Our Guide for Aspiring Traders with a 9–5 Job

This section is written for aspiring traders who are balancing trading with a full-time job. While strategies, indicators, and systems matter, long-term success in trading rests on a few core principles that come before all of that.

Before going further, it’s important to reinforce two foundational traits. Everything else builds on these. The rest is detail.

Rule #1: Discipline

Discipline is non-negotiable. Without it, success in trading is impossible.

Trading rewards consistency, patience, and emotional control. Discipline is what allows you to follow your rules, manage risk properly, avoid overtrading, and stick to your plan even when emotions are high. It is one of the key foundations upon which all successful traders are built.

Without discipline, knowledge alone will not save you.

Rule #2: Time Invested

Success is directly related to the amount of time you dedicate to developing a skill. Trading is no exception.

Progress does not come from occasional effort, but from sustained, intentional work over time. Chart study, journaling, reviewing trades, and refining execution all require consistent time investment. Whether you trade part-time or full-time, the principle remains the same: competence is earned through repetition and experience. 

When discipline and time are combined, progress becomes inevitable. This is how expertise is developed in any field.

Research into elite performance has popularised the idea that it takes approximately 10,000 hours of deliberate practice to reach world-class levels of skill. This number is not a rigid rule—it’s an average. Some reach mastery sooner, others later.

What matters most is the principle behind it: focused, structured, and deliberate practice over time.

Trading is no different. Those who respect the process, commit the time, and operate with discipline give themselves a real chance at success. 

When you who have a 9–5 Job. 

Balancing a full-time job while learning to trade is no small task — but it’s absolutely achievable. The key is structure, patience, and the right mindset. Think of it like studying for a degree: it takes vision, discipline, and consistent effort.

At TradeToProspa, we provide the tools, resources, and guidance you need to progress from student to competent trader. And here’s our promise: if you dedicate the hours, practice what we teach, and apply it step by step, you will build the skills to trade successfully. But remember — the effort has to come from you.

So, let’s begin with six practical steps to guide you on your journey.

Task 1) Set Clear Goals

Everything we recommend is intended as a guide. It is up to you to define goals that are realistic, meaningful, and aligned with your circumstances.

Effective goal-setting requires clarity across three time horizons: short-term, medium-term, and long-term.

Short-Term Goals

The short term is about building foundational knowledge. 

Your focus should be on:

○ Watching the core educational videos
○ Completing structured learning modules
○ Understanding the key concepts introduced in the following sections
○  This phase is about comprehension, not performance.

Medium-Term Goals

The medium term is where consistency is developed. At this stage, aim to:

○ Build a structured routine for learning
○ Schedule regular chart practice
○ Review and reinforce concepts through repetition

This is where skills begin to compound

Long-Term Goals

The long-term objective is sustainable profitability.

Your aim should be to:

○ Become consistently profitable
○ Master a small number of proven strategies
○ Position yourself to potentially trade full-time within 3–5 years

Long-term goals should inform your medium-term actions, acting as clear stepping stones rather than vague aspirations.

Write Your Goals Down

To solidify commitment, write your goals clearly:

○ Short-term: Complete key videos and modules
○ Medium-term: Maintain a consistent learning and charting routine
○ Long-term: Achieve consistent profitability and full-time trading capability within 3–5 years

Clear goals create structure. Structure creates progress.

Task 2. Make Time – Don’t Rely on Spare Minutes 

○ Stop doing 15 minutes here and there—it’s not enough;  
○ Schedule 1–2 hours per day, like a class at uni;
○ Use a diary or calendar and book it in like an appointment.

Task 3. Balance Learning and Practice 

○ Aim for 70% theory, 30% chart practice.
○ Don’t fall into the trap of just watching videos—trading is a skill, not just knowledge.

Task 4. Use AI Tools (like ChatGPT) 

 ○ AI tools can be useful, but only when they are approached correctly and with realistic expectations.

The real challenge is not the tool itself — it’s how you ask questions. To get any meaningful output, prompts must be framed from a trader’s perspective and supported with clear context. AI is not intuitive in the way an experienced trader is; it does not “see” market structure unless you explicitly describe it. You must feed it context, assumptions, and constraints.

