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Gav's trading blog - Perseverance, Consistency, Confidence

Gav

The Only Trading Tools I Actually Use (And Why Less Is More)

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That One Knife in the Drawer

Every kitchen has it.

The one knife you reach for every single time. It’s not the flashiest. It doesn’t have a fancy Japanese name. But it works.

It’s sharp, it fits your hand, and you trust it.

Mine lives in the second slot from the left. I’ve tried others — gift sets, chef-grade stuff, even a cleaver phase (don’t ask).

But I always come back to the same knife.

Trading’s the same.

I’ve tested a lot of tools. Indicators, scripts, heatmaps, you name it.

Some were useful for a while. Some just looked good. A few flat-out distracted me.

But over time, I narrowed it down to the ones I actually use. The ones that help me see price, not overthink it.

  • VWAP
  • Volume zones
  • Key levels
  • One or two price action patterns

That’s it.

No dashboard full of signals. No rainbow of trendlines. Just clean tools that fit my process.

The trick isn’t collecting tools.

It’s knowing which ones earn a permanent spot in your workflow.

Same way you don’t need ten knives. You need one that stays sharp and reliable.

So ask yourself this week:

What’s your go-to?

And what’s just taking up space?

Because in both kitchens and charts, clutter cuts slower than clarity.

Coffee Thoughts – The Problem is You, Not the System

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I’ve lost count of how many systems I’ve tested.

Breakouts, pullbacks, trend following, mean reversion. You name it.

Every time something didn’t work, I blamed the system.
“This doesn’t suit the pair I trade.”
“It’s not made for Asian session.”
“Maybe I need a different indicator.”

Sound familiar?

Eventually, I ran out of systems to blame — and had to face the actual issue:
It wasn’t the strategy.
It was me.

I wasn’t following rules.
I didn’t log my trades.
I sized up too quickly.
I avoided journaling because I didn’t want to see the truth.

No system can fix poor execution.

That’s when the shift happened.

I stopped hunting for the “perfect setup” and started fixing my habits.
Same system — different results.

So before you toss out your strategy and jump to the next shiny thing…
Ask yourself:
Am I the problem?

It’s not a fun question. But it’s a necessary one.

— Gav, with coffee

Side note: If you’re rebuilding your foundation, check out my Back to Basics of Trading series.

Cleaning My Charts Like Cleaning My Kitchen

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It’s Sunday afternoon. I’m not trading, but I’m doing something just as important.

I’m cleaning the kitchen.

The counter’s a mess. Crumbs under the toaster. A drip trail of coffee from this morning. A few dishes that “look clean enough” until you hold them up to the light.

So I wipe. I rinse. I reset the space.

Not because I’m obsessive.

Because Monday morning is smoother when I walk into a clean kitchen.

And somewhere between scrubbing the sink and resetting the grinder, I realized — I clean my charts the same way.

Mess builds quietly.

One week it’s an extra indicator I’m testing.
Next, it’s a new template I forgot to delete.
A couple of levels I marked but never used.
Suddenly, my chart looks like a supermarket shelf. Overcrowded. Distracting.

So now I build a habit around it.

Each weekend, I clean my charts like I clean my kitchen.

  • I reset my layout
  • I clear out old levels
  • I remove any tool that didn’t earn its keep

Clean space. Clear mind.

It’s not just about looking tidy.

It’s about removing friction.

When I start the session on Monday, I want to see only what matters. Price. Context. Key zones. A few tested tools.

Same way I don’t want to search for a clean mug while half awake.

The best charts are like the best kitchens.

Not fancy. Just functional.

Everything in its place. Nothing that doesn’t belong.

Reset your space, and the routine flows better.

And when routine flows, so does the trading.

Coffee Thoughts – Trading Alone Doesn’t Mean Trading in Isolation

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I trade alone.

I’ve always preferred it that way. Just me, the chart, and my rules.

But here’s the thing I had to learn the hard way — trading alone doesn’t mean isolating yourself from the world.

