After nine years of trading, if you ask me what the most crucial skill is, the answer might surprise you—it's "waiting."

Many people think traders rely on accurately predicting market trends. But the reality is, market analysis plays a surprisingly small role in actual trading. Most of the time, a seasoned trader is doing one thing: waiting.

Waiting for what? Waiting for the moment when their trading edge is at its peak.

The market fluctuates every day. Some signals show buyers are in control, while others hint that sellers are dominating. When buy signals clearly outweigh sell signals, the market usually tilts in favor of buyers, and vice versa. These moments of clear advantage are when we should take action.

This set of criteria composed of multiple conditions is called a "trading strategy." Only when the market fits the strategy does the probability of winning peak after entering a position.

Some people's trading approach is: constant analysis, endless predictions, and frequent trades. I think this misunderstands the essence of the market. Most of the time, the market is random and chaotic. Our goal isn't to make money from every market move, but to strike decisively when high-probability opportunities arise.

Think of it this way: trading is like hunting. Our job isn't to predict where the prey will run (that's impossible to judge), but to pull the trigger when the prey is within range.

The longer you spend in the market, the more you'll understand: the core of trading is waiting. Learn to filter out all the noise and chaos, and only act when you're most confident—your skills will naturally rise to the next level.