December 16, 2025 (-$57.50) - Respecting The Rules

Lesson/Review

December 16, 2025 (2 Trades) (-$57.50)

Overall Grade: C+

Day Summary: I had a bit of an uneasy approach to the market this morning and I knew that. I need to recognize those days and try not to trade at all, but I at least managed the damage today and respected my two loss and done rule which is the most important thing.



DAILY - ES

5 MIN - ES


Trade 1 : Long 2 MES @ (NAS) Wedge Fakeout + Right Idea, Wrong Timing + Fighting Price Action

Grade: B-

  • saw a wedge fakeout on NAS and played it on MES - can work but not ideal
  • good, low entry at a key level - tight risk
  • buying into selling price action (from 8:30 news through open) - dangerous
  • this is a playbook set up, but something I trade very frequently so it really isn't ideal
  • I do think that keeping the stop tight was the right move, but also, as you can see, had I hit the entry right, the reward is there on a trade like this
  • we were moving more than I anticpated so I did have some discomfort in this trade, another reason to keep the stop tight


Trade 2 - Long 1 MES @ No Set Up + FOMO

Grade: D+

  • trading price action alone, no set up ... at the top of PM range - not good
  • used 1 contract thankfully because I had seen how much we were moving on my first trade - good, responsible
  • widened my stop a little because it was using 1 contract, somewhat defeating the purpose, especially on a trade without a set up
  • quick stop out and I knew, even though it was only 10am, that I needed to be done
  • thankfully I respected those rules today, and in turn, respected myself
  • kept the loss small which is easily manageable on a day I knew I just didn't have it
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