Stop Playing Checkers in a Chess Match

Most people think trading is about calling the right shots… buying low, selling high, catching that perfect setup.

But that’s not what truly defines success in the market.

What separates consistent traders from impulsive ones isn’t some secret indicator or insider news feed…

It’s how they think.

It’s the ability to read conditions, manage risk, and stay disciplined when everyone else is panicking or chasing.

And once you understand that mindset, along with a few key technical principles, you’ll see that trading isn’t actually that hard.

My Monday Setup really simplifies things for you…

Certain insane moves come only on Monday mornings, and I’ve figured out how to catch them ahead of time.

Let me explain…

Every Monday, the market kicks back into gear after its weekend nap… and that reset creates a unique opportunity.

As the first session of the week gets started, there’s a specific pattern we look for that appears again and again with uncanny consistency.

And it has delivered some unbelievable gains!

Look at this past Monday…

Leap Therapeutics (NASDAQ: LPTX) shot up over 500%* on the announcement of its new digital asset strategy.

We hunt for these kinds of Monday morning spikes every single week.

It’s time to learn how to spot them for yourself…

Watch the video below for the full trade breakdown and strategy tutorial on my Monday Setup.

Reliable patterns like the Monday Setup can make things easier, but day trading is still demanding.

The Mindset Shift That Changes Everything

When I first started day trading, I made the same mistakes most beginners make…

I acted on emotion, jumping into setups without confirmation and ignoring the bigger picture.

The turning point came when I learned that success in day trading comes from understanding three principles:

Trade only when multiple conditions align:

Don’t rely on a single pattern or signal. Build a checklist of requirements to confirm your thesis, like technical indicators, price action, and market context.

Always respect the larger trend:

Even the strongest intraday setups can fail if you trade against the overall market direction. Always ask, “What’s the bigger move here?”

Think like both a bull and a bear:

If you’re going long, understand where short-sellers might cover. And if you’re shorting, know where dip buyers could step in. Anticipate both sides of the trade.

Low Float Stocks: Where Opportunity Meets Volatility

One of my go-to criteria for finding potential runners is the float size, or the number of shares available for trading.

In simple terms:

• Low supply = potential for big moves.
  
  
  
  
• High supply = slower, steadier action.

When a stock has fewer than 10 million shares in its float, that limited supply means even moderate demand can send it skyrocketing.

That’s the basic economics of supply and demand.

The smaller the float, the greater the potential for explosive upside (or downside). These are the tickers that can move 50%, 100%, or even 500% in a day.

My friend and veteran day trader, Tim Sykes, knows these tickers well…

He calls them Supernovas.

And right now, something unusual is happening with these stocks.

With Trump’s renewed America First push and the Fed’s recent rate cut, Supernova activity is heating up, and he hasn’t seen conditions this promising in years.

That’s why, on October 21st and 22nd at 12 PM Et, he’s hosting a free two-day virtual trading conference to share with you his complete Supernova System, including:

• His 7-step formula for finding high-probability Supernova trades in any market
• The chart patterns behind his $7.9 million in verified trading profits
• The risk management and mindset strategies his top students swear by
• LIVE trade examples using real money and real market conditions

Click below to reserve your seat!

If you’ve ever wanted to understand how traders catch these explosive moves before they happen, this is your chance!

Reserve your FREE spot right away!

Or

If you want a GUARANTEED seat… the VIP option locks you in. Plus bonuses!

The next Supernova cycle is already starting. Don’t get left behind!

Focus on the Biggest Gainers

Every day, your first scan should be simple: Search for stocks that are up the most.

If a stock isn’t up at least 10–20%, skip it.

That percentage move indicates where the market’s attention and volume already are.

Chasing slow movers wastes time and capital. If demand is real, the chart will show it. Finding a stock already up 50%, 70%, or 100% doesn’t mean it’s too late … It’s just active.

Focus on the top gainers every morning. That’s where opportunity lives.

Unusual Volume Is Fuel for the Fire

Volume is the heartbeat of a trade.

A typical low-float stock might trade one million shares a day, but when it suddenly trades 10, 20, or even 100 million, that’s not random. That’s demand exploding.

This is called float rotation, when the total number of shares traded hands multiple times in one session.

The more rotation, the more momentum.

I use the 60-day average volume as a baseline. Anything showing 5–10x that level instantly goes to the top of my watchlist.

Former Runners: History Repeats Itself

Here’s one of the simplest, but most powerful, trading hacks…

If a stock has spiked big before, it can spike big again.

Pull up the one-year, one-day chart and look for previous parabolic runs. If it has run before and held its gains, it has proven potential.

These are called former runners, and they often become the next day’s hottest trades.

Catalysts: Every Move Needs a Reason

So many traders go wrong when they chase a stock that’s running just because it’s running…

No news, no catalyst, no reason for buyers to care.

That’s how you end up holding the bag.

Every explosive move needs a “why.”

It could be a press release, a big contract win, FDA approval, a new partnership, earnings beat … something that creates real demand.

Focus on real catalysts and ignore the noise.

Technical Analysis: Where the Plan Comes Together

Technical analysis isn’t about predicting but about preparing.

You’re looking for clear levels of support and resistance to define your risk.

And if a stock bounces off a previous breakout level, great…

But if it falls below, it’s a failed breakout, and you need to move on.

Trading without risk levels is gambling. With them, it’s a strategy.

My Final Thoughts…

Day trading isn’t hard…

But without discipline, you’ll make it much harder than it needs to be.

At the end of the day, trading success doesn’t come from a single perfect trade but from consistency.

You’ll win some. You’ll lose some. But if you follow your plan and respect your risk, you’ll stay in the game long enough to improve.

Have a checklist, respect your stops, focus on volume and catalysts, and treat each trade as part of a bigger process.

You don’t have to be perfect. You just have to be prepared.

Have a great day, everyone. See you back here tomorrow.

Tim Bohen

Lead Trainer, StocksToTrade

P.S.

It’s got a funny name, but you need to take this seriously.

Here’s the Patriot’s guide to trading.

Don’t get mad at the story… Profit from it!