In the early years, I went full monk mode. No forums. No chats. Just grind and suffer in silence. I thought that was discipline.

It wasn’t. It was ego dressed up as independence.

The truth is, some of my biggest breakthroughs came not from books or charts, but from conversations. A simple chat with another trader made me realize my risk rule wasn’t as clear as I thought. A blog comment helped me spot a mental leak I didn’t know I had. Sometimes, just saying your trade idea out loud exposes the nonsense.

You don’t need a trading group. You don’t need a signal service. But you do need connection.

A sounding board. A mentor. A fellow struggler.

Trading is already a lonely game — don’t make it harder by shutting the door.

Let people in. Not to trade for you. But to keep your head on straight.

— Gav, with coffee

On a side note, if you’re sorting out your foundation, check out my Back to Basics of Trading series.

The Quiet Trader: The Morning Run and the First Trade

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A sluggish start on Monday. A rushed prep on Tuesday. And a not-so-great trade to kick off Wednesday.

That pretty much sums up the first half of my trading week.

But this post isn’t about the trades. It’s about something else that’s become part of the rhythm.

I started running again.

Nothing fancy. Just a short loop around the neighborhood before the charts light up. No headphones. Just the road, breath, and a stubborn mind waking up.

Some mornings, I feel sharp. Legs light, pace smooth. Other days, I drag my feet through every step, wondering why I even bother.

And yet, I always feel better after. Not because it was easy, but because I showed up. Again.

That’s when it hit me. Running is a lot like trading the first setup of the day.

The first trade rarely feels perfect.

Sometimes it comes early while the market’s still sleepy. Sometimes it comes late after you’ve doubted half your prep.

Some trades move well. Others stall out or stop you just when you thought you nailed it.

But the point isn’t to be perfect.

The point is to stay in rhythm. To trust the routine, not the outcome.

I’ve had mornings where the run was slow and the first trade was a loser.

But by mid-session, I’m focused. I’ve shaken off the rust. I’m in it.

Same reason I lace up the shoes, even when I don’t feel like it.

It’s not about motivation.

It’s about movement.

So if your first trade feels clumsy or your prep feels off, it’s fine.

Just start.

The momentum shows up after.

Now if you’ll excuse me, the road’s waiting. So is the chart.

And both reward those who show up.

What I Thought Was Discipline Was Actually Fear

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I’ve been trading pretty tightly lately.

Rules set. Checklist followed. Pre-market done.
No chasing. No overtrading. Just clean execution.

Or so I thought.

That kind of structure usually helps me stay sharp. But last week, something felt off.

I’d mark up a level, see price line up perfectly… and still hesitate.
No entry. No trade. Just a bunch of second-guessing.

And of course, the move ran without me. Classic.

So I took a step back and opened the journal.

Here’s what hit me:

Discipline or fear?

It’s a fine line.

Following your rules is good. Essential, even.

But when you start hiding behind them — when they become reasons not to act — that’s not discipline.

That’s fear wearing a name tag that says “risk management.”

Here’s how it showed up for me:

  • “It didn’t check every single box.”
  • “Let’s just wait for more confirmation.”
  • “I’ll take the next one.”

All of it sounded smart. Safe. Professional.

But deep down, I wasn’t protecting capital — I was avoiding discomfort.

I didn’t want to lose.
I didn’t want to be wrong.
I didn’t want to feel the hit.

A journal check

One note I scribbled months ago saved me:

“Rules protect edge. Not your ego.”

That snapped it into focus.

So I sat down and trimmed the fat.

What are the core rules?
The ones tied to real edge — not fear?

Now I keep it simple.

The framework stays. But I leave space to think.
Space to act.
Space to be a trader — not just a rule follower.

My gut check now?

If I’m passing on valid setups just to “be safe”…
If the journal keeps saying “hesitated” or “late entry”…
If I’m blaming discipline when it’s really doubt…

It’s time to pause.

Because real discipline means showing up.
Even when it feels uncomfortable.

Until next time — trade sharp, stay honest.