Not because I didn't have a strategy.
Not because I was undisciplined.
But because my trading wasn't built as a system.
I traded discretionary. Part of my decisions were still a matter of interpretation. And there was only this one strategy.
In concrete terms, that means:
Too few trades, so
too much capital sits idle, and
performance depends on a few big winners.
Fluctuating equity.
Emotional phases.
No real predictability.
Does that sound familiar?
After 26 years in the markets and three little boys, I don't need adrenaline anymore.
I need a system that works predictably.
Individual setups and discretionary strategies can work. But they don't scale.
The answer wasn't a new setup.
But a different architecture.
Good thing Matthias was a participant in one of my challenges.
Matthias Systematic Trader – Coding, Backtesting & Automation
Michael Discretionary Trader – 26 Years of Market Experience
Together we had a clear goal:
We don't chase the one perfect strategy. Not two similar ones either. Instead:
We build a portfolio of robust, rule-based trading systems.
Different logics.
Different markets.
Different time frames.
No single strategy is perfect. But robustly tuned together, something magical emerges.
A portfolio mix beats the search for the perfect strategy.
This no-brainer is Onlytraders. Members get the fully transparent rulesets, we discuss them together as a team, develop new strategies and execute everything with real money. No stressful day-trading — orders are placed comfortably before market open.
We're currently at 6 strategies, with a new one added every month.
Blue = our published OT strategy mix, Red = S&P 500 (benchmark). No demo heroes. No window dressing. Just systematic real-money trading – developed together with a community of like-minded people and easy to put into practice.