AI responds strictly to what it is given. Poor inputs result in generic outputs.

At the time of writing, AI tools are not reliable for live chart analysis, execution timing, or trade planning. They struggle with real-time data, evolving market conditions, and nuanced decision-making under uncertainty — all of which are central to trading.

In my experience so far, AI does not trade. Instead, it often aggregates and repackages existing material found elsewhere. While this can be useful for explanations, summaries, or conceptual learning, it offers little edge in real decision-making. There is no genuine insight, contextual awareness, or risk sensitivity comparable to a trained trader.

Used correctly, AI can support education, idea validation, journaling, and post-trade review . Used incorrectly, it becomes a shortcut that replaces thinking — and that is dangerous in trading.

AI is a tool, not a strategy.

Task 5. Manage Your Environment 

Your environment plays a critical role in your ability to learn and perform as a trader. Skill development requires consistency, focus, and long-term commitment.

○ Seek structure and support. Plan your your routine, staying accountable, and record when question you need to ask. We at TradeToProspa can help with the guidance and feedback which can significantly reduce wasted time and prevent common mistakes.

○ Align expectations at home. Speak openly with your partner or family so they understand that trading is a long-term commitment. Framing it like a university degree can help communicate the level of time, effort, and patience required.

○ Control distractions and refine your routine. Reduce unnecessary interruptions, protect your study and chart time, and regularly review your routine to make adjustments as your skills and circumstances evolve.

A well-managed environment supports discipline. Discipline supports consistency. Consistency builds skill.

Task 6. Be Patient and Strategic 

○ Do not quit your job prematurely. Your primary income should remain stable while you are learning. Ensure your trading development does not negatively impact your work performance. Regularly review your learning progress and understanding of theory on a monthly basis to stay aligned with your development plan.
○ Understand when trading becomes appropriate. Active trading should follow a clear progression:
start with structured learning, move to paper trading, then transition to live trading with real capital only after predefined milestones are met. Each stage must be completed before advancing to the next.
○  Only consider leaving your job once consistency is proven. If full-time trading is a goal, it should only be considered after at least 12 consecutive months of consistent profitability , achieved while still working full-time. This demonstrates not only strategy viability, but emotional discipline and process reliability.

Patience protects capital. Strategy saves time. Consistency earns optionality.

Bonus: Swing Trading vs. Investing 

○ Swing trading: Short to mid-term (days to a few months), based mostly on technicals; 
○  Investing: Long-term (1–3+ years), based on fundamentals and technicals; 
○ Use technical entries for both, but for investments, understand the company/product deeply.
○  No hard stop-losses for investments, but always have an exit plan if things go south.

What follows here is a guide — not an absolute rulebook. Trading psychology, discipline, and emotional control take time to develop. Mastery does not happen quickly, and it does not happen accidentally.

The more aware you become of your own emotional triggers, decision-making patterns, and behavioural weaknesses, the fewer mistakes you will make. At the same time, trading requires the confidence to act decisively when others are fearful. That balance — emotional control combined with conviction — is developed only through experience and deliberate effort.

This is why mindset is placed here. It is foundational. 

Discipline in Trading

Fact: Approximately 95% of traders lose money, largely due to a lack of discipline — either failing to follow a strategy (trading plan), or trading without one altogether. Emotions directly influence decision-making, and unmanaged emotions lead to inconsistent execution.

Discipline is what separates consistently profitable traders from the rest.

Below are 7 core lessons or tasks designed to help you build and maintain trading discipline.

Note: if you watch our video’s, you see how we come up with a plan through our methodology.

1. Reflect on Your Emotions — Build Self-Awareness
Self-awareness is the starting point of discipline.

Take time to recognise and acknowledge what you are feeling. Whatever you feel is valid — but it must be understood.

