Desi Trades shares his journey from a struggling 17-year-old trader to making over $2 million in payouts by age 22 using the IFVG ICT trading concept. He emphasizes the importance of psychology, data-driven decision-making, disciplined journaling, and learning from setbacks. Desi also discusses managing prop firm accounts, transitioning to ICT strategies, and maintaining a healthy trading mindset.
Desi Trades, a remarkable young trader, has made over $2 million in payouts by the age of 22. His journey from a struggling teenager to a confident and profitable trader is a testament to the power of discipline, psychology, and data-driven trading strategies. In this article, we explore Desi's trading journey, the challenges he faced, and the key lessons he learned along the way.
Desi began trading at 17 during the 2021 meme stock craze, initially trading stocks like GameStop (GME) and AMC. Early on, he faced significant challenges, including blowing up accounts and even overdrawing his brother's bank account. Despite these setbacks, his brother remained a strong supporter.
He realized early that trading was not just about technical strategies but about overcoming personal habits such as impulsiveness, lack of patience, and poor decision-making. This self-awareness was crucial in his development.
Desi emphasizes that trading success is 95-99% psychology. Confidence in trading comes from having a robust data set that proves the effectiveness of one's strategy over thousands of trades. Without this data, traders often lack self-confidence, which is detrimental.
He advises traders to work on their mindset before focusing on strategies. Positive self-talk and energy attract positive outcomes, while negative thoughts can lead to poor results.
A critical part of Desi's success was meticulous journaling and reviewing his trades. He tracked not only the trades but also his feelings, sleep quality, and external factors affecting his performance. This helped him identify common factors in his wins and losses.
He stresses that collecting data is not enough; reviewing and learning from it is essential. Many traders collect screenshots or record trades but fail to analyze them, missing opportunities for improvement.
Desi faced major setbacks, including a three-month losing streak in 2022 and blowing a $380,000 payout after a strong run. He attributes overcoming these challenges to:
He learned that trying to rush to big payouts often leads to mistakes, and slow, consistent growth is more sustainable.
Initially, Desi used moving averages and supply-demand strategies but found them too random. He transitioned to the Inner Circle Trader (ICT) concepts, which provided clarity on stop-loss and take-profit levels through concepts like fair value gaps and liquidity zones.
Learning ICT was like learning a new language, but it helped him build a system with about a 65% win rate that suited his trading style. He recommends focusing on a few key ICT concepts, especially liquidity, rather than trying to master every new model.
Desi trades primarily with prop firms such as Apex Trader Funding and Take Profit Trader. He focuses on one prop firm at a time to maintain discipline and avoid confusion.
He highlights the importance of understanding each firm's rules, especially trailing drawdown limits, which can affect trade sizing and risk management.
His approach to prop firm trading differs from live account trading:
To stay present and focused, Desi developed routines such as:
He stresses the importance of separating trading stress from personal life and not letting losses or wins affect relationships.
Desi believes the worst advice is when people try to impose their experiences on others without allowing them to learn through their own mistakes. He encourages traders to fall, learn, and get back up.
His best advice is to "let time do the heavy lifting" and "slow down to speed up." Trading success is a long-term journey that requires patience and consistent effort.
A true trader is someone who follows their system consistently and does not base their day on wins or losses. They leave trading stress at the office and maintain professionalism in all aspects of life.
Desi Trades' journey illustrates that trading success is not about quick wins but about developing the right mindset, collecting and analyzing data, learning from setbacks, and maintaining discipline. The IFVG ICT concept provided him with the clarity and structure needed to build a profitable trading system.
His story is an inspiration for aspiring traders, emphasizing that with patience, self-awareness, and a strong support system, significant success is achievable even at a young age.
This comprehensive insight into Desi Trades' trading philosophy and journey offers valuable lessons for traders at all levels, highlighting the critical role of psychology, data, and disciplined execution in achieving consistent profitability.
