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Trading Lessons

How To Win Taking Singles

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Written by Timothy Sykes
Updated 4/13/2026 5 min read

I say it all the time, but this week I can’t emphasize it enough…

Singles Add Up

In the past four days we’ve gone from peace talks to failed peace talks.

We’ve seen news of MORE peace talks on the way.

We’ve gone from “the Strait of Hormuz will reopen” to the Navy blockading Iran’s ports.

Here’s what you need to know.

All of that is out of my control (and yours).

So, what should you do?

I’m adapting to the market.

That’s the only sane thing a disciplined trader can do.

Starting with this premarket trade…

The Setup: Speculative Premarket Dip Buy

On Monday (April 13) I knew there would be oil and energy stocks in play due to the news.

And because we’ve been watching these plays for the past six weeks, the tickers are all fresh on my mind.

So, I wasn’t surprised to see Sky Quarry Inc. (NASDAQ: SKYQ) gap up in premarket trading and run to $20+.

Not wanting to chase, I waited for it to pull back (and for price action that I liked).

My thesis was that SKYQ could squeeze if it got back over $17 per share.

My goal was to make 50-75 cents a share and cut losses if no bounce.

Source StocksToTrade SKYQ 2-day, 1-min candle, speculative premarket dip buy, singles add up
Source StocksToTrade SKYQ 2-day, 1-min candle, speculative premarket dip buy, singles add up

I know it doesn’t look like much (I didn’t even take the meat of the move).

But disciplined, small singles like this add up.

Even though I would have loved to hold into that big squeeze right before the open…

What if I’d gotten cocky and held too long?

There’s nothing worse than doing the “round trip” and having to cut at break even (or take a loss).

Here’s what one of my top students has to say about round trips (he left a TON of money on the table before he figured this out).

Millionaire Moves: Avoid the Costly “Round Trip”

Most traders think the hardest part is making money… it’s not.

The hardest part is KEEPING it.

Watch and learn as millionaire student David Hanlin (aka the Laptop Legend) talks about his “round trip” frustrations.

In this video David answers:

  • What is a round trip? Hint: it’s nothing to do with planes, trains, or automobiles.
  • How FOMO and choppy markets trap traders (and how to overcome it).
  • The simple adjustment that changed everything (successful traders get the lessons PLUS the profits).

The Real Reason Traders Lose Their Profits

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Get inspired by David and resolve to learn from every trade (especially when you take round trips).

The Most Important Trading Reform in 25 Years 

If you’ve ever felt the game was rigged… 

A single government regulation has kept small traders “locked out” for 25 years. Days from now, that could change forever.

Be sure to take notes as you watch…

“Trader’s Independence Day”

It’s free, and it’s live. 

Catalyst Watch: Peace Talks & Strait Blocks

We have a CRAZY market again as the peace talks ignited strength, rumors and volatility…

Only for the talks to end with no deal.

Then, the Navy blockaded Iran’s ports.

Remember to just aim for singles in this market (take what you can and don’t get greedy).

Those who bet too big in a chopfest usually regret it.

More Breaking News

Top Tips for Trading This Market

  • Avoid being overly aggressive
  • Avoid being overly patient (watch the Laptop Legend’s video again if you don’t know why)
  • Keep up with breaking news, as it can swing the market (and the price of oil/energy stocks) FAST

On My Radar 

Key Takeaway

Singles add up and you CAN grow a small account (and even a big account) by locking in gains along the way.

Stay disciplined.