○ Identify emotional triggers that lead to impulsive decisions, such as financial pressure, fear of missing out, or the urge to recover losses.
○ Accept these triggers without judgment. Awareness reduces their power.
○ Treat mistakes as feedback, not failure. Review what happened, understand why it occurred, and extract the lesson.

Self-awareness is not about eliminating emotion — it’s about understanding it so it no longer controls your decisions.

✔️ Maintain a trading-thought journal.
Record your mindset before, during, and after trades. Review it regularly.
Losses are inevitable. Do not punish yourself for them — learn from them.

Task 2. Embody market awareness. Eliminate confirmation bias.
Markets are dynamic. Bias must be flexible.

● Refresh your bias each day based on new data. New day = new plan;
● Stay objective and adapt to dynamic markets. Adapt or fail;
● Update your trading plans as new information becomes available;

Be aware of scheduled economic news and high-impact events:

○ Check scheduled news events daily; be aware of potential volatility.
○  Reduce your risk ahead of high impact events. 

Task 3. Establish strict trading rules; Define your non negotiable.

● Ideally you follow our trading approach. Identify key levels and then plan the entries.
Consider setting a daily loss limit. Eg. Use a daily stop of $550 per account;
● If you lose more than this, know that something has gone wrong in your approach;
● Pick a position size with appropriate risk & stick to it;
● Only increase size after 2 consecutive winning weeks;
● No plan = no trade. Avoid trading if you haven’t planned the scenario’s as you end up in ‘no man’s land’;

○ Don’t engage in revenge trading.
○ Don’t have a catchup “trying to make it back” mindset. 

Task 4. Build a Trading Plan. Be consistent.
Consistency is built through preparation.

●  Outline the market context & your key levels each morning; (refer to our library of videos)
● Write out your trading plans & keep them handy at your trading station;
● Be prepared to trade In the Zone from 8:30am – 12:30pm NY time;

✔️Execute only planned trades with good risk to reward ratio. Stick to your plan.

Do not move stop losses:  Increases risk by moving your stop loss. Once you choose an invalidation point, it must be honoured.

Task 5. Implement a shot-clock after losing trades.
Losses require pauses, not reactions.

● Step away for at least 5 minutes after a losing trade or streak;
●  Use this time to journal, reset, meditate, or disengage physically;
● If your the type that needs it, practice controlled breathing to regulate your nervous system and restore focus.;

“The mind under control is your best friend, the mind wandering about is your worst enemy.” Make it your best friend, to the point where you can rely on it. Your mind makes you strong from within. It is your wise companion. The sacrifices you make will be rewarded.”

— Wim Hof, Becoming the Iceman: Pushing Past Perceived Limits 

Task 6. Journal and review all of your trades.
Journaling accelerates growth.

● Keep a log of thoughts, emotions, execution data trade details. Refer back to these notes and highlight any salient points;
● Screen record selective trades both successful and bad & review the “game film”. This is a low cost way to capture all of your trading action;
● Conduct daily, weekly and monthly trade reviews. Be honest and patient with yourself;

✔️Keep a consistent journaling time to build the habit.

Don’t journal only winners. Losses are highly valuable lessons.

Task 7. Always be a student of the game!
Markets evolve. Traders must evolve with them.

● Be humble & strive to continuous learning;
● Seek mentor/s, someone who is willing to teach you or learn from their experience;
● Read for 30-minutes per day to keep your mind sharp;
● Keep an open mind & always be adaptable;

✔️Surround yourself with a strong trading community. Find at least 1 good trading community (we have a list of twitter accounts, youtube channels and paid subscriptions). Even though we are confident in our stuff, we should also seek others perspectives so we can always benefit from others. 

Try not to stress and don’t suffer in silence.

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What to Learn: Doji, engulfing, pin bars, inside bars, etc.
Purpose:  Candlesticks are more than just visual price bars—they reflect market sentiment and price behaviour over time. By studying how they form, you’ll learn to read momentum shifts and spot patterns that signal potential reversals, continuations, or indecision, at key levels. Candlestick patterns also help identify key support and resistance zones, making them essential for timing trade entries.
Importance:   Key tool for understanding short-term price action and market sentiment.

