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In this interview, I sit down with Akil Stokes—forex trader, coach, and co-founder of Tier1Trading—to dig into how he actually operates: why price action and clean support/resistance still anchor his decision-making, how he shifted away from hyper-active day trading, and why “simple, rules-based” beats fancy every time. We also talk timeframes (daily for direction, 4H/1H for execution), building a routine that doesn’t chain you to charts, and the real meaning of compounding beyond the hype.
You’ll learn Akil’s trader strategy in plain English: the price-action core, how to pick targets with intent (not hope), when indicator rules can “dummy-proof” execution, and how to grow capital realistically—whether that’s patiently compounding personal funds or navigating the prop-firm maze without getting burned. We’ll hit psychology and process, too: setting expectations that prevent self-sabotage, a lightweight morning game plan, and an end-of-day review that actually makes you better. If you want a straightforward blueprint you can adapt tomorrow, this convo delivers.
Akil Stokes Playbook & Strategy: How He Actually Trades
Core Philosophy: Price Action First, Structure Decides
Akil Stokes builds everything on clean price action. Support and resistance levels anchor his entries, stops, and targets so decisions stay objective and repeatable rather than “feeling it” on the fly.
- Mark major swing highs/lows on the daily; only trade in/around those zones.
- Entry long only after a bullish rejection at support with the prior swing low intact; entry short only after a bearish rejection at resistance with the prior swing high intact.
- Initial stop goes beyond the structure you’re trading (below support for longs, above resistance for shorts) by the recent ATR(14) × 0.5.
- First target at the next pre-mapped structure level; second target at the next measured move (prior swing magnitude projected).
- If price closes past your level without rejection, stand down—no “anticipatory” entries.
Targets Over Signals: Predict Where Price Is Likely To Go
He learned that focusing on entries alone leaves money on the table; picking the right target is just as critical. The job is to forecast the most probable destination if the thesis is right, then build exits around that, not hope.
- Before entry, draw the “if-right path”: path of least resistance with 2–3 logical target zones.
- Define T1 at the nearest structure for ≥1R, T2 at the next structure for ≥2R; no trade if T1 < 1R.
- Move stop to breakeven only after a close beyond the T1 level (not intrabar tags).
- If momentum stalls one bar before T2 (e.g., inside bar or weak close), trail below/above the last two bar lows/highs to bank strength.
- Never extend targets mid-trade unless new, objective structure forms ahead.
Indicator Rules That “Dummy-Proof” Execution
With age and a busier life, Akil prefers simple, rules-based filters that reduce thinking time and make the method teachable. A lightweight indicator framework on higher timeframes supports quick, consistent decisions.
- Framework: 20/50 EMA trend filter + RSI(14) “regime” line at 50.
- Longs only if price is above the 50 EMA and RSI > 50; shorts only if below 50 EMA and RSI < 50.
- Entry trigger: price rejects structure and closes back in the trend direction while the 20 EMA is on the correct side of price.
- Invalidation: if price closes beyond the opposite structure or RSI crosses the 50 line against the trade, exit remainder immediately.
- Scan once per candle close on the chosen timeframe—no intra-bar tinkering.
Timeframes That Fit Real Life (Daily Bias, Lower-TF Execution Optional)
He aims to commit just minutes per day: daily charts set bias; execution can be as simple as acting at the close. If your schedule is tight, build the plan around the daily consistency beats “catching action” you can’t sustain.
- If you can’t watch screens for blocks of hours, trade the daily close: scan, set orders, walk away.
- Reserve lower-timeframe (4H/1H) execution only when you can monitor consistently; otherwise, skip.
- Create fixed check-in windows (e.g., 8:00 and 20:00 local) and ban ad-hoc chart checks outside them.
- If your weekly availability varies (e.g., Monday only), avoid day trading—pick a timeframe you can repeat every day.
Risk & Expectations: Compounding Beats Hustle
Chasing big monthly percentages breeds rule-breaking; steady compounding wins. Map realistic return paths and protect your edge from “I need 20% this month” thinking that turns good traders reckless.
- Risk 0.5–1.0% per trade; cap daily loss at 2% and trading halts after the cap is hit.
- Hard monthly drawdown stops at 6%; pause trading for review if hit.
- Pre-commit to an annualized target band (e.g., 12–30%) and refuse to “stretch” mid-month.
- If you log a strong month (e.g., 8–12%), don’t inflate targets next month—size stays constant until a full quarter is reviewed.
- Equity curve rule: Two consecutive losing weeks trigger a size cut by 50% until one profitable week prints.
Prop-Firm Readiness: Simulate Before You Challenge
Treat evaluations like a sport scrimmage: replicate the rules for 3–6 months and judge performance against the same metrics. If the sim isn’t clean, the real thing won’t be either.
- Mirror the firm’s risk caps (daily, total, max leverage) in your platform; make violations auto-flat positions.
- Require a minimum 3-month track where: profit target met, no rule breaches, ≤10% max drawdown, ≥45% win rate, ≥1.5 profit factor.
- Practice news risk: forbid new entries within 15 minutes before Tier-1 events; widen stops or flatten per plan.
- Pass/Fail gate: two breaches or one monthly equity dip below −8% resets the sim clock.
- Only attempt the real challenge after two consecutive “passes” under identical rules.
Daily & Weekly Routine (Minimal Time, Maximum Consistency)
His endgame is a routine you can run quickly and the same way every day. A repeatable checklist removes guesswork and keeps your plan intact when life gets busy.
- Daily (10–15 min): mark fresh structure on the daily, confirm trend filter, set or adjust stop/targets, and journal intent before placing orders.
