๐ข P&L: +$17.91 โ January 5, 2026 Trades
The pre-market opened with very small gaps across the board. Momentum was limited, continuation was uncertain, and most names lacked the kind of clean expansion that rewards aggression.
On top of that, I did not sleep 100%. Not terrible, but enough that I was aware my margin for error was slightly reduced.
Because of that, the focus today was being careful โ not pushing, not forcing trades, and not pretending the conditions were better than they were.
The goal wasnโt to โmake the day.โ
The goal was to not give money back in a low-edge environment.
Counter 1/30 - to unlock 100 shares - MNTS
Trade Breakdown
GHRS
17.41โ17.50 โ 17.76
This was the most important trade of the day.
GHRS was a high-conviction setup, but I was a few seconds early on entry. After my fills around $17.41โ$17.50, price pulled back sharply and briefly traded down to $16.86 โ about -$0.55 per share unrealized for a moment.
That pullback did move past my original stop, which normally would mean Iโm out.
What kept me in the trade was not stubbornness โ it was real-time confirmation. Volume stayed strong, buyers remained present, and Level 2 did not collapse. The pullback lacked the characteristics of true failure.
Once price reclaimed, I took money off the table quickly, locking in roughly $0.26โ$0.35 per share.
I did not hold into the larger move toward $20. The pop was fast, the market was thin, and given the small-gap environment, protecting green was the correct decision.
R:R could justify holding longer.
Context did not.
Due to break of rule (stop) = didn't count toward my 30 trades to unlock.
MNTS
9.19 โ 9.27
This was a simple, low-stress trade.
Entered clean.
Exited clean.
No pressure to extract more.
In this environment, taking quick profits was intentional, not timid.
This counts as #1 trade, as the GHRS blew the stop and I am not counting toward my 30 trades of good execution to unlock the 100 shares.
Market Context
-
Small gap percentages
-
Thin premarket liquidity
-
Fast pops with shallow continuation
-
Limited follow-through
This was not a market built for holding size or pressing winners. It was a market that punished impatience.
Recognizing that early shaped the entire session.
Execution Notes
This session did not require brilliance.
It required restraint.
There were no revenge trades.
No continuation out of frustration.
No attempt to โmake the day.โ
I stopped trading while still clear-headed.
That is the win.
Market Context
-
Post-holiday tape
-
Fast, aggressive pops
-
Shallow continuation
-
Moves resolved quickly
This was not an environment to overstay positions or push.
What Went Right
-
Stayed patient early
-
Trusted real-time data (volume + Level 2)
-
Did not panic during adverse excursion
-
Took profits decisively
-
Walked away early
What Needs Improvement
-
Entry timing โ being early expanded risk unnecessarily
-
Continue working on letting winners breathe when conditions truly allow
Lesson of the Day
Today wasnโt about maximizing P&L.
It was about staying regulated when a trade briefly went wrong, and not letting that moment cascade into overtrading or emotional continuation.
GHRS tested discipline.
MNTS confirmed it.
The edge shows up when Iโm calm.
And today, I stayed that way.
Rule Reinforcement
-
High conviction does not excuse early entries
-
Information > fear during pullbacks
-
Protect green before pressing size
-
One good trade does not require another
-
Walking away early is a skill
Scorecard
Market Read: B
Execution: B+
Risk Control: B
Emotional Awareness: A-
Emotional Execution: B+
Overall Grade: B+
This grade reflects control, not perfection.
These are the days that compound.
Grade earned.
Lesson reinforced.
Related Posts

Iโm MGK, and at my core Iโm an entrepreneur. Iโve built and operated businesses across several sectors over the years โ from technology to payments to AI-driven platforms. I love building things, solving problems, and creating systems that make life or business a little easier.