Click on the button below ” To Learn More”.

What to Learn: Horizontal levels, dynamic S/R (moving averages), supply and demand zones.
Purpose:  Support and resistance levels are foundational to technical trading. They mark key price zones where the market has historically reacted—either reversing or stalling. Studying these levels helps traders identify high-probability areas for entries, exits, and setting stop-losses, making them critical for planning and managing trades effectively.
Importance:   These are decision points in the market where price reacts. Understanding them improves entry and exit timing.

What to Learn: High vs. low liquidity, slippage, bid-ask spread, liquidity zones (stop hunts, order blocks), volume.
Purpose: Understanding liquidity means recognising where orders cluster—especially stop losses and pending entries. Markets often seek out these zones, leading to fakeouts, stop hunts, and sudden price spikes. Learning how liquidity works helps you avoid common traps, anticipate sharp moves, and position yourself on the right side of market intent.
Importance: Dictates how easily you can enter or exit trades. Poor liquidity leads to large spreads and slippage, increasing trading costs and risks.

What to Learn: Higher highs/lows, trendlines, trend reversals, market phases.
Purpose: Understanding trends helps you align with the market instead of against it. You’ll learn to distinguish between trending and ranging conditions, so you can apply the right strategy at the right time—whether the market is moving directionally or consolidating.
Importance: Identifying trends helps trade in the direction of momentum, increasing probability of success.

What to Learn: Range-bound behaviour, volatility compression, breakout strategies.
Purpose:  Markets often move sideways in range-bound conditions. Learning to identify consolidation zones, volatility compression, and potential breakout points is essential. This helps you with timely entries more precisely, manage risk effectively, and avoid false breakouts. Crucial for range trading and investing strategy.
Importance:  Markets spend a lot of time ranging. Understanding where you are in the cycle helps plan better entries/exits. Learning to trade or wait for breakouts is vital.

What to Learn: Market phases—accumulation, markup, distribution, markdown, Elliott waves basics.
Purpose: When one talks about price cycles in trading context, one has to involve Elliot Wave Theory, Dow Theory, Gann Theory and Wyckoff Theory, We introduce the concept of market cycles and chart structure—accumulation, expansion, distribution, and re-accumulation. This forms the basis for anticipating where price is headed next. 
Importance: Understanding where you are in the cycle helps plan better entries/exits.

What to Learn: Scalpers, day traders, swing traders, position traders.
Purpose: We break down the different trading styles (scalper, day trader, swing trader, position trader) and help you align with one that suits your lifestyle and psychology.
Importance: Helps determine what strategy, time frame, and risk profile suits your personality and lifestyle.

What to Learn: EMA vs. SMA, crossovers, dynamic support/resistance.
Purpose: Help Identify dynamic support/resistance and trend bias.Its a simple and powerful trend filter. Moving averages help smooth price action and can signal trend direction and strength. You’ll learn which averages suit which timeframes and how to combine them with other tools.
Importance: Useful for identifying trends and smoothing out price data.

To learn more about what MA we use and how, click on the blue button below.

What to Learn: Fibonacci retracement and extension levels, confluence with structure.
Purpose:  Fibonacci tools help measure potential pullbacks during corrections and identify profit-taking targets and trading entries. These levels often align with key support and resistance zones, making them valuable during price discovery and trend continuation. You’ll learn the logic behind them and how to apply them with confidence.
Importance:  Popular tool for identifying potential reversal or continuation zones.

Fibonacci Retracement is a must-have in your confluence toolset.

This series will reveal the full power of Fibonacci being applied to your analysis, study this without distraction, put it into practice, and see for yourself.

What to Learn: RSI, MACD, Wave Trend, VWAP, etc. How to use and interpret them. 
Purpose: Used to measure momentum shifts, patterns, resistance levels, and change in trendspotential reversals—without becoming overly reliant on them. We focus on practical, selective use to enhance your edge.
I mportance: Indicators can support price action or provide confluence but should not be used in isolation.

