David Acosta, a 34-year-old Colombian trader, turned a $400 loss into a series of profitable wins by mastering discipline and strategy. From early mornings analyzing the gold market to building his own trading journal, his experience is full of lessons and triumphs. Read about his incredible journey and watch the interview
Welcome, David. It’s a pleasure to have you here!
Thank you so much - it’s an honor to be the first in what I’m sure will be a long list. I’m excited to share my story with you and the audience!
Let’s talk a bit about you. Who is David Acosta, and how did you get to this point?
I’m David Acosta, Colombian, 34 years old. I started trading in 2020, right when the pandemic changed everyone’s lives. I lost my stable job after more than ten years in a traditional role. Looking for something different that would challenge me, I discovered trading. Although here in Colombia, trading is often associated with pyramid schemes, I wanted to work for myself without involving others. That’s how my journey began.
Have you ever fallen for a scam in trading?
No, I’ve always been very careful. I research a lot before investing my money in anything. I analyze the pros and cons to make informed decisions and avoid unnecessary risks.
Why made you choose trading?
I’m passionate about personal development. Trading isn’t just an economic opportunity; it’s also a challenge to be disciplined, structured, and achieve goals. That’s what motivated me to focus on this world.
So, you think personal development—working on improving your life and all that—is important for growth in the trading sector?
Absolutely. I feel like when you approach trading, you can’t do it just thinking about financial gain. It’s about what trading brings to you as a person, the value it generates, and how it transforms you day by day. That’s what I think is most important.
How did you get started with trading?
I started with binary options, influenced by advertisements. I vividly remember an ad showing charts going up and the constant sound of “profit.” I thought, “Is it really that easy to make money?” So, I decided to give it a try with $100, but that turned into my first loss because I lacked technical knowledge and wasn’t emotionally prepared to handle the stress of short-term trades. It was an experience that taught me a lot.
How did you transition from binary options to trading in other markets?
It was a tough process. I practiced on demo accounts for one or two years. Initially, I wanted to specialize in binary options, but over time I realized that market had many limitations, especially in terms of risk management and flexibility. My early experiences were challenging, with many losses due to a lack of strategy and emotional control.
I decided to explore Forex because it offers a broader market, greater liquidity, and constant opportunities. I spent months studying concepts like technical and fundamental analysis, learning about risk management, and practicing on demo accounts. I took the time to adapt to the change and build a solid strategy. That effort helped me better understand how the market works and make a safer transition to trading real money in Forex and other assets.
How would you describe your learning process?
The first thing was practicing on demo accounts to identify errors and refine my strategy. Transitioning to a real account with consistent results was a crucial step toward starting to generate profits.
What led you to consider prop trading and funded accounts?
In Latin America, starting with $100 isn’t very profitable. While researching, I found funded accounts, which offer more capital and clear rules for trading. These rules motivated me to prove my consistency and improve as a trader.
Tell us about your experience with The Trading Pit and your first withdrawal.
I researched a lot about The Trading Pit and its founder before starting the challenge. I was impressed by their structure and the support in their Discord community. I felt it was a close-knit company with a team that’s very attentive and quick to respond to traders’ questions.
I started the challenge and passed it in about two weeks, managing a risk of 0.5% to 1% per trade. I mainly traded gold against the US dollar, which is my favorite asset because of its constant liquidity. What attracted me most to The Trading Pit was their scaling plan, which allows you to grow progressively by demonstrating consistency and profitability over time.
So far, I’ve made two withdrawals totaling $1,200, and I’m on track to make a third one, which I hope will exceed $2,000. The experience has been incredibly positive, from technical support to delivering on their promises. For me, $1,200 is almost half a year’s salary in Colombia, which motivates me even more to keep trading and improving.
What’s the importance of having a good setup? Do you trade with five screens or just your laptop?
At first, I thought having a super-sophisticated setup was very important. I used to say I needed at least two screens and a fully equipped trading space. But over time, I realized that it’s not necessary. Today, I only trade with a mouse, which is essential for me, and my personal laptop. That’s all I need.
I think what matters most is having the motivation and the willingness to learn and grow. That’s the key to trading—and to life. Once you have that drive, everything else falls into place.
How would you describe your trading style?
Simple and trend-based. I use Fibonacci retracements to identify entry points and rely on fundamentals, but I avoid trading during high-volatility events.
You mentioned Fibonacci indicators earlier. Could you explain a bit more about how you use them?
Sure. Basically, I analyze the market’s trend. For instance, if it’s a downtrend, the first thing I do is identify strong points or support and resistance levels. I use the Fibonacci retracement tool and, if it’s a downtrend, I wait for it to recover to 50% or 60% at most. That’s where I enter my trade and ride it down to the previous low point. It’s that simple. For an uptrend, it’s the same, but in reverse. That’s how straightforward my strategy is.
Do you keep a trading journal and structure your trades?
Yes, I have a trading journal. I built it myself in Excel. I track the percentage I win or lose daily, as well as my monthly accumulated percentage. I also review all my losing trades.
Most of my trades follow the same principles: Fibonacci retracements and trends. I meticulously log all my trades daily, which helps me analyze my results and continuously improve.
What’s your average monthly win rate?
The last trades I closed were yesterday, and this month, I have a win rate of 67%.
That’s amazing. Wow!
Yeah, it’s pretty good.
Do you have a daily routine before trading?
Timing is crucial for me. Right now, in Colombia, it’s 4 or 4:30 a.m. By this time, I would have already analyzed the market and know what news is coming, especially from the US, which impacts gold the most. The main news comes out at 8:30 a.m. Colombian time. By then, I should already have my trades in the market.
If I have an edge in a trade, I let it play out; if not, I close it. If the news isn’t favorable, I close the trade. But if it is, that’s where the profits come in.
My day starts early. I wake up at 3 a.m., take my 12-year-old dog for a walk, prepare coffee (I’m Colombian, so coffee is a must), and spend some time praying. I think that clears my mind and prepares me to understand market movements better. While I don’t wake up at the same time every day, I try to stick to this routine most of the time. And if I sleep in a bit on some days, that’s fine too; it’s important not to be too hard on yourself.
How do you handle emotions when things don’t go as expected?
I’ve learned not to blame the market or seek revenge. When I have a bad trade, I close the screen and stop trading for the day. Remembering negative experiences helps me avoid repeating mistakes.
What motivates you to keep trading after everything you’ve experienced?
My main motivation is personal growth. Trading has helped me improve tremendously as a person. Of course, the financial aspect is important, but it’s not my main driver. When I stopped trying to emulate “gurus” and started viewing trading as a tool for personal development and an additional income source, I found greater satisfaction.
Do you have any success stories that stand out for you?
Yes, recently, when I started making withdrawals with The Trading Pit. Converting dollars to Colombian pesos felt like a small graduation for me after all the work I’ve put in. I feel like this marks the beginning of many positive things.
Finally, could you share a motivational quote with our audience?
Don’t stop, because you’re closer to achieving what you want. If you quit now, you’ll always wonder what could have been.
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