Getting funded is a milestone.
Staying funded for three years straight? That’s mastery.
Most traders pass a prop firm challenge, only to lose the account within weeks. I managed to hold mine — a $50,000 funded account — for over three years without violations, consistent withdrawals, and increased capital allocations.
Here’s the truth: It wasn’t some secret strategy. It was boring discipline. And if you’re serious about turning funded trading into a career, this is what it actually takes.
The Reality of Funded Trading
Funded accounts come with strict rules:
- Maximum daily and overall drawdowns
- Risk limits
- Trading day minimums
- News restrictions (depending on the firm)
You can’t just trade however you feel. You need structure and professionalism.
The Habits That Kept Me Funded for 3+ Years
1. Daily Journaling — Every Trade Logged
From day one, I journaled every trade and every trading day.
I logged:
- Entry/exit reasons
- Emotions felt before and after
- Why I passed on certain setups
- What I would improve the next day
This helped me stay self-aware and adaptive. I wasn’t reacting — I was analyzing and this led how i Created a Winning Trading Routine. A traditional journal is also very important.
2. Strict Risk Management
Even when I had a strong setup, I rarely risked more than 1% per trade. On quiet days, I reduced it to 0.5%. My goal was to stay in the game, not chase big wins. You can read through the Position Size Calculator to properly manage your trade .
Position Sizing and Risk Management – Babypipshttps://www.babypips.com/tools/position-size-calculator#:~:text=Proper%20position%20sizing%20is%20key,your%20maximum%20risk%20per%20position.
3. Mastering Emotional Control
When you’re funded, the emotional stakes are higher. I’ve passed on trades during emotional days, closed the charts after three losses, and even walked away for full days when I knew I was off.
Internal Link: How to Stay Emotionally Stable During Market Volatility
External Link: Controlling Your Emotions in Forex – BabyPips
4. Backtesting Never Stopped
Most traders stop backtesting once they go live. I didn’t.
Every quarter, I’d go back through:
- My top 5 pairs
- Entry/exit models
- Risk-reward ratios
- Failed trades and missed setups
I used this data to refine, not reinvent.
Internal Link: How I Passed My $100K Prop Firm Challenge in 63 Days (After Almost Blowing It)
External Link: How to Backtest a Forex Strategy – BabyPips
5. I Kept Learning
Even after funding, I still:
- Attended webinars
- Reviewed losing weeks
- Studied price action with fresh eyes
- Read articles from FNFOREX and BabyPips
- Followed mentors with real consistency
Internal Link: The Process of Learning Forex: A Step-by-Step Guide for Beginners
External Link: BabyPips School of Pipsology
The Benefits of Staying Funded
- Regular profit splits every month or quarter
- Scaling opportunities (I later got offered $100K and more)
- Trust from prop firms — better terms, less restrictions
- Confidence and peace of mind — no rush, no panic, no pressure
Mistakes I Avoided
- No overleveraging
- No copying random signals
- No “hope trades” during news
- No FOMO entries
- No overtrading during low-volume sessions
My Advice for Traders Trying to Stay Funded
- Keep a journal — it’s your best teacher
- Follow your system religiously
- Don’t rush payouts — protect the capital first
- Risk small. Survive long. Win big over time
- Don’t stop learning once you’re funded
Final Thoughts
Staying funded isn’t about catching the perfect trade — it’s about avoiding the reckless ones.
It’s not about how much you make in a month — it’s about how long you stay in the game.
I’ve seen traders blow $100K in 2 days because of one mistake. I’ve made it 3+ years because I followed the basics religiously.
So if you’re aiming to get — and stay — funded, take this seriously.
Treat your funded account like a business. Track it. Respect it. Grow it.
And if you need mentorship, a plan, and a professional framework, FNFOREX Academy telegram group is here to answer your questions and guide you through every process.