How To Trade Small Range Days + Wednesday AM Briefing Episode 668
How To Trade ES Emini & MES Micros
Wednesday December 3, 2025
Micros Trader's AM Briefing focused on strategic planning for traders looking to transition from prop firm evaluations to trading their own cash accounts. The session emphasized disciplined journaling, risk management, and the importance of following a structured progression. On the technical side, ES futures remained bullish with a noted pullback zone and expectations of limited range behavior ahead of key economic events. Traders were cautioned against external influences and reminded to prioritize their established systems over market noise.📖 AM Briefing: Trade Plan Progression, Small Range Day Mastery & Choosing Your Trading Master
George walks through Section 3 of the Trade Plan Builder, breaks down yesterday's beautiful small range day execution, and reminds us to guard what we consume before the trading day. Bulls remain in control with seasonality pointing north into year-end, though we're consolidating near multi-day highs. The prayer focuses on obeying your system over outside noise and pressure.
- Trade Plan Builder - Section 3: This section is all about planning your progression to a cash account, which should be everyone's goal. George gives examples like earning $5,000 in prop payouts before opening a small $1,000 cash account trading one MES micro, then adding a contract for every $1,000 in profit. Another path starts with paper trading at TraderVate (with risk settings locked in so you can't be stupid), turning $1,000 into $2,000 before buying a prop eval. Map out your milestones and financial progression at trader meditations where the Trade Plan Builder lives.
- Yesterday's Small Range Day Execution: We called two longs yesterday with bulls 100% in control - zero shorts were looked for. The second setup was the money maker: after failing to reach RTH high, George mapped out the typical 15-30 point pullback and drew a yellow box at the RTH half-back level. Price came into that zone perfectly, and the aggressive long entry at 39-37 delivered a beautiful 20-pointer as it fair value gapped back up. On small range days that take out a high, take out a low, and finish at POC, it's see money, take money - not the day to look for hundred point runners.
- Current Market Positioning: We're at the top of a multi-day consolidation zone, just 97 points from the all-time high. Does this look bearish? Not really. We're still laddering up on the hourly with seasonality pointing north into year-end. ES is a north trajectory instrument without a doubt. George isn't interested in being long right at these highs but would love to hold a long from any of the beautiful pullbacks we've seen.
- Ideal Setup Going Into FOMC: George's dream scenario: pop above last week's high with a catalyst (maybe a Trump tweet), get rejected, and rotate back to the bottom of this range. That bottom-of-range long going into next week's FOMC could be a 150-point runner for those with overnight holding capability. First pop through resistance rarely works - it usually needs to come back in, explore the bottom, and build for another attempt.
- Key Levels & Navigator Mentality: When trading with the group, remember George is the navigator, you're the pilot. He's pointing things out, trying to keep you safe and on the right side of price action. Yesterday's 39-37 entry after dropping to the 30-second timeframe and watching for the bounce off 37 paid for the entire month's membership with that 20-pointer. Confirmation is yours, leverage decisions are yours, but the navigation keeps you aligned with high probability setups.
- Economic Calendar Watch: ADP employment change just hit, unemployment tomorrow, PCE on Friday, then next week is the show - FOMC. The seasonal chart shows bulls, bulls, bulls through October, November, and December. January cools off a bit, but right now we're in the sweet spot for upward bias heading into year-end.
- Small vs. Full Leverage: At current levels near multi-day highs, if you're looking for shorts, consider going smaller on leverage. The first pop through key resistance rarely works, and with bulls in control and seasonality pointing north, any shorts here should be tactical and sized appropriately. George would rather wait for the pullback to get long than force trades at the top of the range.
- Dow & NQ Observations: Both Dow and NQ took yesterday's high but didn't get much extension, which bodes well for the pop-and-pullback scenario George is watching for on ES. If we get that setup with the rotation back into range, that'll be the time to get really interested.
- Devotional - Choosing Your Trading Master: The prayer asks God to give us Peter's courage to obey what we know is right (our trade plan) rather than what feels safe or what the noise demands. Identify three sources that pressure you to deviate from your plan - other Discord servers with top/bottom calls, watching other people's trades, Twitter noise. When you feel pressure building during a trade, pause and ask: am I obeying my system or outside influences? Guard what you consume jealously before the trading day. If checking Twitter or other groups wrecks your peace or upsets the apple cart, say no thank you.
- Get Tomorrow's Trades Tonight: Visit microstrader.com and click battle to access your battle plan. Join us on Zoom 15 minutes before the market opens to trade these setups live with the group.
Opening Remarks
Good morning everybody, and welcome to the AM Briefing. It is Wednesday, December 3. Today’s tip of the day: we’re walking through a new benefit for members — the Trade Plan Builder — specifically Section 3: Progression to a Cash Account.
Using the Trade Plan Builder
Let’s go ahead and pull up the Trade Plan Builder at Trader Meditations, where we do our journaling. This is where the trade plan lives. You also have access to trade analytics reports — really powerful tools.
