ICT For Beginners - How to get started in ICT Day Trading
Getting started with ICT can be challenging but here is how you can learn from the start!
  • First - Gear Up!
    Before diving into the world of ICT day trading, let's gather some essential tools for your trading journey.
    • Powerful Platform: Ditch the phone screen! Invest in a computer or laptop with a decent-sized monitor for a clear view of the market.
    • Charting Companion: Explore TradingView (link: https://www.tradingview.com/). It's a fantastic platform for charting and learning, even offering a free simulator to practice your skills before jumping into real trades. We'll delve deeper into this powerful tool later.
    • Noteworthy Buddy: Grab a notepad (physical or digital) because serious learning requires serious note-taking. Be prepared to jot down a crazy amount of information!
  • Master the Basics:
    Building a strong foundation is crucial. Before exploring advanced courses, understand the fundamentals of day trading. The lifeblood of day traders are candlestick charts. Here's a great resource to get you started: https://www.investopedia.com/trading/candlestick-charting-what-is-it/

    Also, you can learn about Forex here:
    https://babypips.com/
  • Dive into ICT: A Comprehensive Guide
    Your Starting Point: The 2016 Mentorship
    Bookmark this golden nugget: 2016 mentorship
    If you're new to ICT, this course is your gateway to understanding the core concepts. It delves into essential topics like order block theory, fair value gaps, and liquidity. While the lessons may be lengthy, power through them. Every detail matters. Remember, the principles you learn here are applicable to Futures, Forex, and even Crypto.
  • The ICT Learning Curve
    Be prepared for a 6-month to 1-year commitment. ICT's unique terminology and complex lessons can be overwhelming. Stay persistent and find a supportive ICT community to help you navigate the journey.

    Mastering a Single Strategy
    Once you've grasped the basics, focus on mastering one ICT strategy.

    Here are a few popular options:
    • Silver Bullet
    • 2022 Model
    • OTE
    • iFVG
    Choose ONE, and dedicate your time to understanding its nuances.
    By following these steps and staying committed to your learning, you can unlock the power of ICT and enhance your trading skills.
  • Paper Trading
    TradingView paper trading allows you to simulate real-world trading with a virtual account. This is a great way to practice your trading strategies and get a feel for the markets before risking real money. Here are some key points about paper trading on TradingView:
    • You can choose a starting balance for your virtual account, such as $5,000 or $10,000.
    • Paper trading tracks your orders and calculates your profit or loss (PnL) just like real trading.
    This allows you to gauge your performance and identify areas for improvement.
  • Free Indicators
    TradingView offers a wide variety of technical indicators that you can add to your charts. While some indicators require a paid subscription, there are also many free indicators available. Here are some popular free indicators on TradingView:
    • Super OrderBlock / FVG / BoS Tools by makuchaku & eFe (These indicators help identify order blocks, fair value gaps, and breakout zones)
    • NWOG/NDOG by cryptonnnite (These indicators are used to identify potential trend reversals)
    • Breaker Blocks with Signals by LuxAlgo (This indicator helps identify breakout zones)
    • Macros by reastruth (This indicator can be used to automate some trading tasks)
  • Additional Tips
    When using paper trading, it's important to treat it as if it were real money. This will help you develop good trading habits and discipline.
    • Don't chase losses. If a trade is going against you, it's important to cut your losses and move on.
    • Be patient. It takes time and practice to become a successful trader.
    By using paper trading and free indicators on TradingView, you can gain valuable experience and develop your trading skills before risking real money.

    Prepare yourself for a long journey

    Remember, you’re only practicing one entry model until you get good at it!
    Don’t start this journey looking for instant success. You will be learning a skill that takes practice, discipline, determination and a never quit attitude.
    You will see other traders talking about winning trades - use that as motivation to get good at it and keep practicing. Don’t get discouraged if you’re not getting it right away!
    Also, when in a group, there are people who have been doing this longer and have put the screen time in to get where they are at you should never compare yourself to those traders with more experience.
    A realistic expectation is to spend a few months learning and several months practicing in a simulator. Give yourself a realistic expectation of at least a year before you start seeing results.
    Challenge yourself by taking a $5,000.00 simulated account and seeing if you can double that account without taking ridiculous amounts of risk. If you blow up that account, that’s ok! It’s better to repetitively lose simulated money than take the harsh reality of losing money you worked so hard for.
Improve your trading edge!
Be part of the fastest-growing private ICT trading community on Discord! The path to financial freedom starts with YOU and we're here to help pave the way!
Platinum Trading SMC traders and constituents are not registered investment advisors and are not licensed as such by any federal or state regulatory entity. All financial opinions offered by Platinum Trading SMC members are solely for informational and educational purposes only.