Hey traders,
If you need five minutes to talk yourself into a trade…
It’s probably not worth taking.
That’s the rule.
Good trades don’t need convincing. You don’t need to zoom in, redraw lines, go back three months, ask Twitter, and then flip a coin.
When a trade’s there, you feel it.
You see the volume. You see the level. You know how you’d size it, where you’d stop, and where the risk-reward lives.
It either checks the boxes… or it doesn’t.
Most traders overcomplicate this. They try to make a setup work instead of just spotting one that already does. That’s why they hesitate, second-guess, and get smoked.
By the time they convince themselves to take the trade, it’s already gone.
The best setups need one thing: to actually work in the real market, right now.
I’ve got a simple way to filter trades fast.
I can usually look at a chart and decide in under a minute whether I’m interested, passing, or waiting for more info.
Saves time. Saves energy. Saves you from talking yourself into garbage.
I’ll show you how I do it, what I look for, what I avoid, and how I trust the first read over the fantasy version in my head.
You don’t need to overthink it. You need to learn how to scan a chart and know within 60 seconds whether it’s even worth your time.
I’m not saying you should rush trades.
But you should know what a real setup looks like when it’s in front of you, and stop wasting time trying to turn garbage into gold.
Here’s what I look for when I’m scanning:
1. Price Action vs. Volume
The first thing I want to see? Does the chart have a pulse?
You can’t fake volume. If a stock’s trying to break out but nobody’s trading it? I’m out.
I want confirmation from real volume, not some quiet grind that “looks clean” but has no buyers behind it.
If price action looks strong and volume confirms it, I stay interested.
If price looks okay but volume’s dead? It’s a pass.
2. Market Context
Is this ticker moving with the market or against it?
If the overall market’s weak, and this stock is holding up or pushing higher, that’s interesting. If the whole sector’s running and this name’s lagging? I’m not chasing it just because the chart looks cute.
Zoom out and check the big picture. This step alone filters out 80% of my “maybe” trades.
3. Key Levels
Where’s the breakout? Where’s the support? Where’s the stuff that actually matters?
I want the chart to show me something obvious. Something that every trader can see, because that’s what creates clean entries and strong follow-through.
If I have to squint to find the setup, I’m already out.
A good setup should feel like it’s asking to be traded. You see the level. You know where the stop goes. You see the potential reward.
4. My Edge
This is the big one.
Just because a setup looks “good” doesn’t mean it fits my strategy.
If it’s not a setup I’ve traded before with real results, I don’t touch it. Period. Even if it runs. I’m not here to be “right” but to trade my edge.
Before I enter, I ask:
- Have I seen this pattern before?
- Do I know how it tends to behave?
- Do I know where I usually get in and out?
If the answer’s no, I leave it.
Final Filter: Gut Check
Once I go through that quick checklist, I always stop and ask:
“Do I actually want this trade, or am I just bored?”
If I have to convince myself, it’s not worth it.
Trump’s about to fast-track a $9 trillion economic shift, and most traders are going to chase the obvious tickers.
But I’ve got three tickers lined up that nobody’s talking about and I’m giving them away in a special playbook for everyone who shows up.
This isn’t just another hype wave. It’s what I’m calling America’s Freedom Window and I’ll show you exactly how I plan to trade it.
See you there tonight at 8PM EST,
Jack Kellogg