We’re on the Trade Plan Builder, discussing the next section. I haven’t completed this section because I already follow this model. You don’t have to complete every part, but if you hit “Complete,” it scrolls down to Section 3 — Plan Your Progression.
This is your financial roadmap to scaling into a cash account, which should be everyone’s goal. The idea is to trade your own account with full control — overnight holds, no firm rules, all of it.
Examples of Progression Plans
I gave a couple examples in the plan:
- Prop Firm to Cash Account Progression:
- Once I earn $5,000 in payouts from XYZ prop firm, I’ll open a small $1,000 cash account and trade one MES Micro.
- For every $1,000 in profit, I’ll add another contract.
- Paper Trading to Prop Firm Route:
- Start with a $1,000 paper trading account (e.g., at Tradovate), using all proper risk settings.
- Avoid going from one micro to 100 ES contracts. Tradovate helps prevent that by letting you limit contracts and daily losses.
- Once I turn $1,000 into $2,000, I’ll buy one prop evaluation account. Once I earn $5,000 in prop payouts, I’ll open a cash account and follow the same progression as above.
So that’s the concept: plan your path to managing your own capital. Fill out Section 3 and click save — done.
If this helps, hit the thumbs up or share the video.
Chart Review: Missed Entry & Long Play
Let’s talk about yesterday’s chart. We had two long setups:
First Long Setup:
We mapped it out, but no clean entry. You would’ve had to front-run the idea — not ideal. Targets were clear, so had you entered, it could’ve been a good trade. If not, you stayed flat.
Second Long Setup:
Entry was called between 55 to 53, targeting last week’s high. Got in at 55? Two-point bump. Got in at 53? Quick move up, then I moved to breakeven, covered commissions, and booked a small win.
Price failed to get to the RTH high. When that happens, we typically see a 15–30 point pullback. Measuring that out, 30 points is far below, and 15 points is right around this area.
Setup for the Pullback Long
What’s between those 15–30 point ranges? The RTH half-back. So as price began pulling back, we watched for that level to get tagged. I drew a yellow box as our zone of interest and marked arrows for expected direction.
Once price entered the yellow box, we dropped down to a 30-second chart for finer detail. I said 39 to 37 is the defend zone. If that fails, we’ll make new lows. Do your leverage math accordingly.
Remember, I’m your navigator — you're the pilot. My goal is to point out levels and help pay for your membership each day.
Execution and Outcome
Price entered the yellow box. Aggressive long opportunity between 39–37 — your entry would’ve been at 39. We got the big white candle out of the zone, which led to a 10-point move.
If you used the three-contract system, you could’ve peeled contracts and made 20 points total — enough to pay for a month of membership. Target was the weekly high, and we looked for signs of reversal from the fair value gap area.
Bulls had full control. We were not interested in shorts — the trade was with the trend.
Larger Trend and Levels
Let’s zoom out to the hourly. Does this look bearish? Not really.
We’re still laddering up. Bulls are strong, and we’re only 97 points from the all-time high — easily reachable with the right catalyst.
Right now, we’re at the top of a multi-day consolidation. We’re either going to break higher or lower. I'm not interested in initiating a long here, but I would be holding a long from earlier pullbacks.
Trade Strategy Scenarios
If we get a breakout followed by a rejection (like from a news spike), and we come back under last week’s high, that’s the ideal setup to rotate lower and find a high-conviction long.
Often, the first breakout attempt fails. That doesn’t mean there’s a trade — just a heads-up. A successful second attempt after a pullback is the better entry.
Our goal is to hold the runner for a potential breakout to the upside — because ES has a clear upward bias.
Intermarket Comparison & Final Thoughts
Dow and NQ took out yesterday’s highs but didn’t get much extension. That supports the idea that ES might pop and pull back too.
We’ll be watching all this closely in the Zoom room. If you’d like to join, visit microstrader.com and check the membership options.
Essay Format Questions
- What emotion affected your trade today?
- How will you respond differently next time?
Application and Reflection
The application: Identify three common sources of pressure that push you to deviate from your plan. These might include:
- Discord servers where everyone is guessing tops and bottoms
- Watching other traders’ positions
- Overconsuming Twitter content
This week, when you feel pressure building during a trade, pause and ask: “Am I obeying my system or external pressure?” Choose to obey your plan. At the end of the week, review your journal and identify where pressure came from.
"God, when the market pressures me to abandon my plan, When fear and doubt and other voices demand compromise, Give me Peter’s courage to obey what I know is right rather than what feels safe or momentarily right. Help me trust the system You’ve helped me build more than the noise around me. Guard what I consume — jealously."
Closing Remarks
Before your trading day starts, be mindful of what you allow into your mind. If checking Twitter ruins your mindset, skip it. If cowboy Discord groups throw off your plan, consider avoiding them.
Are you preparing your mind for high-performance trading — or inviting chaos?
That wraps up today’s AM Briefing. Thank you for being a member, for listening, and for your support. I’ll see you live in 15 minutes before the market opens.
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