I Set Take Profit and Stop Loss. And My Trade Closed in Profit for $10.97. Now I’m Thinking About 1.0 Lot.

Hey, this is NorthRay.

Remember last time I said I was learning not to freak out and to trust my strategy?

Well, today I took the next step.

I opened a new order on EUR/USD. Again with 0.50 lots. But this time — with two new words in my vocabulary:

Take Profit and Stop Loss.

Before, I used to look at those fields in the terminal and leave them empty. I thought: “Why? I’ll close it myself when I need to.”

How wrong I was.

What Take Profit and Stop Loss are (for those who were also afraid of them)

I’ll explain it the way I understood it myself. Simply.

Stop Loss — is your safety net.

It’s the price at which a trade will close AUTOMATICALLY if the market goes against you.

You tell the broker in advance: “Listen, if the price drops to this level — close the trade. Don’t ask me. I don’t want to lose more than I’m ready to lose.”

Why you need it:

• You don’t sit at the screen 24/7.

• You don’t rely on “maybe it will turn around.”

• You limit your losses.

Without a stop loss, you’re like a skier without brakes. Fun until you have to hit a tree.

Take Profit — is your success alarm clock.

It’s the price at which a trade will close AUTOMATICALLY with a profit.

You tell the broker: “When the price reaches this level — take my profit. I won’t be greedy and hope for more.”

Why you need it:

• You lock in profit before the market turns around.

• You don’t torture yourself with the question “close or not close.”

• You protect yourself from greed.

What I did this time

I opened an order on EUR/USD, 0.50 lots.

And for the first time in my life, I consciously filled in the fields:

— Stop Loss — set below the entry point.
— Take Profit — set above the entry point.

So I knew in advance:
— The maximum loss I was willing to accept.
— The profit at which I exit without regrets.

And you know what?

I closed my laptop and went to drink tea.

No twitching. No sleepless night. No checking my phone every five minutes.

Because I knew: the system would do everything itself.

What happened next

I opened the terminal.

And saw that the trade was… closed.

By Take Profit.

The price reached my target, touched it, and automatically closed the order.

Profit: $10.97.

For some, that’s pocket change. For me — my first conscious profit using proper risk management.

I didn’t sit there wondering, “Should I close or wait longer?” I just trusted my plan.

And the plan worked.

What I felt

Honestly?

First, joy. Then calm. Then — a strange voice in my head:

“What if I hadn’t set a take profit? The price could have gone even higher…”

I recognized that voice. It’s the voice of greed. The most dangerous voice for a trader.

I reminded myself: “You’re a beginner. You made $10.97 by following the rules. That’s a victory. Don’t turn it into a defeat by starting to doubt yourself.”

And you know what? I’m proud that I didn’t give in.

And now — the next step. 1.0 Lot.

I closed that trade. Smiled. Wrote down the result.

And thought: “What’s next?”

Next — 1.0 lot.

Yes. One whole lot.

For those who don’t know: that’s twice as big as what I’ve been trading so far (0.50 → 1.0).

One pip with 1.0 lot is no longer about 10.

A 10-pip move against me — minus 300.

This is no longer “playing around.” These are serious numbers. Even on demo.

Why do I want to try it?

Because once I was afraid of 0.01. Then I got used to it.
Then I was afraid of 0.50. Got used to it.
Now the fear of 1.0 is just another step.

I’m not going to risk real money. Still on demo. Still learning.

But I want to understand: how will I feel when hundreds of dollars are at stake (even if virtual)?

Will I be able to keep a cool head? Will I set my stop loss and take profit just as disciplined? Or will I start to panic?

It’s important to learn this about myself now, not when I open a real account.

Plan for the coming days

1.     Open an order on EUR/USD with 1.0 lot.

2.     Definitely set a stop loss (so I don’t sleep by the screen) and a take profit (so I don’t get greedy).

3.     See how the trade closes.

4.     Write an honest report here — whether it worked out or not.

What I understood today

Stop loss and take profit aren’t for the weak. They’re for the smart.

The weak one relies on “maybe” and sits by the screen until 3 AM. The smart one sets their levels — and goes to live their life.

The $10.97 profit isn’t about money. It’s about proof to myself: “You can follow the rules. You can trust the system.”

And 1.0 lot is about the next level. About stepping out of my comfort zone. About a stress test.

I don’t know how the next trade will end. Maybe in profit. Maybe at a loss of a couple hundred virtual dollars.

But I know one thing: I’ll do it by the rules. With a stop loss. With a take profit. And without a sleepless night.

What’s next

— I’m opening an order for 1.0 lot.
— I’m following my system.
— I’m writing the result here — whatever it may be.

If you were also afraid to increase your lot or tried stop loss/take profit for the first time — you’re not alone.

Let’s learn to trade with our heads, not our hearts.

Your NorthRay (with $10.97 profit in my pocket, levels set, and an intention to try 1.0 lot — but without fanaticism)