Quote from Handle123:
I primarily day-trade futures, occasionally day trade IBM and Google. But I found for myself, going for bigger profits in ES are not my style, nothing I backtested offered consistent daily returns. Instead of shooting for larger profits and which often means smaller winning percentage, I found that for myself, that smaller profits are often easier to get, then using many money management rules allowed my losing percentages to first go below fifteen percent, a mixture of wins and breakevens was left. Since losing percentage was low, I backtested adding to a losing position would make a breakeven trades, very profitable. When I added and was able to accept time elements after my entry, this lowered my losing percentages even more. When I added volume to my charts, this allowed me to pass on at least one losing trade per day, I didn't care if I missed winning trades, so long as I miss at least equal amount of wins/losses, and when I got a 'feeling" for reading the DOME, I could get in one tic better or stay 1-3 tics longer. ES, I can do fairly good size, whereas in stocks, not always that way.
Back in the 80's and 90's when S&P traded in nickels and big point was $500, I could risk next to nothing 3-5 tics and target a full point or two, but now the Emini ES is so watered down so that underfunded and inexperienced can trade. For consistent gains, I have to risk more and get less.
I think it is important to be able to discover who you are as a trader, the earlier the better. I just found backtesting, trading the ES at certain areas, time or volume, counter-trend moves happen so much easier for 1-4 tics. But it always comes down to your personality, what are you willing to accept. When I was much younger, I could handle 40% losing trades, but after so many years and not wanting to do 150 trades a day, I have abandoned larger dollar per winning trade for smaller losing percentages and only 20-40 trades a day. And that is not much for scalping.