The Indentured Trader
indentured (adj.): bound by a contract, especially one in which a person agrees to work for someone for a fixed period of time.
Trading is exactly that — a contract you sign with yourself.
It demands repetition, resilience, and total commitment.
Lo and behold — finally, your first actual step on the trading journey toward consistent profitability.
Or so you think.
You might even be saying to yourself:
“Finally. Enough of the preaching. Time to start doing something.”
You couldn’t be more wrong.
Just because Issue #1 and Issue #2 didn’t have you clicking buttons or watching charts does not mean you weren’t already in motion.
Your journey — the real one — started back at Issue #1.
Should you believe otherwise, I encourage you to go back and read it again.
Read it twenty times if you have to.
(Just to make one thing easy on you, I linked them up for you— just click on on the link, and it will take you directly there.)
If you don’t internalize what’s in there — if you are unable to implement those ideas as a part of your core as a trader — then stop now.
Take it from me — I have been there already.
Bin it. Go do something else!
Otherwise, this business will put you through the ever so painful meat grinder, and you’ll think it was just bad luck.
That is the only consistency you will acquire.
The development of a trader’s mindset takes time. A fact I could not have reconciled myself to upon embarking on this journey. .
Had I followed the very advice I’m now giving you — the same advice my mentor gave me — I might’ve spared myself a very painful learning curve.
I was obstinate and stubborn — maybe you won’t be!
In that time, I faced:
Draw downs.
Bad days.
“The market’s out to get me” beliefs.
The odd win that made me feel like a genius.
Maybe even a big win that lures you to think you’ve made it.
Beware. That’s the market baiting you for more generous donations.
Just like a carnival game — they make it look easy, hand you a win, then take you to the cleaners.
And they’re so good at it, you won’t even know it’s happened — until it’s all over, and you can’t even afford a McDonald’s cheeseburger.
And to drive this opening monologue home:
If you’re elated after a win, or depressed after a loss, then congratulations — you’ve just met your first real opponent: your own emotional vulnerability.
There will come a moment of clarity for each one of you, when you tire of the emotional roller-coaster, all the aforementioned above that provide the catalyst for those highs and lows, and that will be the singular moment you embark on your individual journey toward emotional containment and discipline.
That journey is unique to each of you,
You cannot, you must not compare yourself to others.
You will arrive in your own time, and according to your own talents and abilities.
At the end of the day, ideally , you shouldn’t feel either. A small win? Good. A large win. Fine. A small loss, if you executed your plan correctly. No problem.
It’s just another day. Accepted risk. Accepted outcome.
Job done, time for a margarita.
📍Section 2 —
In the subtitle of this issue, It asked:
“What is the best trading platform/software to start practicing on?”
Answer:
Whatever platform you feel most comfortable with — and that fits your individual criteria.
Not the answer you were hoping for? Quite.
If you’re searching for the best platform, you’re already thinking about this the wrong way.
There is no singular “best.” Only the one that suits:
Your screen setup.
Your preferred contract(s).
How you process and interpret information visually.
You’ll hear loud voices online swearing by NinjaTrader, Sierra Chart, TradingView, Jigsaw, Tradovate, Interactive Brokers, TradeStation — and a dozen more.
Some are fantastic.
Some are complete overkill.
Some are absolutely not beginner-friendly.
All of them have quirks that will, at first, drive you mad.
None of that matters.
The point is: you must select one — and stick with it.
No platform hopping.
No perfect solution hunting.
No paralysis by analysis.
Your job right now is simple:
Choose a platform
Learn it inside and out
Use it to build muscle memory and execution discipline
That’s it.
You’re not here to become a platform expert.
You’re here to become a trader.
To achieve that, you need a tool you don’t wrestle with — something that fades into the background and lets you focus on what matters: execution.
It’s said that a master swordsman becomes one with their blade — that the weapon becomes an extension of the body.
Same principle here.
Your platform must become part of you.
Every hotkey, every chart, every nuance — second nature.
If you’re hesitating on order entry, fumbling around settings mid-trade, or unsure what that line on the chart means, you’ve already ceded edge to the market. More than likely, you just made an involuntary donation to it, and it won’t even show you any gratitude either.
