"I’ve Been Trading for Years and I’m Still Not Earning?" — Here’s Why
Let’s cut straight through the noise.
If you’ve been trading for months or even years and you’re still not profitable, there are a few brutally honest reasons why.
I’ve been there.
Most traders have.
Some never leave that place.
This article is not to shame you. It’s to make you aware. Because awareness is the first step before change—and change is the only way you’re going to get to profitability.
You think it’s about strategy. It’s not. Not at first.
It’s about data. Discipline. And a system.
Here’s what that actually means.
1. You’re Not Tracking Your Trades (Or You’re Doing It Wrong)
If you don’t know what your average win is… If you don’t know what your average loss is… If you don’t know your strike rate…
You’re not trading.
You’re gambling with a spreadsheet open.
Here are the bare minimum metrics you should know:
Expectancy = (Win% × Avg Win) - (Loss% × Avg Loss)
If this number is negative, your system is mathematically trash. It doesn’t matter if it feels good.
It doesn’t matter if it sometimes works. Over time, you will lose money.
2. You’re Overtrading or Trading Randomly
Let’s be honest. Are you really following a system?
Or are you chasing setups out of boredom, fear of missing out, or because “the market looks juicy today”?
Trading without rules is how most people stay stuck in mediocrity. Or worse, blow their accounts.
You need a defined playbook.
Ask yourself:
If the answer is “sometimes” or “depends,” then your results will reflect that. And they probably already do.
3. You Don’t Have Enough Data (And You’re Quitting Too Soon)
Some of you are calling your strategy a failure after 10 trades.
Ten.
That’s not even a rough sketch, let alone a data set.
You need at least 50–100 trades before you can even begin to assess whether a strategy works. Even then, your edge might only reveal itself over time.
Trading is not about “what worked this week.”
It’s about what works over the long term—measured in months and years, not days.
4. You Don’t Respect the Math
Let’s do some quick math.
Say your strategy has:
You’ll win 4 trades out of 10. Lose 6.
Your profit over 10 trades:
You’re profitable.
But here’s what most people do:
They see 6 losses in 10 trades and freak out.
They change strategies.
They chase new setups.
They over-leverage to “make back” losses.
And just like that—they blow the edge.
If you can’t trust the math, you can’t trade.
5. You Have No Risk Management
You’re risking 5% of your account on a single trade, praying for a home run?
That’s not trading. That’s ego mixed with desperation.
Risking 1% or less per trade may feel “slow,” but it’s the only thing keeping your account alive long enough for your edge to play out.
The goal is not to win fast.
The goal is to stay in the game.
6. You Don’t Have Leverage Over Yourself Yet
Here’s what no one tells you:
Trading is 90% self-control. And most people suck at that.
You’re not failing because the market is unfair.
You’re failing because you’re undisciplined.
Fix that, and everything changes.
Final Thoughts: Your System Needs to Be a Machine
Trading is a business.
And businesses run on systems, not emotion.
✅ You need rules. ✅ You need data. ✅ You need patience. ✅ You need emotional control.
And if you don’t have those yet?
You’re not failing.
You’re just not ready—yet.
I’m Sharing Everything I’m Learning – In Real Time
If you’re in the grind like I am—refining your system, building your edge, reviewing your data—I’m documenting the whole journey on my YouTube channel.
Come learn. Or come sharpen your game.
Either way, don’t stay stuck.
Stop hoping. Start tracking. Treat trading like a business—because it is.
Until next time,