– Tim Sykes



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Timothy Sykes

Tim Sykes is a penny stock trader and teacher who became a self-made millionaire by the age of 22 by trading $12,415 of bar mitzvah money. After becoming disenchanted with the hedge fund world, he established the Tim Sykes Trading Challenge to teach aspiring traders how to follow his trading strategies. He’s been featured in a variety of media outlets including CNN, Larry King, Steve Harvey, Forbes, Men’s Journal, and more. He’s also an active philanthropist and environmental activist, a co-founder of Karmagawa, and has donated millions of dollars to charity.
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* Results are not typical and will vary from person to person. Making money trading stocks takes time, dedication, and hard work. There are inherent risks involved with investing in the stock market, including the loss of your investment. Past performance in the market is not indicative of future results. Any investment is at your own risk. See Terms of Service here

The available research on day trading suggests that most active traders lose money. Fees and overtrading are major contributors to these losses.

A 2000 study called “Trading is Hazardous to Your Wealth: The Common Stock Investment Performance of Individual Investors” evaluated 66,465 U.S. households that held stocks from 1991 to 1996. The households that traded most averaged an 11.4% annual return during a period where the overall market gained 17.9%. These lower returns were attributed to overconfidence.

A 2014 paper (revised 2019) titled “Learning Fast or Slow?” analyzed the complete transaction history of the Taiwan Stock Exchange between 1992 and 2006. It looked at the ongoing performance of day traders in this sample, and found that 97% of day traders can expect to lose money from trading, and more than 90% of all day trading volume can be traced to investors who predictably lose money. Additionally, it tied the behavior of gamblers and drivers who get more speeding tickets to overtrading, and cited studies showing that legalized gambling has an inverse effect on trading volume.

A 2019 research study (revised 2020) called “Day Trading for a Living?” observed 19,646 Brazilian futures contract traders who started day trading from 2013 to 2015, and recorded two years of their trading activity. The study authors found that 97% of traders with more than 300 days actively trading lost money, and only 1.1% earned more than the Brazilian minimum wage ($16 USD per day). They hypothesized that the greater returns shown in previous studies did not differentiate between frequent day traders and those who traded rarely, and that more frequent trading activity decreases the chance of profitability.

These studies show the wide variance of the available data on day trading profitability. One thing that seems clear from the research is that most day traders lose money .

Millionaire Media 66 W Flagler St. Ste. 900 Miami, FL 33130 United States (888) 878-3621 This is for information purposes only as Millionaire Media LLC nor Timothy Sykes is registered as a securities broker-dealer or an investment adviser. No information herein is intended as securities brokerage, investment, tax, accounting or legal advice, as an offer or solicitation of an offer to sell or buy, or as an endorsement, recommendation or sponsorship of any company, security or fund. Millionaire Media LLC and Timothy Sykes cannot and does not assess, verify or guarantee the adequacy, accuracy or completeness of any information, the suitability or profitability of any particular investment, or the potential value of any investment or informational source. The reader bears responsibility for his/her own investment research and decisions, should seek the advice of a qualified securities professional before making any investment, and investigate and fully understand any and all risks before investing. Millionaire Media LLC and Timothy Sykes in no way warrants the solvency, financial condition, or investment advisability of any of the securities mentioned in communications or websites. In addition, Millionaire Media LLC and Timothy Sykes accepts no liability whatsoever for any direct or consequential loss arising from any use of this information. This information is not intended to be used as the sole basis of any investment decision, nor should it be construed as advice designed to meet the investment needs of any particular investor. Past performance is not necessarily indicative of future returns.

Citations for Disclaimer

Barber, Brad M. and Odean, Terrance, Trading is Hazardous to Your Wealth: The Common Stock Investment Performance of Individual Investors. Available at SSRN: “Day Trading for a Living?”

Barber, Brad M. and Lee, Yi-Tsung and Liu, Yu-Jane and Odean, Terrance and Zhang, Ke, Learning Fast or Slow? (May 28, 2019). Forthcoming: Review of Asset Pricing Studies, Available at SSRN: “https://ssrn.com/abstract=2535636”

Chague, Fernando and De-Losso, Rodrigo and Giovannetti, Bruno, Day Trading for a Living? (June 11, 2020). Available at SSRN: “https://ssrn.com/abstract=3423101”