Friday October 3, 2025

In a recent AM Briefing, a professional trader outlined a four-part framework designed to enforce discipline and clarity in futures trading. The system emphasizes the importance of securing early with-trend profits, using tactical "microwave trades" against trend, building experience through mental simulations, and maintaining psychological preparation to resist FOMO. Each principle is designed to reduce emotional decision-making and promote a process-first approach. Collectively, these rules reflect a professional mindset that prioritizes execution over constant activity or profit chasing.

☀️ AM BRIEFING

Introduction

The internet is saturated with trading advice. From complex indicator systems to "can't-miss" signals, the sheer volume of information can be overwhelming, making it nearly impossible to separate the noise from genuine, practical wisdom. We get lost in a sea of conflicting strategies, all while searching for a clear, repeatable process.

Recently, I had the chance to listen in on a professional trader's daily AM Briefing. It was a masterclass not in secret formulas, but in a cohesive professional methodology. This trader’s process begins before the week even starts, as he meticulously maps out his levels and "battle plans" on Sunday. His success stems from this preparation and a set of interconnected rules that govern his execution.

I’ve distilled the most impactful lessons from that AM Briefing into the four pillars of his trading system. These aren't just standalone tips; they are a unified framework for navigating the markets with clarity, discipline, and a focus on process over profits. If you're tired of the noise, this integrated perspective might be exactly what you need.

1. The "Take Your Hit and Walk" Mandate for With-Trend Wins

One of the most powerful rules was for handling large, trend-following wins. When you’re trading with the market's primary momentum and score a significant profit early—what the trader called a "10-point winner"—the job is done. The mandate is to take the bulk of your profit and walk away. You can protect your winnings while still participating in any further upside by leaving a small portion of the original position on the table, known as a "runner," to potentially capture more gains with minimal risk.

This is profoundly counter-intuitive. The common impulse after a big win is to feel invincible and press your luck. This rule reframes that impulse as a liability, emphasizing that the primary goal is not to trade all day, but to secure a win and—more importantly—protect it. This transforms trading from a constant activity into a task-oriented profession, where a well-executed trade that follows your plan means you’ve won the day.

It is a mandatory skill in my humble opinion. If you want to be a professional, yes, trader and make this a long-term career, take your hit, walk, and keep a runner.

2. Treat Counter-Trend Trades Like a Microwave

The trader was analyzing a market in a relentlessly strong uptrend, noting that constantly trying to short it is "so difficult and so frustrating." But this didn't mean he never took trades against the primary market direction. Instead, he employed a completely different, asymmetrical strategy for them. He called them "microwave trades."

The concept is to treat a counter-trend trade as a quick, tactical strike. These are not positions where you use heavy size or expect a home run. You get in, you have a specific target, and the moment that target is hit, you get out. The discipline learned from the "Take Your Hit and Walk" rule provides the mental capital to be patient and treat these lower-probability trades as surgical entries, not lottery tickets. This sophisticated approach—using size and runners with the trend, but going small and fast against it—is a masterclass in risk management.

We're in, we're out. It reached the target.

3. Bank "Mental Reps" on Every Trade

Here's an unusual practice that accelerates learning without risking a single dollar. The trader explained that even after he has exited a position, he continues to "mentally trade" it until the setup is fully complete.

The purpose is to gain experience and repetitions—or "reps." By observing how a trade would have played out, you are banking invaluable experience in trade management, watching price action unfold around key levels, and seeing a setup through its entire lifecycle. This practice of mental simulation is the engine that drives instinct. It’s how you develop the feel to know when a win is big enough to walk away from (Rule 1) or to sense when a counter-trend move has hit its limit (Rule 2), all without the emotional pressure or financial risk of having capital on the line.

I'm going to follow that through mentally until it's over. Why? Because I want the reps. I want the reps.

4. Separate Preparation from FOMO

Drawing from a daily devotional, the trader's final point cemented the entire philosophy. It's the psychological battle between patience, which stems from preparation, and the fear of missing out (FOMO), which stems from impulse. He described the classic trader's mistake: you map out a perfect entry in your "battle plan," the market hits it without you, and you chase the trade out of a desperate feeling of "I'm missing it!"

This is where the entire system hinges. True strength comes from executing a pre-planned strategy. FOMO is the enemy of this system. It’s what compels you to over-trade after a big win, violating the "Take Your Hit" mandate. It’s what makes you hold a "Microwave Trade" too long, hoping for a trend reversal. And it prevents you from dispassionately observing for "Mental Reps" because you're consumed by the need to be in the market. Acting from preparation is the foundation of a sustainable career; acting from FOMO is the fast track to ruin.

Before placing your next trade, ask yourself: am I acting from patience and preparation or from impatience and a fear of missing out?

Conclusion

The central theme running through this professional's methodology is that consistent trading has less to do with finding a magical indicator and more to do with mastering an integrated, disciplined process. It’s about defining your rules of engagement with the market and having the fortitude to execute your plan.

This cohesive system—knowing when to walk away from with-trend wins, adapting your tactics for counter-trend trades, practicing mentally to accelerate instinct, and always acting from preparation—provides a robust defense against the emotional mistakes that plague most traders. It shifts the focus from chasing profits to executing a professional process, which is where a real edge is found.

Of these four rules, which one would be the hardest for you to follow, and what does that reveal about your own trading psychology?

❓ FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

TRADING Q&A

What is the mandatory skill recommended for professional traders to maintain a long-term career, especially after achieving a large winning first trade?

A: The mandatory skill is to take your profit, keep a runner, and walk away from further trading.

What significant economic event, which was supposed to happen today, was cancelled due to the shutdown, and what major event is scheduled for the following week on Wednesday?

A: The Non-Farm Payroll (NFP) was supposed to happen today but was cancelled due to the shutdown. Next week, traders should be mindful of the FOMC minutes on Wednesday afternoon.

How are strategic shorts recommended to be managed, and what action should be taken regarding the runner after a short trade hits its target?

A: Strategic shorts should be treated like microwave trades, meaning traders are in and out once the target is reached. While a trader can decide to keep a single runner back, they must know where to exit the main position.