It seems smart at the beginning to join a group so you can ask questions and get feedback, but just know that the people you’re getting the feedback from are most likely not consistently profitable and are probably just bad traders.
When I started trading, as we all do, I scoured the internet and YouTube looking for as much information as I could. I remember joining a YouTube group that traded every morning and thought, “This is a great way to speed up my learning,” then quickly realized that they didn’t know much more than me. They simply watched candles print and chatted about what they’re looking for.
Some of these big online forums that are controlled by brokers are simply just websites with ads and affiliate links. There are some big names on YouTube that day trade live every day or “teach” trading techniques that have been exposed for using simulated (paper) trading accounts, and the only money that they’re really making is through affiliate links for funded trader programs.
I have been in a couple of forums that were private, and they were specific to a certain strategy or a strict trading style. I will say that I did pick up a couple of nuggets and learned a thing or two. You’re going to find some things will click with you and others just don’t.
You will evolve and grow and collect more tools for your toolbox. When you have enough tools, you’ll find a style that matches your personality, and that’s when you need to hunker down and go to work. The real progress happens through journaling, reviewing your trades, and refining your edge. As much as we want to chat with traders every day, trading is a solitary business, and you will only be successful when you take ownership of your trading and know that it’s you vs. you.
