This is not a post about speed, profits, or copying trades. It’s a breakdown of the process, rules, and decisions that allowed me to pass a 100K challenge without violating discipline. The firm was Apex Funded Traders. The profit target was $106,000. The total drawdown was $3,000. There was no daily loss limit, but I imposed my own. 🛑 Rule #1: I Set My Own Daily Loss Limit Even though there was no daily loss limit, I created one. My personal rule: - Max daily loss: -$500 - If hit, I stopped trading for the day This prevented: - Emotional spirals - “One more trade” behavior - Giving back gains Having self-imposed rules mattered more than firm rules. 🧠 Rule #2: I Focused on Risk Control, Not Trade Count I did not focus on: - How many trades I took - Being active - Forcing setups I focused on: - Risk-to-reward (2:4 minimum) - Clean execution - Protecting drawdown The number of trades is irrelevant if risk is controlled. What matters is how much you can lose, not how often you click. 📉 Risk & Execution Framework - Instrument: ES - Size: 4–8 contracts - Style: Sharp, in-and-out moves - Goal: A few clean ticks with structure I intentionally switched my P&L display to ticks instead of price. This helped my psychology by: - Reducing emotional attachment to dollar amounts - Keeping focus on execution quality - Preventing overreaction to fluctuations This is not required — just something that worked for me. 📐 Strategy Context (High Level) I traded a combination of structure-based concepts: - Opening Range Break - Clear rejection candles to confirm direction - Trendlines for structure - Entries, exits, and stops based on trendlines — not emotion Trendlines determined: - Where I entered - Where I exited - Where I was wrong I did not chase moves. If price didn’t respect structure, I stayed out. 🕒 Sessions Traded I traded all sessions. The session itself did not determine my trade.

If you’re new here, do not rush. Follow this checklist in order to get the most value from Dream Traders. ⬜ 1. Read the Welcome Post Understand what this community is — and what it is not. This sets expectations and saves you time. ⬜ 2. Read the Rules & Disclaimer These rules protect: - You - The community - The integrity of the process If you disagree with the rules, this community may not be a fit. ⬜ 3. Review the No-Blow Ruleset This is the foundation of everything here. Focus on: - Risk limits - Trade frequency - When to stop trading - Capital protection Survival comes before profits. ⬜ 4. Download the Journaling Templates You do not improve what you do not track. Use the templates to: - Record trades - Review execution - Identify mistakes - Build self-awareness Keep it simple and consistent. ⬜ 5. Study the Educational Chart Breakdowns These are after-the-fact examples. Focus on: - Structure - Entries & exits - Risk placement - Decision-making Do not try to copy trades. ⬜ 6. Participate in Weekly Reflection Posts Reflection builds discipline. Each week, ask yourself: - Did I follow my rules? - What did I do well? - What needs improvement? Honesty matters more than performance. ⬜ 7. Observe Before Posting Take time to: - Read discussions - Understand the tone - Learn how feedback is given This helps you integrate smoothly into the community. ⬜ 8. Decide If an Upgrade Makes Sense Upgrading is optional. Consider Premium or VIP only if you want: - More structure - Accountability - Deeper guidance - Prop firm–focused support There is no pressure to upgrade. 🧭 Final Reminder Dream Traders is about: - Process over profits - Discipline over emotion - Consistency over excitement Move slowly. Follow the checklist. Protect your capital.