What to Learn: Indicator vs. price divergence (e.g., RSI, MACD), types (regular, hidden). 
Purpose: Price and indicators sometimes disagree—this then can signal potential reversals or continuations. Mastering this adds a layer of confluence to your analysis.
Importance: Effective signals for potential reversals or continuations, especially when confirmed by other tools.

What to Learn:  POC, value area, volume nodes, TPO charts. 
Purpose: Reading volume spikes, volume nodes, using tools like Volume Profile and Market Profile to detect strong participation zones. Understand where market participants are most active. Deepens your context on support/resistance and value areas.
Importance: Reveals where the market has spent the most time or volume, useful for finding high-probability levels.

What to Learn: 

● The structure of Impulse Waves (5-wave moves) and Corrective Waves (3-wave moves)
●  How to identify wave counts and market phases 
● Core wave rules and guidelines (Wave 3 not the shortest, Wave 4 overlap rules, etc.)
● Common corrective patterns: zigzags, flats, triangles
● Using Fibonacci relationships to project targets and retracements

Purpose

● To understand how markets move in repeating cycles of expansion and correction
●  To recognise whether price is in a trend phase or a corrective phase
●  To improve timing by identifying where you are in the larger market structure
● To anticipate potential reversal zones and continuation points

Importance

● Provides a framework for forecasting long-term market direction
● Helps interpret market movement through crowd psychology and sentiment cycles
● Allows traders to structure trades with clearer risk-to-reward planning
● Enhances confidence in trade bias by aligning setups with the dominant wave phase
●  Works extremely well when combined with Fibonacci, trendlines, and breakout structures for high-probability confluence

What to Learn: Learn harmonic patterns like Gartley, Bat, Crab, Butterfly, Shark patterns, along with Elliott wave patterns and liquidity trap patterns.  
Importance: Advanced pattern recognition tool for high-precision reversal zones.

Soon to be release here

 18. Order Flow and DOM (Depth of Market) 

What to Learn: Reading order book data, Open Interest, Footprint charts.
Importance: Offers insight into real-time buying/selling pressure.

19. Gathering Statistics – Advanced 

Our spreadsheet template which you can be downloaded (below button), includes a range of key trade-tracking categories. Which ones you choose to use depends on your current experience, the strategies you apply, and how you execute them. The goal is to help you start identifying what suits your style and supports your growth. As you develop as a trader, you can adapt and expand your tracking to match your evolving needs.

What to Learn: Margin, liquidation, isolated vs. cross leverage, risk implications. 
Purpose:  Allows traders to control a larger position size with a smaller amount of capital by borrowing funds from a broker or exchange . The primary purpose is to amplify potential profits from small price movements.To increase exposure to the market using borrowed capital , allowing traders to magnify both gains and losses with a smaller upfront investment.
Importance: Amplifies both gains and losses. Misusing leverage is one of the top reasons traders lose money.

What to Learn: Simulated trading, testing strategies on historical data on TradingView. 
Purpose: You can simulate a trading account to familiarise yourself with different orders, price charts, tools, strategies and indicators and explore all the features within your favourite platform.
Importance: Allows safe learning and strategy development without risking real money.

Brief Introduction 

Types of Exchanges

Cryptocurrency exchanges vary widely in their structure, features, and target users. Some are designed to cater to active traders with advanced tools and leverage options, while others prioritise simplicity for those looking to buy or sell crypto quickly and easily.

One of the most important distinctions between exchanges is whether they are centralised or  decentralised—a difference that significantly impacts how they operate and how users interact with them.

Centralised Exchanges (CEX’s)

Centralised exchanges are platforms operated by private companies that facilitate trading through an internal order book and matching engine. These platforms act as intermediaries between buyers and sellers, and they typically generate revenue through trading fees.

In centralised exchanges:

● The platform controls users’ funds, meaning your assets are held in wallets managed by the exchange;
●  Users are required to complete Know Your Customer (KYC) and Anti-Money Laundering (AML)  procedures, making transactions non-anonymous;
● Transactions are processed and recorded off-chain, relying on the exchange’s internal systems and governance.

