Today was a great example of why I always build my plan before the market opens and then let the market prove whether that plan is valid. I marked my support and resistance levels ahead of time, and that gave me a clear framework for both SPY and QQQ. My main focus today was finding the cleanest opportunity, not forcing every setup to work.
The long on QQQ was the best trade of the day. QQQ had more room to catch up than SPY, and that gave it the stronger upside potential if the market stayed firm. Once QQQ washed into my planned area and started to follow through, I was able to get in, pay myself early, and then hold the rest for more continuation. That trade ended up delivering about a 280% move and locked in a very strong day.
I also took a SPY short that didn’t work. That was fine. The market squeezed back up, and I respected my risk by stopping out. That is part of trading professionally. A loss is only a problem if you let it get out of control. In this case, the short was no longer the right trade once price changed behavior, so I moved on.
Later, I got another SPY short opportunity, but this time the setup was better because I had confirmation from QQQ and a key level on SPY to work against. That is what I mean when I talk about a pressure trade. When the charts, the levels, and the broader context all line up, I can step in with more size because the odds are better. I am not trying to be right on every trade. I am trying to execute the best trade available.
The main lesson from today is simple: trade the setup that gives you the best odds, and size up only when the market confirms your idea. That is how I approach trading as a coach, and that is what I want my students to learn. If you can combine preparation, patience, and disciplined risk management, you give yourself a real chance to trade like a professional.