Price

How and why I use it: It shows buying vs. selling aggressiveness at specific price levels. It helps me gauge how the market reacts at key spots I’m interested in. I’m constantly watching for absorption or initiation at key levels within the session.

• Positive Delta: More aggressive buyers lifting offers

• Negative Delta: More aggressive sellers hitting bids

• Absorption: Price stalls even with strong delta — big passive orders absorbing

MGI

Market Generated Information is the simplest, most straightforward way to identify key areas within the auction. The market tells us the story as it develops. Are sellers being absorbed above the previous day’s high? That’s a good sign for potential continuation. I always have MGI levels marked on my charts and watch order flow as price approaches.

Execution

I usually look for opportunities during the first two hours of the trading day — from the RTH open at 8:30 CT to what I call the “Euro Close” at 10:30 am. The tape tends to be fast enough for me to scalp a few rotations and move on. I try not to force trades or FOMO into moves after larger overnight directional moves.

I’m not a trader who shoots from the hip the second the RTH opening bell rings. I watch and at least let the first five minutes settle in. If there’s an opportunity, I’ll take it, but the longer I do this, the more patient I’ve become off the open. Many days I hit one or two trades; if they’re winners, I’ll likely call it a session and go touch grass. This has been one of my keys to success and longevity.

Since I trade when volatility is higher, I don’t shoot for home runs. For me, execution means trading a few minis, looking for about 30 points on NQ (7–10 on ES), and getting out. I’ve never been great at holding trades, but I’m getting better. I’m also not afraid to scratch or go breakeven if I’m not seeing what I want quickly. Nothing is worse than getting round-tripped being greedy, so I adopted the mentality of moving stops into profit or scratching out instead of scaling out at times.

I execute primarily on the DOM. I’d love to tell you I’m a master at reading order flow, the DOM, and time and sales — nothing could be further from the truth. At times I’ve found these things overstimulating or distracting. I still use them to guide execution but have had to simplify for my own sanity and block out noise that makes me think I’m seeing something I’m not.

With my style of trading, I typically run anywhere from a 10–15-point stop on NQ and 3–5 points on ES. I usually enter full size in one clip and look for full take profit on NQ. On ES, I’m better at scaling out, holding runners, and trailing stops in profit for wider moves.

Mindset/Psychology

This is a section I look forward to exploring in more detail. Overall my mindset comes down to two main themes: discipline and risk. Becoming a father completely changed the way this is wired in me. My new approach is “Survive and Advance.” Small wins are fine. They keep me going, keep large red days from getting away from me, and keep the lights on.

Over the last year I’ve had to be a full-time trader and full-time dad several times. It’s a tough combo. I’ve learned that if you aren’t locked in 100%, you have no business putting money at risk. When I’m not feeling it, I don’t push the personal cash account. The losing days when I wish I’d never sat down have taught me not to force trades if my mental state isn’t right. You really need to listen to what your mind or body is telling you.

I never wanted to do this full time. It’s constantly a work in progress. The mental game has changed for me several times — giving up job hunting, my wife getting pregnant, becoming a dad, now being the sole provider so she can stay home. I was used to “eating what you kill,” but there was always a safety net. Without it, adjusting is a struggle. How much do I need to make in a day? How do losing days affect me? What freedoms does trading full time bring me that my old life couldn’t? I’ll dive into these questions in the coming weeks.

Conclusion

If you’re still reading this, thank you. I hope this provides a decent introduction to how I trade. In the coming weeks and months, I’m looking forward to posting content on:

• Trade setup videos

• Execution/trade reviews

• Psychology questions for full-time traders I get asked

• How I approach my personal account differently from prop accounts and what made me successful in the prop game

• Grilling recipes? Probably not, but we’ll see how the blog evolves