Advantages of Centralised Exchanges

● High liquidity due to large user bases and institutional participation;
● User-friendly interfaces  and features like margin trading, staking, and fiat on-ramps;
● Fast trade execution and customer support.

Disadvantages

● Custodial risk – users are trusting a third party with their funds;
● Security vulnerabilities  – centralised platforms are often targets for hackers;
● Regulatory exposure – subject to government oversight and compliance issues.

Popular Centralised Exchanges: Binance, Bybit, Coinbase, Gate.io

Here are examples of Centralised Exchanges:

Decentralised Exchanges (DEXs) 

Decentralised exchanges operate without intermediaries, using smart contracts and blockchain technology to facilitate peer-to-peer trading. Users retain full control over their private keys and assets at all times.

In decentralised exchanges:

● Funds remain in the user’s non-custodial wallet (e.g., MetaMask, Phantom, Solflare, WalletConnect, Coinbase Wallet);
●  No KYC is required, making transactions pseudonymous or anonymous;
● Trades are executed  on-chain, directly from one wallet to another.

Advantages of Decentralised Exchanges:

● Enhanced privacy and financial sovereignty;
● Lower risk of exchange hacks  (since user funds aren’t held in a central location);
● No centralised authority, reducing the risk of censorship or manipulation.

Disadvantages:

● Lower liquidity, especially in niche markets;
● Slower trade execution  and potential for slippage on larger orders;
● Less intuitive user interfaces, often not ideal for beginners.

Examples of Decentralised Exchanges: Jupiter, Uniswap, PancakeSwap, Raydium

Perpetual (Leverage) DEXs: dYdX, GMX, Vertex, Level Finance, Hyperliquid

Decentralised SWAP exchanges, meaning you can swap 1 token for another:

Token NETWORK summary: 

Many decentralised exchanges today cater for many network (layer 1) tokens such as ethereum, bnb chain, optimism, solana, etc. The wallets usually cater for specific networks which are suited for specific swap decentralised exchanges. Perp decentralised exchanges are much more limited and restricted to a few networks. For example, Jupiter per exchange, only deals with the Solana network at the time of writing this up.

To purchase cryptocurrency through an exchange, you first need to register and then fund your account, which is also referred to as a wallet. You can fund your wallet with another cryptocurrency or a fiat currency. For the latter, you can use a debit/credit card or wire transfer, depending on the exchange.

You then open a “buy” order, which essentially means that you’re asking to buy a cryptocurrency. All sell and buy orders are registered in the order book, which lists how much of a cryptocurrency traders want to buy and sell in total, along with the prices they’re asking or looking for.

So, if there’s a seller who is offering the cryptocurrency at the price you want, then you will be able to make the purchase. Of course, if you set an unrealistic price, your buy request will not be filled.

Depending on your location, centralised exchanges could restrict your leverage options which can rule out futures and margin trading, leaving only spot trades.

Final Thoughts

If I were to share my personal preferences based on current usage, this is how I approach trading across different exchanges.

For decentralised leverage trading, I primarily use Jupiter through my Phantom wallet. It has proven to be a strong platform for trading major assets such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana, with solid liquidity and a smooth user experience.

When using my MetaMask wallet, I tend to rotate between platforms such as  gTrade,  dYdX, and  GMX, and I am currently exploring Hyperliquid. Each of these platforms has its own strengths, particularly when it comes to perpetual trading, execution quality, and available markets.

On the centralised side, Bybit is one exchange I consistently recommend. Its growth, platform stability, and range of services make it a reliable option for many traders, especially those who value access to derivatives, liquidity, and responsive infrastructure during high-volatility periods.

By contrast, my experience with Binance has been less consistent. During major market events, access issues and platform interruptions have raised concerns. From my perspective, these disruptions often occur at critical moments, and I have personally concluded that such conditions can contribute to widespread liquidations by limiting trader access when it matters most.

As always, these observations are based on personal experience, and traders should form their own conclusions by testing platforms, managing risk carefully, and never relying solely on a single exchange.For further information on the exchanges, it’s best you do your research on what suits your objectives.

