How I Became a Funded Trader
95% fail these challenges. Here’s how I passed one without stress.
I just became a Funded Trader after passing a two-step challenge in about 15 days. I never entered drawdown for more than a day or two, and my max loss was just 1.5%.
This post is for anyone trying to get funded. I want to share exactly how I did it, without hype or exaggeration.
This isn’t about selling you a system or convincing you to follow my indicator. It’s about what actually works: having a strategy, sticking to it, and mastering your emotions.
If you want the full breakdown of my trading strategy, check my older posts.
There you'll find:
My entry and exit rules
My bias framework
A free custom TradingView indicator I coded myself: Black Tie Report Framework.
Let’s get into it.
The Challenge Isn’t the Hard Part
Let’s start with the truth: the challenge isn’t difficult.
The hardest part was treating it like a side business, not the centre of my life.
What do I mean?
I see traders stressing about the rules, blaming the drawdown limits, complaining that it's impossible. In my experience, none of that is true.
A typical challenge had two phases:
Phase 1: target +8%
Phase 2: target +5%
Max drawdown: around 5%
That’s manageable. Extremely manageable, actually.
In my case, my total drawdown was around 1.5%. I passed both stages with breathing room, and here’s why:
I used proper risk management.
I risked 1% per trade
If I lost 3 trades in a row, I stopped trading for the day
That’s it. Simple rules, hard limits. And it worked.
My Exact Process
Here’s how I did it step by step:
1. I traded only 3 assets:
Gold (XAUUSD)
Bitcoin (BTCUSD)
USDJPY
That’s it. No distractions, no endless chart hopping.
2. I used the 15-minute chart as my base:
This timeframe gives me the clearest market structure. It’s where I make all my confirmations.
3. I always traded in the direction of my bias:
Bias is determined by the Black Tie Report Framework indicator (free on TradingView).
If it said bullish, I only took longs
If bearish, I only took shorts. No exceptions.
4. My daily process:
Start with the daily chart: I analyse the last two candles (yesterday’s and today’s), but I already automated all this with my indicator
Then move to the 15-minute chart for structure and confirmation
What’s a Confirmation?
I’ve talked about this before, but let me simplify it:
A confirmation is a strong impulsive move in the direction of the bias, on the 15-minute chart, with above-average volume.
But I don’t enter randomly. I wait for price to interact with one of these 5 key levels:
Yesterday’s high
Yesterday’s low
Yesterday’s close
London Open
New York Open
So if I’m bullish and price just swept yesterday’s low and printed a strong bullish candle with high volume, I enter long.
If I’m bearish and we just hit London Open followed by a heavy bearish candle, I go short.
It’s boring. It’s repetitive. But it works. And that’s the point.
I Don’t Stare at Charts All Day
This is critical.
Once you have a working strategy, success is no longer about your system. It’s about emotional control. And that starts with not staring at charts all day.
I trade at very specific moments, under specific conditions. The rest of the time, I live my life:
I run my company
I spend time with my wife
I go outside, I workout, I disconnect
If my conditions are met during key market times, I take the trade. If not, I don’t.
That’s how I stay sane. That’s how I stay profitable.
Watching the 1-minute chart all day is not trading. It’s slavery.
You’re not analysing. You’re chasing.
And even if you make money that way, you’re paying with your life.
How I Stay Efficient
Alerts.
My indicator lets you set alerts on all key levels:
Yesterday’s high/low/close
London and New York Opens
Fibs and custom levels
Set them once, walk away. You don’t need to check the chart 300 times a day.
If you don’t use alerts (which would be dumb), then at least schedule the London and NY opens and only trade during those windows.
That’s enough. You don’t need to babysit the chart.
Treat Trading Like a Side Business
Let me repeat this because it’s key:
I treat trading like a side business. Not my passion. Not my identity. A side business.
I show up like a surgeon
I execute a plan
I walk away
Most people fail because they’re obsessed.
They want to “prove” they’re traders.
They chase trades all day.
They think screen time equals success.
It doesn’t. Screen time equals slavery. No exceptions. Life is not there. It’s outside.
Why Most Traders Fail
It’s not strategy, as there are a thousand profitable strategies. It’s emotions.
Most traders fail because:
They don’t have a proven system
They can’t follow rules
They have poor emotional control
And the truth is:
If you don’t have control in your personal life, don’t even try trading.
This is a game of discipline. Of self-regulation.
You’re your own worst enemy.
That’s why only around 5% of traders are profitable.
And why automated systems often outperform humans: they don’t feel fear, FOMO, anger or doubt.
Most traders:
Overtrade
Trade out of boredom
Force entries
Revenge trade
Panic at losses
It’s not a strategy issue. It’s a mindset issue.
Fall in Love With Discipline
I don’t care if you follow me or someone else.
I don’t want you to fall in love with my system. I want you to fall in love with discipline.
Because discipline is what holds you together when:
You’re in a drawdown
You miss a move
You doubt your edge
You want to “just try something new”
Discipline is what keeps your account alive.
It’s what makes this sustainable.
Forget the hype. Forget the influencer trader of the week.
Stick to your plan. Stick to your risk. Stick to your process.
That’s what wins long term.
What Do Winning Traders Have in Common?
Look at the history of consistently profitable traders: Paul Tudor Jones, Mark Douglas, Ed Seykota, etc.
They have one thing in common:
Control.
Control over their impulses
Control over their decisions
Control over their system
Control over their time
Most are calm, structured, routine-driven individuals.
Trading success follows order, not chaos.
Can you be an emotional mess and still win? Maybe. But it’s rare.
The data shows us the outliers are disciplined, methodical, and boring. That’s who survives.
Is It Worth Trying?
Absolutely.
Depending on the firm, fewer than 10% of traders pass two-step challenges. In some cases, it’s less than 5%.
So yes, getting funded is a big deal.
Once you’re funded, you’re trading with real capital, without risking your own money. You’re one step closer to professionalising your trading.
But don’t romanticise it.
You won’t make it by chance.
You won’t make it by instinct.
You’ll make it by having a clear system, following rules, and staying emotionally stable.
That’s the game.
To sum up:
Don’t fall in love with indicators. Fall in love with discipline
Don’t stare at charts all day. Use alerts and schedule focus windows
Don’t improvise: follow strict, repeatable rules
Don’t chase money: focus on process
Don’t trade from emotion: trade from control
And don’t lose your mind. Because if you lose emotional control, you lose everything.
Thanks for reading and see you in the markets.
