Manoj, a trader from India, has been on a trading journey for the past five years. Starting with retail strategies like MACD and RSI, he faced consistent losses and numerous funded account failures. His turning point came a year ago when he met a mentor from a proprietary trading desk, who introduced him to smart money concepts. Manoj learned how institutions trade, where to place stop losses, and how to let profitable trades run, which helped him finally pass the CTI evaluation and become a portfolio manager.https://youtu.be/uHVNrruJmdM
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Program | CTI Funded Account |
| Result | PASSED ✅ |
| Win Rate | ~70% (Targeting 90%+) |
| Evaluation Profit | 7% Target Achieved |
| Risk Management | Dynamic scaling (0.5% risk during recovery phases) |
| Strategy Focus | Institutional Trading Concepts |
| Daily Commitment | 7-8 hours (Market analysis & study) |
| Scaling Goal | $4,000,000 Allocation |
| Validation | ✅ Validated by CTI Risk Team |
Key Challenges
Multiple Failed Accounts:
Manoj faced around 15 failed funded accounts before finding consistency, including a previous failure at CTI.Struggles with Retail Strategies:
For years, Manoj used retail strategies like MACD and RSI, which didn’t provide consistent results. It wasn’t until he shifted to institutional methods that he saw improvement.
Turning Point
The turning point in Manoj’s journey came when he met a mentor trading on a proprietary desk. He learned valuable insights into how institutions manipulate the market and how retail traders are often on the wrong side. This allowed him to adopt a disciplined approach based on institutional trading techniques and smart money concepts.
Strategy and Approach
Manoj’s trading approach involves intraday trading using the 1-hour and 15-minute charts. His focus is on smart money concepts, identifying liquidity traps, and understanding where institutions are placing stop losses. By keeping risk small and following a structured pre-trade and post-trade analysis, Manoj has developed a system that allows him to manage his trades effectively while avoiding overtrading.
How He Overcame His Challenges
Learning from Mentorship:
Manoj attributes much of his success to his mentor, who taught him how to trade like institutions rather than using traditional retail strategies.Discipline and Risk Management:
Through his funded account experiences, Manoj learned the importance of strict risk management. He started keeping a trading journal, doing post-trade analysis, and limiting his exposure to losses.
Current Process and Success
- Manoj spends 7 to 8 hours per day studying the markets, although he typically spends only a few hours actively trading.
- He maintains a win rate of around 70%, but is now focused on improving his patience and trade management to let winners run longer.
- After his initial drawdown during the evaluation, Manoj adapted by lowering his risk and re-evaluating his strategy, which helped him hit his profit targets.
Key Takeaways for Traders
Resilience Pays Off:
Manoj’s journey shows that persistence is key. Despite facing 15 failed accounts, he never gave up and continued to learn and refine his strategy.Discipline is Crucial:
Manoj learned to reduce risk during drawdown periods, take breaks when necessary, and always re-evaluate his strategy after losses. These steps are essential for any trader aiming for long-term success.Seek Mentorship:
One of the most significant shifts in Manoj’s trading came when he sought out mentorship from experienced traders. Surrounding yourself with those who have mastered the market can help accelerate your growth.
