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How I Found My Trading Style After Trying Everything

When I first started trading crypto, I was on a mission: to find the “perfect strategy.” I tried everything — scalping, swing trading, momentum plays, trend following, and even copy-trading. Every week, it felt like I was starting over. One day I’d be up 5%, the next day down 10%, and my emotions were constantly swinging between excitement and frustration.

I thought the secret to success was chasing other people’s strategies or the next big trend. Spoiler: it wasn’t. Finding my trading style was about understanding myself, not the market. Here’s the story of how I finally discovered a style that works for me.

The Early Days: Jumping From Strategy to Strategy

In the beginning, my approach was chaotic. I’d see a strategy that someone online was bragging about, and I’d rush to replicate it.

• Scalping BTC on 5-minute charts left me exhausted and anxious. Every tick of the price caused stress.
• Swing trading ETH sounded more stable, but I often second-guessed myself and held losing trades too long.
• Chasing hype altcoins was fun at first, but it drained my account faster than anything else.

No matter what I tried, nothing felt natural. I realized I wasn’t trading a strategy — I was trading other people’s expectations.

The Wake-Up Call: Self-Reflection

After months of inconsistent results, I had a critical realization: I needed to focus on myself, not the market or others. I asked questions like:

• Do I enjoy fast-paced trading, or do I prefer slower, more calculated moves?
• Am I patient enough to wait for perfect setups?
• What level of risk can I tolerate without panic or overtrading?

I also started journaling every trade, noting:

• My entry and exit decisions
• My emotions at the time
• What went right and what went wrong

This self-reflection revealed patterns about my strengths and weaknesses and started pointing me toward a style that fit my personality.

Systematic Experimentation

Instead of randomly hopping between strategies, I created a plan to test each style systematically:

1. Dedicate a week to one strategy.
2. Track results and emotions daily.
3. Use demo accounts first to minimize emotional bias.
4. Focus on risk management above profits.

Through this methodical approach, I discovered what worked best for me:

• Trend-following with clear technical confirmation suited my patience and analytical skills.
• Medium-term trades (1–3 days) were less stressful than scalping or holding positions for weeks.
• Structured setups, like support/resistance levels and RSI/MACD divergences, gave me confidence to enter trades.

The Moment It Clicked

I remember a BTC trade vividly.

• I noticed price bouncing off a strong support zone.
• RSI showed oversold conditions.
• I waited for a bullish engulfing candle on the 4-hour chart for confirmation.

I entered with a 2:1 risk-reward ratio. Unlike my earlier chaotic trades, I felt calm, confident, and in control. It wasn’t about catching a “perfect” move — it was about following a process that fit me. That was the moment I realized I had found my trading style.

Lessons I Learned From Trying Everything

Looking back, here’s what I learned:

1. Your style should fit your personality. Don’t copy others blindly.
2. Patience is critical. Rushing from strategy to strategy wastes time and capital.
3. Journaling is invaluable. Track trades and emotions to understand what works.
4. Risk management is non-negotiable. Even the best style fails without it.
5. Comfort beats hype. Choose strategies that feel natural and sustainable.

How I Trade Today

Now, my trading is completely different:

• I focus on trend-following with clear setups.
• I trade on daily and 4-hour charts, avoiding constant screen-watching.
• I stick to predefined risk-reward ratios and position sizing.
• I review my trades weekly to focus on personal growth, not comparison with others.

It’s not flashy, but it’s consistent, profitable, and sustainable. Most importantly, it feels natural to me.

Final Thoughts

Finding your trading style isn’t about shortcuts or copying someone else’s “winning strategy.” It’s a process of trial, error, self-reflection, and patience. The market will always be unpredictable, but aligning your strategy with your personality is the edge that lasts.

Don’t chase what others are doing. Discover what works for you, and your trading journey will become far more profitable — and far less stressful.

How I Found My Trading Style After Trying Everything was originally published in Coinmonks on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.