- Mid-week review (30–45 min): grade each trade vs. plan (setup, risk, management); tag deviations and set one fix for the coming week.
- Weekly prep (60 min): update watchlist of 8–12 instruments, prune anything with messy structure, and pre-write “if-right paths” and target maps.
- Discretion lock: any trade lacking a written if-right path and two target levels is auto-disqualified.
Lifestyle Alignment: Choose the Style That Actually Fits
Ambition is fine, but the plan must fit your life, or you’ll apply it inconsistently. Start with your available time, then pick the strategy that matches—action for its own sake is a trap.
- Inventory your schedule honestly; if you can’t commit to block time, ban day trading and work off daily closes.
- Select instruments with active sessions that match your check-in windows; ignore the rest.
- Write a “no FOMO” rule: if a setup triggers outside your window, it wasn’t yours—no chasing later.
- Quarterly, reassess availability and only then consider adding lower-timeframe executions.
Size Risk First: Fixed Percent Per Trade, Never Stretch Mid-Month
Akil Stokes keeps the math simple so the emotions stay quiet. He risks a fixed percent per trade—usually a small, repeatable number—so one loss can’t dent confidence or derail the plan. That fixed fraction forces position size to adapt to volatility and stop distance instead of gut feel. If the setup doesn’t offer at least one unit of reward for that unit of risk, he skips it without debate.
He also refuses to “stretch” after a hot streak, and that’s the part most traders ignore. Akil Stokes pre-commits to a monthly risk budget and shuts it down if he hits his drawdown limit, protecting the equity curve from revenge trades. Wins don’t trigger bigger risk either; size only changes after a scheduled review, not a lucky week. The message is clear: consistency in risk frees you to be inconsistent nowhere else.
Let Structure Lead: Trend Filter, Clean Levels, No Anticipatory Entries
Akil Stokes starts with structure and lets the market do the confirming. He marks the obvious swing highs and lows first, then applies a simple trend filter so he’s only looking for longs in uptrends and shorts in downtrends. No guessing, no front-running—he waits for a clean rejection or close back in line with the bias before touching the buy or sell button. If price slices straight through a level without respect, he stands aside rather than forcing an idea.
Once the structure is confirmed, Akil Stokes defines the trade with surgical clarity. The stop lives beyond the level that was just validated, and the first target sits at the next mapped zone to lock in a minimum 1R. If the candle close doesn’t match the plan, there’s no trade—he’d rather miss than chase. The result is a calm, rules-first process where structure leads and execution follows, not the other way around.
Targets Before Signals: Map If-Right Path, Bank T1, Trail Strength
Akil Stokes plans exits before he even thinks about the entry trigger. He sketches an “if-right path” with two to three logical destinations so he’s trading to a map, not a hope. T1 lives at the nearest meaningful structure to secure at least 1R and pay for the trade emotionally and financially.
After T1, Akil Stokes lets Price earn its freedom. If momentum closes cleanly through structure, he trails below/above the last two bars and aims for T2; if momentum stalls, he takes the hint and tightens quickly. He never extends targets mid-trade unless fresh, objective structure forms ahead. The bias: targets define the game, signals just start the clock.
Volatility-Aware Positioning: ATR-Anchored Stops, Scale Out Into Momentum
Akil Stokes sizes positions to volatility so his risk stays consistent when markets get loud or quiet. He places stops beyond structure using a fraction of ATR, letting the noise breathe while keeping the risk per trade fixed. If the ATR-based stop pushes position size too small to reach 1R at T1, he simply passes on the setup.
Once in, Akil Stokes takes profit into strength instead of waiting for perfection. He banks T1 at the next clean level, then trails behind recent swing lows/highs or a multiple of ATR to let momentum do the lifting. If volatility compresses (ATR drops), he tightens the trail to avoid dead money; if it expands, he widens slightly to prevent getting wicked out. The rule set turns volatility from a threat into a parameter you can plan for.
Discipline On Autopilot: Daily Routine, Weekly Review, Rules Over Hunches
Akil Stokes treats consistency like a checklist, not a mood. Each session begins with a quick mark-up of fresh structure, a trend filter check, and a written “if-right path” with target levels before any order is placed. He limits chart time to set windows so FOMO can’t sneak in between errands and emails. If a setup triggers outside his window, he lets it go—no screenshots, no second-guessing, no revenge trades.
At week’s end, Akil Stokes grades execution, not just results. Every trade is tagged pass/fail against the plan: correct setup, correct size, correct management, correct exit. Two failed process trades in a week trigger an automatic size cut until the next green week. The meta-rule is simple: when the routine runs the day, the day can’t run you.
Akil Stokes leaves you with a blueprint that’s simple on paper and powerful in practice. Compounding only works if you’re still in the game, so he sizes risk small and lets position size flex with stop distance instead of ego. Price action is the backbone—support and resistance set the entry, the stop lives beyond structure, and targets are mapped before any trigger. Most of your edge comes from picking destinations, not calling turns; Akil Stokes stresses planning the “if-right path,” banking T1 to get paid, then trailing into strength. The routine ties it all together: fixed check-in windows, end-of-day reviews, and a written plan that eliminates mid-trade improvisation.
He also reminds traders to build a life-compatible process and measure progress in clean, repeatable execution. If your availability is limited, the daily chart is your friend; if you run prop evaluations, simulate the rules for months before you ever pay a fee. Volatility isn’t a threat when you anchor stops to ATR and demand at least 1R to the first target. Drawdown limits protect your year when emotions flare, and size only changes on schedule, not after a lucky week. In short, Akil Stokes shows that a rules-first framework—structure, targets, risk, and routine—turns trading from a guessing game into a durable craft.