Go to  CoinGecko and you can explore the CEX, DEX either spot or perpetuals or futures filter and look at teh 24h volume to ascertain which exchange has good volume=liquidity. At the time we posted this, Hyperliquid, Lighter, Aster, dydx chain, 

Eg. ASTER supports BNB chain, Ethereum, Arbitrum and Solana Network. So MetaMask and Phantom wallets are supported.

For further information on the exchanges, it’s best you do your research on what suits your objectives.

The Most Common Traders Mistakes (And How to Avoid Them)  

Trading is often portrayed as the art of finding the “perfect setup,” but in reality, long-term success has far more to do with avoiding the costly mistakes that drain accounts. If you can simply stop the bleeding — the unnecessary losses caused by poor habits and emotional decisions — you’re already halfway to becoming a consistently profitable trader.

Video Content:

◾ No Plan, No Trade
◾ Overtrading
◾ Letting Emotions Control You
◾ Poor Risk Management
◾ Over-Leveraging
◾ Failing to Manage Losses
◾ Failing to Learn and Adapt
◾ Ignoring Mental Health
◾ Procrastination
◾ Key Takeaways

The effectiveness of technical analysis (TA) is a topic of ongoing debate in the trading community. Critics argue that historical data has limited predictive value, particularly in fast-evolving markets like crypto. Yet, paradoxically, many traders continue to rely on past price action to anticipate and plan for future market moves.

Drawing from our extensive experience in the cryptocurrency space, we’ve found that historical data offers varying levels of utility depending on the context. While price patterns rarely repeat themselves exactly—especially within a single asset like Bitcoin—recurring formations and behavioral tendencies do emerge. These patterns, while imperfect, can offer valuable guidance when interpreted within the broader market environment.

However, successful application of historical insights requires more than pattern recognition. Context is crucial.

This includes understanding the position of price within its broader cycle (e.g., through Elliott Wave theory), gauging market sentiment, and identifying key areas of liquidity. Sole reliance on chart indicators without considering these elements often leads to incomplete or misleading conclusions.

Crucially, macroeconomic indicators play an increasingly important role in shaping crypto market dynamics. For instance, the M2 money supply—a broad measure of liquidity in the economy—has shown a meaningful correlation with Bitcoin’s long-term trajectory. Historically, periods of aggressive monetary expansion (such as during the COVID-19 crisis) have aligned with significant uptrends in Bitcoin and other risk assets.

Similarly, Bitcoin’s correlation with traditional markets like equities and gold tends to fluctuate but becomes pronounced during periods of high liquidity or macroeconomic uncertainty. When liquidity flows freely, we often observe synchronized upward trends across these asset classes. Conversely, during liquidity crunches or tightening monetary policy, risk assets—including Bitcoin—tend to retrace or consolidate.

These macro signals also help explain the timing of altcoin seasons. Historically, alt seasons have not occurred randomly but have typically coincided with periods of heightened liquidity, often following large-scale economic stimulus measures such as U.S. government stimulus packages and quantitative easing (QE). These injections of capital increase risk appetite and drive speculative behavior, funneling money first into Bitcoin and eventually into smaller, high-beta altcoins.

In light of these factors, we advocate for a more integrated and nuanced approach to trading. Rather than treating historical data in isolation, traders should combine technical analysis with an awareness of macroeconomic trends, market psychology, and structural liquidity. Recognizing where we are in the broader liquidity cycle can help identify not only opportunities in Bitcoin but also the potential emergence of an altcoin cycle.

As part of our trading school curriculum, we incorporate this holistic perspective. Through in-depth chart analysis and macroeconomic alignment, we teach students not just what is happening on the charts, but why. Our emphasis is clear: strategies are only as effective as the context in which they’re applied.

If you don’t know the term, here is an industry terminology and definitions section

This section is all about topics that broaden your mind on what is actually out there and reality. Being a trader means you need to know what really is taking place so you can make better decisions.  

For example, what is money, how is it created and who and how they control it.

Soon to be release here.