Three questions to ask before every scalp

[Shadow Trader]

Short checklists beat long strategies under pressure. Three questions can sit on a sticky note beside the monitor.

First: where is the invalidation point? If the answer is vague, the trade has no plan. Price should have a specific level where the idea is wrong.

Second: what is the spread right now compared to its usual level? If it is more than 50 percent above normal, the cost structure has changed and the setup may not pay.

Third: is there an event within the next 15 minutes? A scheduled release, a fix, a rollover. If yes, the trade will probably be dominated by something other than the setup.

If any answer is unsatisfying, the trade is skipped. The checklist takes under 10 seconds, which is the point, since a process that takes a minute will be abandoned within a week.

Over time, the checklist also becomes data. Counting how often each question blocks a trade shows where the biggest leaks sit.

Which question blocks the most trades here?