📍Section 3 — Your First Assignment: Pick Your Platform
If you’ve been wondering why this newsletter only comes out once a month, here’s your answer.
This issue is the assignment. It marks the first time you actually start doing something concrete — not just absorbing ideas, but implementing them.
Your first task is simple:
🔧 Choose a trading platform that works for you.
Now — print out the companion guide I’m including with this issue. It contains quick breakdowns of the platforms I’ve personally used, links to explore them further, More importantly, it gives you a structured starting point.
A Few Things to Keep in Mind:
There are platforms where you can trade any asset class. Others are tailored to specific products (like futures, Forex, options, or crypto). Those specialized platforms can often simplify execution and workflow — but only if they match your needs.
The industry is always evolving, and firms are constantly competing for your business. Fees are getting cheaper, but they still matter — especially once you go live. Learn to read a fee schedule.
💡 TIP #1: Choose a Platform That Includes a Simulator
Nearly all modern platforms offer some kind of sim — but double-check. A good simulator is non-negotiable at this stage.
But remember: a simulator is only as useful as you make it.
💡 TIP #2: Trade the Sim Like It’s Real Money
Don’t treat it like a toy. Don’t “see what happens.” This is the part where you train your brain. If you don’t treat sim trading like it’s real, then your muscle memory, your mindset, and your habits will all be trash when it matters most.
Here’s your move:
Pick a platform.
Open an account.
Fund it with a token amount (even $20 will do).
Subscribe to live data (usually ~$15/month, maybe less).
Treat every fee as an educational expense. A small one — and one that could save you thousands later.
💡 TIP #3: Don’t Train with Delayed Data
Most platforms offer free delayed data — and that’s great for chart watching, but not for execution practice.
Delayed data = training with a false sense of security. Your fills aren’t real. Your reactions aren’t in sync with the live market. Your results don’t reflect reality.
‼️ Real Story: Sim Success ≠ Live Success
I once took a $50,000 sim account — running on delayed data — and ballooned it to $200,000 in just a few weeks.
(I was being a Scrooge, didn’t want to shell out for live data.)
I thought I was unstoppable.
The sim made trading feel easy — smooth, even fun. And I let it lure me in under the illusion that I was ready.
Here’s what the sim cannot replicate:
Your real money. In real market conditions.
You don’t know what that feels like until you’ve lived it.
And when I did?
What followed was a brutal overdose of reality.
The fills, the speed, the slippage, the emotion — it was all too much — overload.
I simply wasn’t ready when I thought I was. Not even close.
I’ll share the full story one day in the chat room — when there are enough of us to make it worth the telling.
The conclusion is simple:
Fake trading teaches fake confidence. Train and Trade as if it were real,.
💡 TIP #4: Look Ahead — Prop Firms & Platform Compatibility
If you’re aiming to get funded through a prop firm down the road (and you should be), it makes sense to start with a platform they already support.
Switching platforms later — when you’re already deep into routines and muscle memory — is an added burden.
Not a deal-breaker. But an unnecessary detour.
That said, once you’ve mastered one platform, others become easier. The core logic is the same across most. So don’t obsess — just plan ahead.
👉 Next Step
In the companion guide, I’ve listed several platforms I’ve personally used — with notes on each, and why they may (or may not) be right for you.
📌 I trade one market, one time frame. That’s it.
This isn’t some secret trick. It’s how real traders win.
Even big brokerage firms train new recruits to specialize — one or two stocks, one or two commodities — until they master it.
The market doesn’t hand out second chances — and you can’t afford to give away any edge it doesn’t already have.
Especially as a “Retail Trader.”
You’re now at the crossroads where most traders mess it all up.
Want to avoid their mistakes?
Download the guide.
Subscribe to the newsletter.
Show up ready.
No fluff. No hacks. Just the road you actually walk to get good.
⚠️ Disclaimer
The content of The Indentured Trader is for educational and informational purposes only. Nothing in this newsletter constitutes financial or trading advice. Trading futures, stocks, and other financial instruments involves risk and may not be suitable for all investors. You are solely responsible for your own decisions and trades.
I am not a licensed financial advisor. I’m sharing my own experiences and insights in the hope that they may help others — but they are not guarantees of any outcome.
Always do your own research. Always use risk capital. And always protect yourself — because the market won’t.