Kevin, originally from the Netherlands, shares how his journey in trading began in 2012, starting with small accounts and unrealistic expectations. After several years of ups and downs, he decided to get serious about trading in April of last year. With the help of Judo, which he practices regularly, Kevin found the discipline needed to focus on his trading and successfully passed the CTI evaluation on his first attempt.https://youtu.be/xd6ebkXetVE
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Program | CTI Evaluation |
| Result | PASSED ✅ |
| Win Rate | 56% |
| Risk Control | Largest win $90 vs. Largest loss $22 |
| Drawdown Control | Maintained below 4% |
| Strategy | Price Action (Support & Resistance) |
| Trade Management | Defensive Scaling (50% TP at 1 ATR & Break-even) |
| Performance Edge | Martial Arts Discipline (Judo-inspired routine) |
| Experience | Active since 2012 |
| Validation | ✅ Validated by CTI Risk Team |
Key Challenges
Unrealistic Expectations Early On:
Kevin initially started with small accounts, expecting to make big profits, which led to frustration and demotivation.Adjusting Strategy to Pass Evaluation:
During the evaluation, Kevin realized he needed to shift away from an indicator-based strategy. His drawdown was approaching the limit, so he adjusted his trading approach to focus on support and resistance levels and candlestick formations.
Turning Point
The turning point in Kevin’s evaluation journey came when he shifted his trading strategy to focus on risk management. By using the ATR (Average True Range) to set profit targets and a 1.5 ATR as a fixed stop loss, Kevin was able to manage his losses effectively. He also moved his stop to breakeven after reaching 1 ATR and took half of his position off, letting the rest of the trade run.
Strategy and Approach
Kevin’s new approach focused on key principles:
- Support & Resistance Levels: He identifies key levels on the chart for entry and exit points.
- ATR-Based Risk Management: Kevin uses the ATR to set a fixed stop loss at 1.5 ATR and a profit target based on 1 ATR.
- Candlestick Formations: He looks for specific formations to confirm entries.
- Managing Trades: Once 1 ATR is reached, Kevin moves the stop to breakeven, takes half of the position off, and lets the rest run, maximizing his profit potential without increasing risk.
How He Overcame His Challenges
Mindset & Discipline from Judo:
Kevin credits much of his trading discipline to his practice of Judo, where showing up and pushing yourself physically and mentally every day translates directly to maintaining discipline in trading.Risk Management as Key Focus:
Realizing that managing risk is the key to long-term success, Kevin’s focus shifted from simply finding winning trades to managing his drawdown and ensuring his losses were small while letting his winners run.
Current Process and Success
- Win Rate: Kevin maintains a high win rate of 56%, well above the industry average.
- Risk/Reward Balance: His largest win was 90, while his largest loss was only 22, demonstrating a solid risk/reward ratio.
- Psychological Resilience: Even when facing drawdowns during the evaluation, Kevin stuck to his process, focusing on capital preservation and executing his strategy consistently.
Key Takeaways for Traders
Risk Management is Key:
Kevin’s focus on risk management helped him avoid significant losses and achieve consistent gains.Discipline and Consistency Matter:
Whether in Judo or trading, success is achieved by showing up every day, following your rules, and sticking to your plan.Adapt When Needed:
Kevin’s ability to adapt his trading strategy during the evaluation from an indicator-based approach to a price-action-based one shows the importance of being flexible and open to change.
