“I Just Want to Make Money!”
Of course you do!
Anyone getting into forex is hoping to earn some serious cash.
But let’s get real for a second—trading involves risk, and if you want the reward, you’ve got to understand what you’re risking to get there.
Sure, every trader wants to be profitable. But before you dive in, ask yourself:
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What kind of returns do I actually expect to make?
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And how much risk am I willing to take to get those returns?
Your answers will shape everything—from the trading style you choose, to which currency pairs you focus on, to how often you trade… and most importantly, how much risk you’ll take on the journey.
Meet Mario and Luigi
Let’s say we’ve got two traders: Mario and Luigi.
Luigi’s goal is to grow his account by 10% annually.
Mario? He’s swinging for the fences—he wants to double his account (and maybe win the heart of a princess while he’s at it).
Clearly, these two traders have very different goals.
Mario will likely have to take more trades, risk more capital per trade, and accept bigger losses along the way to even have a shot at hitting his 100% return goal.
Risk vs. Reward: The Tradeoff
The more ambitious your target, the more risk you’ll need to take.
But here’s the catch—with higher risk comes greater potential for drawdowns.
A drawdown is the drop from the highest point of your account to the next lowest point.
(We’ll go deeper into this in another lesson, but for now, just know it’s something you don’t want to ignore.)
Some traders prefer small, controlled drawdowns, even if that means smaller profits.
Others are okay with larger drawdowns, as long as they have a shot at big returns.
There’s no right or wrong—it just depends on your goals and your risk tolerance.
Time Commitment Matters
Big goals require big effort.
Ask yourself:
Can you consistently commit time to:
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Developing and refining your trading system
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Studying the markets
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Tracking and reviewing your trades
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Continuously learning and adjusting?
If not, it’s time to rethink your expectations. You can’t expect top-tier results with part-time effort.
The Bottom Line
Success in forex depends on you.
Do you have the discipline to keep showing up, learning, practicing, and improving—even when it’s tough?
If not, your results will reflect that—with inconsistency (or losses) over time.
But if you do put in the work, stay committed, and trade with discipline…
then yes, making money in forex becomes much more than just a dream.