I trade based on technicals, but the system I use was developed by relying on five principles, the first of which was to "test everything and hold fast only to that which proves to be valid and reliable."
This led me to reject the use of almost all common indicators, such as MACD, RSI, CCI, stochastic oscillators and the like; along with any approaches involving harmonic patterns, Elliot waves, pivot points, Fibonacci ratios and whatnot.
As it turned out, I found the absolute best "atmospheric barometer" for predicting the direction in which exchange rates might ultimately be headed was nothing more than simple moving averages, with a handful of key measures evidencing superior usefulness in this role, which I (and others) call "baselines."
However, to trade with the clarity and precision I desired required me to assign specific temporal values to each individual baseline. This enabled me to answer the questions: What moving average best conveys in which direction and by how much price moves every five minutes? Or every 30 minutes? Or every four hours? Etc.
So, in the same way a pilot is aware that a Boeing 747 will lift off the ground by angling upward at two to three degrees per second with a maximum angle of 10 to 15 degrees; I as a retail trader know the parameters dictating whether an asset is rising or falling from the perspective of a day, swing, or position trader.
This works, even if it seems like an asset keeps going higher and higher, and continues to work so long as up remains up and down remains down.