Sign In
This week, we had the pleasure of speaking with PJ Trades, a full-time NQ futures day trader with over a decade of market experience. PJ has built a reputation for his structured, process-driven approach and his ability to turn years of early struggles into long-term consistency.
He shared his trading journey, from the first years of losses and break-even results to finally finding his edge in futures. Along the way, PJ explained how journaling, discipline, and focusing on process over profits helped him move past setbacks, avoid revenge trading, and build a repeatable system that keeps him consistent in all market conditions.
Getting Started: Early Curiosity Turned Into Commitment
PJ’s fascination with the markets started young. The image of Wall Street, the bull, and the world of finance always intrigued him. Through school, he took business classes that deepened his interest, and by 2016, he decided to give trading a serious shot.
He began in the forex markets, trading currencies during the London session. That curiosity quickly grew into an obsession. Over the years, he experimented with:
- Forex (his starting point)
- Options trading
- Metals like gold and silver
- Crypto and stocks
But it wasn’t until 2019–2020, during COVID lockdowns, that he discovered futures trading.
“For me it was the regulation. In the forex industry, it’s literally the wild west — manipulation, fraud, all of it. I wanted a more regulated market. Futures had no spreads, low fees, and the way NASDAQ moves just fit my style perfectly.”
That’s when he found his home in NQ futures.
Four Years to Break-Even
Trading success didn’t come quickly for PJ. He openly admits it took four full years just to break even.
“It took me four years to hit break-even. During those years, I wanted to quit so many times. Trading tests your mental strength and psychology like nothing else.”
For four years, he wasn’t making money, he was simply fighting to stop losing. What kept him in the game?
- A relentless work ethic: “Once I commit to something, I go all in.”
- A love for the process: reading charts, breaking down price, journaling trades.
- A personal mission to prove critics wrong, those who said trading was just a scam.
By year four, he finally reached the break-even point, and from there, his growth began to snowball.
From Chaos to Process Over Profits
In his early years, PJ had no process. He jumped into trades randomly and blew accounts.
“Back then, I had zero process. I just threw money at the market and got my butt kicked. Now my process is robotic, methodical, and boring. If you’re too excited when trading, you’re probably gambling.”
Today, PJ runs a highly structured process:
- He trades four specific models (though he tells new traders to stick to one).
- Focuses on one kill zone daily to avoid chasing trades all day.
- Uses checklists to confirm setups before pulling the trigger.
- Journals every trade and reviews performance in detail.
His advice to new traders is clear:
- Pick one proven model.
- Trade one session.
- Focus on one structured process until you’re consistent.
PJ’s Go-To Model: Liquidity Sweep + Inverse FVG
One of PJ’s favorite setups is a reversal model that combines liquidity sweeps, sharp reversals, and inverse fair value gaps (FVGs).
Step 1: Liquidity Sweep
- Look for external highs/lows or relative equal levels.
- Must see candle closes beyond the level, not just a wick.
Step 2: V-Shaped Recovery
- A sharp bounce signals liquidity has been absorbed.
Step 3: Inverse Fair Value Gap (FVG)
- The sweep leg leaves an imbalance.
- When price closes back through it in the opposite direction, the FVG flips.
- Entry can be taken on the flip close or on a retest into the zone.
Step 4: Target Liquidity
- Overnight highs/lows (Asia, London, New York).
- Previous session extremes.
- Open FVGs acting as magnets.
“We’re sweeping liquidity, we’re getting a V-shape, flipping the FVG, and targeting a clean draw. That’s the model.”
