If you’re overwhelmed by ICT concepts, this article is for you
I know exactly what it feels like to be stuck as an ICT trader. You’ve watched all the videos. You’ve tried optimal trade entries, order blocks, market maker models, and nothing clicks. That was me too. For a long time.
Today, I get payouts from prop firms every single week. I’ve spoken with multiple 7-figure traders, people who’ve made millions in the markets, and most of them use ICT concepts. So, let me show you what actually works, based on my journey and hundreds of hours of live experience.
Step 1: Start With the Core Content (But Simplify)
The moment you discover ICT, you’ll feel overwhelmed. There’s so much to learn, so many concepts, and if you try to master everything at once, you’ll just go in circles.
Here’s what I recommend:
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Start with the Core Content, which is the 2016 mentorship.
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Focus ONLY on two things: Daily Bias and the Power of Three.
Even though I didn’t use the Core Content to become profitable initially, it gave me the biggest breakthroughs later on. If you want to become profitable with ICT, this is where you should start.
Step 2: Focus on One Thing – Direction
The reason most ICT traders fail is simple: they try to do too much at once. ICT offers tons of entry models and tools, but none of them matter unless you first master direction.
ICT, at its core, is about answering one question:
“Where is the market going next?”
If you can’t consistently determine market direction, no model, OTE, SMT, MMX, will help. My advice: forget entries for now. Learn to forecast. Nail direction.
Step 3: Watch Every New ICT Video (Yes, Even the 4-Hour Ones)
You have someone giving away elite-level trading knowledge for free. Respect that. Every new video from ICT contains updates, refinements, and clues about what’s working in the current market.
Watch it all. Take notes. Study.
If you want shortcuts, you’ll have to pay. If you want free mastery, then show up and learn.
Step 4: Forecast Daily on 3 Pairs – EU, GU, NASDAQ
Now it’s time to take action. Every single day:
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Open your journal.
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Forecast what you expect from:
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EUR/USD
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GBP/USD
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NASDAQ (US100)
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At the end of the day, log what actually happened.
This isn’t about being perfect. It’s about developing repetition, pattern recognition, and real-time accountability. Use Notion, a notebook, Tradezella, whatever works for you. But do it daily.
Step 5: Backtest Without Bar Replay (Observe the Concepts)
Forget the bar replay for now.
Here’s what we do inside the Funded Trading Blueprint, and it’s how I recommend you backtest:
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Open your chart.
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Look at historical price without playing it forward.
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Identify key ICT concepts:
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Draw on liquidity
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Manipulation
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Expansion
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Fair value gaps
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Reactions to order blocks
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You’re training your brain to spot structure and behavior. This “passive” backtesting builds intuition fast, and it’s how I personally made a huge leap.
Step 6: The Daily Bias Exercise (3 Years Back)
Here’s the most powerful training exercise I know:
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Go back 3 years on the daily chart of EU, GU, and NASDAQ.
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Candle by candle, ask:
“Where do I think the market is going tomorrow?”
Forget execution. Forget entries. You’re building the skill that separates pros from amateurs: directional forecasting. Do this consistently, and you’ll start seeing the market clearly before it moves.
Step 7: Study Others Using ICT (Especially Real Trade Recaps)
While you’re learning, don’t just rely on ICT directly. Study:
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My own trade recaps on YouTube
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My Daily Bias & Market Structure breakdowns
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Other traders who actually use ICT properly
This helps you turn complex theory into real-time execution. The goal is to take something overwhelming and turn it into something simple and actionable.
Want to Go Faster? Join a Mentorship
If you want to shortcut the learning curve, consider mentorship. Inside Funded Trading Blueprint, I give you:
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Daily analysis
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Two live streams per week
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Bi-weekly Q&As
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A full roadmap to get funded
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One of the most active Discords in the prop trading world
We’re closed right now, but there’s a waitlist link in the description. When we open, we’re focused on one thing: helping every member get funded.
The Most Important Question in ICT Trading
Don’t ask:
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“What pair should I trade?”
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“What’s the best entry?”
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“What timeframe do I use?”
Instead, ask:
“Where is the market going today?”
That’s the question you must master. Because once you’ve nailed direction, ICT will give you all the entry models you could ever need.
Final Thoughts
If you’re struggling with ICT, know this: it’s not that you’re not smart enough. You’re just asking the wrong questions and trying to do too much.
Start with:
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Direction
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Daily bias
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Power of three
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Observation
And you’ll be shocked at how fast your clarity (and consistency) improve.
Watch the full video below to dive deeper into each point and learn exactly how to implement ICT concepts in your daily trading.
DISCLAIMER: I am not a financial adviser. The content on my website and social media are for educational and entertainment purposes ONLY. I’m simply documenting my trading journey so that you have the potential to take ideas and inspiration from the videos that may help you within your own journey. But remember, trading/investing of any kind involves risk. Your trading/investments are solely your responsibility.
FAQ – Becoming a Profitable ICT Trader
1. What is the ICT Core Content, and where should I start?
The Core Content refers to ICT’s 2016 mentorship series. If you’re new or overwhelmed, start there. More specifically, focus on just two things at the beginning: Daily Bias and the Power of Three. Mastering these two will simplify the rest of the learning process.
2. Why is daily bias so important in ICT trading?
Because everything in ICT, from entries to liquidity models, depends on knowing where the market is headed. If you don’t master direction, nothing else works. That’s why I say: forget execution at first and focus on where the market is likely going today.
3. Should I learn every ICT model before trading live?
No. That’s a fast way to overwhelm yourself. ICT has many models, but you only need one or two. Focus on understanding market direction first. Once that becomes second nature, you can explore entry models like OTE, SMT, or market maker models.
4. How do I practice ICT concepts without risking real money?
Start by forecasting daily movement on three pairs, EUR/USD, GBP/USD, and NASDAQ. Write down what you expect each day, and review what actually happened. This builds pattern recognition and confidence without needing to place live trades.
5. What’s the best way to backtest ICT concepts?
Forget bar replay at first. Just look at historical charts and identify ICT concepts like fair value gaps, draw on liquidity, manipulation, and expansion. This trains your eye to see real patterns without overthinking or second-guessing entries.
6. What is the Daily Bias Exercise?
It’s one of the most powerful drills I recommend:
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Go back 3 years on the daily chart of EU, GU, and NASDAQ.
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Candle by candle, try to forecast where the next day’s candle will go.
This sharpens your ability to read market structure and predict direction, the most critical skill in ICT-based trading.
7. What should I do if I don’t understand ICT videos?
Start by watching every new video ICT releases, no matter how long. Then complement that by watching breakdowns and trade recaps from traders (like myself) who simplify ICT in practical, real-market terms.
8. Is mentorship necessary to become profitable with ICT?
Not strictly, ICT gives away everything for free. But if you want to speed up your learning, avoid confusion, and get real-time feedback, mentorship helps a lot. That’s why I created the Funded Trading Blueprint, which gives structure, strategy, and community support.
9. What is the #1 question I should ask myself every day?
Stop asking, “What’s the entry?”
Start asking:
“Where is the market going today?”
That single shift in mindset will change your entire approach to trading.
