Trading Viewer Q & A
Today, I flipped the script and answered your most common trading questions that came to me from all sorts of platforms you can catch Market Mamas on. The topics ranged from strategy and schedules to mindset and profitability. Here are the key takeaways:
How long have you been trading, and are you profitable?
I’ve been trading futures for 5 years, and I’ve been consistently profitable for the past 2.5 years. Growth hasn’t been linear. There have been red days and months. But overall, the trajectory has steadily improved and growing!
Do you trade live or teach?
A bit of both! But not all in one place...
I still work part-time as a nurse, run the Market Mamas podcast, and coach inside the BluSky Trading Company prop firm (blusky.pro) where I:
Trade live occasionally
Host weekly live trader psychology educational labs
Help traders navigate real-time market conditions
How many hours a day should I trade?
This is debatable depending on which trader you ask. But, for me, less is often more.
With my trading, the sweet spot is under 2 hours per day. Overtrading leads to:
Forcing setups
Lower-quality decisions
Giving back profits
Focus on your highest-probability window, then step away and do other activities that bring you joy and/or productivity.
What’s the best time to trade?
It depends on your life and your system.
I trade the New York open (first 2 hours) because:
That’s where I’ve built my edge
It fits my schedule
It aligns with how I was trained
👉 The key: Match your trading time to your lifestyle AND your strategy.
My strategy stopped working… what’s wrong?
Ask yourself:
Is it the market?
Conditions change (volatility, news, geopolitics)Or is it me?
Revenge trading
Lack of focus
Emotional decisions
Sometimes it’s not your strategy, it’s your execution. And for that, definitely look into my episode library, as we likely have a Market Mamas episode focused on your variety of trading psychology hurdles and it might be super helpful!
Should I trade multiple markets?
Start with one market and master it.
Each market has its own: personality, volatility, and behavior. Once you’re consistent, then expand. And when you do, size down while learning. Become a master of one before you broaden your scope. Thank me later.
“Consistency comes from executing your system, not chasing trades. The moment you start trading on emotion, your results start slipping.”
~ Becky Gaskell, Market Mamas
How do I control emotions while trading?
You need stop mechanisms:
Soft stops: walk away, breathe, reset
Hard stops: daily loss limits, auto lockouts
If emotions take over, step away. Protect your capital and your mindset. This is a long game approach and it is required to make it in this business.
How do I stay consistent?
Consistency comes from process, not prediction.
Trade only your A+ setups - honor your criteria religiously
Follow defined rules - honor this commitment to yourself
Avoid “just this once” trades - so dangerous to allow to become a habit
👉 If it’s not in your system, it’s not your trade. Mantra that!
How much can I realistically make?
Start smaller than you think.
Instead of chasing big wins:
Aim for $200–$300/day
Build consistency first
Scale gradually
Small, steady gains are what lead to long-term, scalable income.
Do traders actually make consistent income?
Yes. But not right away.
Consistency takes time (often years)
Most traders are not consistently profitable early on
It’s achievable, but not immediate
👉 This is a long game. Stay in it.
What’s your trading strategy?
My approach combines: volume profile, VWAP with the 1 & 2 standard deviation bands, market structure & context, and supply & demand zones. I know, a lot!
But the real edge? Screen time and experience. Strategy evolves over time and there are many profitable edges.
How do you deal with losses?
Losses are part of the game.
What helps:
Accepting risk as the cost of trading
Talking it out (don’t isolate)
Physically stepping away (walk, workout, reset)
👉 The goal isn’t avoiding losses. It’s containing them.
Final Thoughts
Trading success isn’t just about strategy so much. Moreso, it’s about discipline, emotional control, and consistency over time.
Your journey will be unique. Stay focused, stay patient, and keep improving.
To those who show up for these conversations with me, the mental effort and time dedication, you are my people and I would love to get to know you better! Please take a moment to shoot me a comment on https://www.market-mamas.com/contact! Catch you next time! Keep learning, keep growing, and keep trusting yourself. We got this!