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Hello, my Friends!

Traders, welcome to the last month of the year โ€“ the stretch where legends are made and accounts are either crowned or crushed.

๐Ÿ“Š This is rebalancing season. Giant hedge funds and institutions are quietly (and sometimes not so quietly) repositioning billions for year-end reporting.

๐ŸŽฌ Windows get dressed and volatility gets invited to the party whether we like it or not. But no one knows exactly how this movie ends.

This week delivered pure adrenaline:

  • Microsoft sparks panic by reportedly slashing AI software sales quotas

    • Hours later: โ€œActually, we didnโ€™tโ€ โ€“ CNBC cites internal Microsoft rebuttal ($MSFT whipsaws)

  • Bank of Japan sources leak a probable December rate hike โ€“ the Yen surges

  • Zuckerberg signals up to 30% cuts to Metaโ€™s Metaverse division โ€“ reality check for VR bulls

  • Choppy, confusing, headline-driven price action โ€“ classic December prelude.

Yet beneath the noise, the message is crystal clear: markets punish the unprepared and reward the disciplined.

The timeless lesson as we charge into the final 31 days of 2025: Have. A. Plan. Whether youโ€™re launching a business or simply protecting the gains you fought for all year โ€“ a clear plan is your unfair advantage.

Lessons from the Trenches

If youโ€™re reading this while staring at another blown prop account, another โ€œalmost made itโ€ payout that slipped away, or yet another firm that โ€œchanged the rulesโ€ โ€“ this letter is for you.

Most struggling traders are wasting months โ€“ obsessing over the wrong thing. They hunt for the โ€œperfectโ€ prop firm: โ†’ Lowest spreads โ†’ Highest leverage โ†’ No time limits โ†’ Fastest payouts โ€ฆ all while possessing exactly ZERO proof that their strategy actually makes money over time.

Hereโ€™s the order that actually works:

  • Build a complete, written trading plan

  • Forward-test it live with real money (even if itโ€™s just $10โ€“25 micros)

  • Journal every single trade with brutal honesty

  • Achieve consistent profitability on your own capital first

  • ONLY THEN choose a prop firm to scale what already works

After 100 trades, calculate three numbers:

  • Win rate %

  • Average R:R

  • Expectancy (the only math that matters)

    • If expectancy is positive โ†’ congratulations, you now own a real edge worthy of prop capital!

You already have everything it takes to turn this around - the only question left is the order in which you do the work.

Weekly Journal

๐Ÿ”” This week served as a real-world reminder that life does not pause for the open bell.

Personal matters overlapped with my core trading hours, forcing me to dial risk-down to an absolute minimum.

The same happens to everyone - whether you trade full-time or still hold a 9-5 - unexpected obligations can pull you away from the screens without warning.

12/04/25 Session

Every single day begins with defining a risk tolerance I can live with, even on an โ€œoffโ€ day. A complete plan must already exist so that when capacity is reduced, execution can still occur with discipline.

From a market perspective, the dominant theme continues to be rotation into small- and mid-cap equities. The Russell 2000 has shown consistent bullish structure and offered me the cleanest entries into New York session

I chose the higher-probability path: entering nearer the midpoint of the move once price had proven it could absorb supply and continue higher. Catching less than 50% of a confirmed trend with a favorable risk/reward profile will always outperform trying to nail the absolute low.

This past week delivered several additional payouts. With December now in full swing, the focus shifts from pure execution to strategic reflection.

Over the coming days, Iโ€™ll be conducting a comprehensive year-end review: analyzing performance metrics and stress-testing processes that carried me through 2025.

More details on next weekโ€™s letter so make sure to tune in my friends!

Newsletter Partner

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Until next time,
Steve B
Founder, The Daily Impulse

Important Disclaimer:

This newsletter is for educational purposes only and does not offer financial or investment advice. It should not be taken as a recommendation to trade assets or make any financial decisions. I am not a registered investment advisor, broker, or licensed financial professional. Please be cautious and ensure you conduct thorough research or consult with a financial professional before making any investment choices. Trading and investing involve significant risks, including the potential for substantial financial loss.

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