With focus, energy, deliberation and stamina; I call it, "FEDS," you will be able to identify a well founded trading plan for each of the 25 instruments; however, only consider 2 or 3 when you first start looking at available options.  My favorites are, eMini. Euro, Gold, Oil, and T-Bond.  That is not to say that they are more important than Cocoa, Coffee, Cotton, Sugar.  It is just to say:  Pick a few to first acquaint yourself with some instruments.  Get acquainted, get engaged, get intimate!  Yes, bigamy is authorized.  You are allowed to be married to more than one instrument.

Repeated above is treatment of two concepts I consider paramount to trading effectively.

1. FEDS
2. Plan

Trading is war! Trading effectively means winning battles.  Every day you trade, you enter into battle.  Your sword is your money, your inventory, your capital, your everything besides the tools we discuss here.

Sun Tzu was a famous Chinese warrior who first documented military strategy and tactics.  He has been studied and followed by military generals for two thousand years but only embraced in the Western World for about a hundred years when the French version was translated into German around turn of last century.

Read a summary below.  Then find yourself a "readable" version of the translation. Many versions are difficult to interpret, so search for a copy of the book that you may read like a novel.  I found one, given to my by a student in 2009.  Ask me for the author's name and I will provide it.

The Wikipedia extract included below will put you on the right path because the included chapter summary categorizes the concepts you will need to convert from military to economics of trading. This is an exercise that will consume some time and that time is better spread over a lot of time:  months. Do the work and become a winner.  The first chapter discusses: plan, a most important concept and your roadmap to success.  Until you have developed your own plan with your own pen, you have not even gotten close to winning.

Trading requires a great deal of homework and in depth study.

Chapter summary

The Art of War                 

Chapter summary

1. Laying Plans/The Calculations explores the five fundamental factors (the Way, seasons, terrain, leadership and management) and seven elements that determine the outcomes of military engagements. By thinking, assessing and comparing these points, a commander can calculate his chances of victory. Habitual deviation from these calculations will ensure failure via improper action. The text stresses that war is a very grave matter for the state and must not be commenced without due consideration.                                                          [Analysis] [Trading Plan]
2. Waging War/The Challenge explains how to understand the economy of warfare and how success requires winning decisive engagements quickly. This section advises that successful military campaigns require limiting the cost of competition and conflict.                        [Trading]
3. Attack by Stratagem/The Plan of Attack defines the source of strength as unity, not size, and discusses the five factors that are needed to succeed in any war. In order of importance, these critical factors are: Attack, Strategy, Alliances, Army and Cities.                [Ninja Strategy]
4. Tactical Dispositions/Positioning explains the importance of defending existing positions until a commander is capable of advancing from those positions in safety. It teaches commanders the importance of recognizing strategic opportunities, and teaches not to create opportunities for the enemy.                                                                                                                                 [Let Winners Run - Take Losers Off]
5. Energy/Directing explains the use of creativity and timing in building an army's momentum.                                       [Weekend Research]
6. Weak Points & Strong/Illusion and Reality explains how an army's opportunities come from the openings in the environment caused by the relative weakness of the enemy in a given area.                                                                                [Enter ONLY high probability setups]
7. Maneuvering/Engaging The Force explains the dangers of direct conflict and how to win those confrontations when they are forced upon the commander.                                                                                           [Regularly search for trade setups in alternative instruments]
8. Variation in Tactics/The Nine Variations focuses on the need for flexibility in an army's responses. It explains how to respond to shifting circumstances successfully.                                                                        [Immediately Reverse Trade Direction @ Momentum Shift]
9. The Army on the March/Moving The Force describes the different situations in which an army finds itself as it moves through new enemy territories, and how to respond to these situations. Much of this section focuses on evaluating the intentions of others. [Know to Avoid Chop]
10. Terrain/Situational Positioning looks at the three general areas of resistance (distance, dangers and barriers) and the six types of ground positions that arise from them. Each of these six field positions offer certain advantages and disadvantages.  [Apply appropriate indicators]
11. The Nine Situations/Nine Terrains describes the nine common situations (or stages) in a campaign, from scattering to deadly, and the specific focus that a commander will need in order to successfully navigate them.       [Again: Know when to trade; Know to Avoid Chop]
12. The Attack by Fire/Fiery Attack explains the general use of weapons and the specific use of the environment as a weapon. This section examines the five targets for attack, the five types of environmental attack and the appropriate responses to such attacks.[Trade FOMC News]
13. The Use of Spies/The Use of Intelligence focuses on the importance of developing good information sources, and specifies the five types of intelligence sources and how to best manage each of them. ^{[citation needed]}                                 [Insider trader trading is against the law!]

 Quiz:  Think through the 13 summarized actions. Analyze the suggestions.
           Attempt to improve each one to the role it plays in your trading.