This is a troubling development in your thinking... ... That was my goal as well. That folks can make a living trading with small size and a reasonable account. My idea did not involve combines, but went straight to live. But for now, I need to show myself that I can do it for a living. My Ghandi-like lotus eating will follow naturally once I reach that point, and THEN people can get on the you-can-do-it-too Hari Krishna train. As you can tell, due to my trading style and the changing market conditions, my journal is at nary a stand-still. But I am utilizing patience to adapt to the current market conditions, not trying to adapt the market conditions to myself. It does not work in reverse. It is possible right now for you. And that is what the combines suck you into, which is why most of the trials fail. Listen to yourself. Don't RUSH it. You'll get there. If you feel desperate, STOP! If you have an ego to feed, STOP! If it is peer pressure, STOP! You were a funded trader on OneUp 5 different times in the last 2 years? Ask yourself...Why did you then become an unfunded trader? Chillaxin' before you make any drastic decisions. Trading or otherwise.
What part of my thinking is troubled? (Besides the thought that by posting this stuff I might actually be helping someone in some remote region of our planet.) I haven't changed my plan at all. I am still trying to reach $10k with micros using my personal live account, using $500 margin per contract. At $10k I will start trading the E-mini's. The 15 max contracts and Leeloo actually have nothing to do with this journal.
I guess I am a bit lost. $500 margin per contract on the Micros with a $1000 account is 2 contracts max. I want to take this LIVE PERSONAL Amp Futures account to the moon - with the MICROS up to 10 (or 20) contracts. I will at least shoot for $10,000... With a 1K account you are over levering?
I became an "unfunded" trader because I did rush it 5 times. I won't deny that. I took too much risk. I traded with more than 1 contract before I had earned the right to do so. This journal is now helping me to learn and reinforce the discipline to take things slowly. To build the account carefully and consistently. Just like the rings on a tree. So I guess this journal IS related to OneUp & MES/LeeLoo/TST, and subconsciously I recognize that it is helping me to be realistic and STAY ALIVE. If I do actually get funded by LeeLoo, I may give periodic updates, but the slow growth of this journal is what I want to champion and yell from the rooftops, not the funded account. I think micros are the way (at first). Can't make a living starting with $1000? Let's find out. 2% per day becomes $100k in 12 months. So far I am mostly on track.
I am urging you patience out of an abundance of caution. You see the chaos we are in. And earnings are kicking in. It is only my intent that you do not get skewed. Just trying to help. :-(
Here is some clarification for the confusion I am spreading: A) This journal is about my personal live AMP Futures account. It has about $1500 in it right now. I am trading approximately 1 micro account per $500 in the account, so right now I am allowed to trade a maximum of 3 contracts. At $2000, I will trade up to 4 contracts at a time. I am trying to grow this account 1% to 2% PER DAY. I am currently at 1.9% per day after 36 trading days. B) I am about $1400 from reaching the $9000 mark on an evaluation with LeeLoo (Natural Trading). Once that is reached, I will be allowed to trade up to 15 regular CME E-minis at a time on an account that says $150,000 on the platform. The daily stop loss is $4,000 and the max stop loss is $5,000. My journal here has helped me see that I should and MUST take it slow or I will die a rapid death like I did the previous 5 times with OneUp.
You are a good voice of reason, and I appreciate your constant warnings. If only Jiminy Cricket had been so persistent!!!
Now, here is the really important bit. Think hard on this. Once you get a $150,000 account, your daily stop loss is 4K, but "the max loss is 5K." What does that mean? Max loss of 5K?