One Prop Trader a Day - Suraj Sharma: Discipline Matters More Than Strategy

Quick intro – who are you, and what do you trade?

My name is Suraj Sharma, also known online as BokaroTraderFx. I am 27 years old and from Bokaro, Jharkhand, India. I started trading shortly after college and have been in the markets for more than four years, and in prop trading for around a year and a half. I currently trade US stocks and US futures. I am funded with a $25,000 stock account through Trade The Pool and a $50,000 futures account through Blue Guardian Futures. I also create trading content as BokaroTraderFx on YouTube, where I share my journey, including how I passed the Trade The Pool evaluation. Today trading is my full-time focus.

When did you become a funded trader? What changed for you at that point?

I became funded after more than a year of trying in the prop trading industry. The biggest change wasn’t financial — it was psychological. Getting funded showed me that I could finally follow rules, manage risk properly, and stay disciplined long enough to pass an evaluation.

What’s the first thing you bought or paid off with trading money that felt like proof it was working?

The first payout I received wasn’t very large — around $50 from a CFD prop firm — but it meant a lot. It wasn’t about the amount. After months of learning, failing evaluations, blowing accounts, and dealing with self-doubt, seeing real trading money arrive felt like proof that the process could actually work.

How many times did you fail before getting funded? What kept you going?

I failed around 10 evaluations before becoming funded: 7 CFD accounts, 2 futures accounts, and 1 stock account. What kept me going was the belief that every failure was teaching me something.

What’s the single most expensive lesson you’ve paid for? Put a number on it.

The most expensive lesson was that discipline matters more than strategy. Early on I spent roughly $300 to $400 on failed evaluations, resets, and mistakes caused by overtrading and poor risk management. Once I focused on controlling risk and avoiding emotional decisions, my trading started improving.

What was your lowest point in trading? Did you ever consider quitting?

My lowest point came after blowing multiple prop accounts despite spending countless hours studying the markets. I seriously considered quitting and questioned whether I was capable of becoming a funded trader.

Did trading ever affect you mentally or emotionally?

Absolutely. Trading brought stress, anxiety, overtrading, and self-doubt. The biggest challenge wasn’t learning the markets — it was learning how to manage my emotions.

What does your trading style look like today?

I trade both US futures (NQ, ES) and US stocks (penny stocks). For futures I primarily use VWAP and Bookmap. For stocks I focus on the 20 SMA, 200 SMA, price expansion, momentum, and trend continuation setups. Risk management remains the foundation of my trading.

What’s a typical trading day for you?

I review market news, mark key levels, prepare scenarios, wait for my setups, execute according to plan, and journal my trades afterward.

Walk us through your most recent losing trade.

Recently I took a futures trade after seeing buyers defending an area around VWAP and liquidity building on Bookmap. The market failed to attract enough buying pressure and rotated lower. I respected my stop loss and exited according to plan.

What’s a popular trading rule or piece of advice that you completely ignore — and why?

“Trade every day.” If conditions are unclear, staying flat is often the best trade.

Do people around you understand what you do? How do they react?

When I first started, most people around me didn’t understand trading — many viewed it as gambling. My family had doubts initially, but became more supportive as they saw my dedication and progress.

How has trading impacted your lifestyle?

Trading has made me more disciplined, patient, and self-aware. It has taught me how to handle uncertainty and take responsibility for my decisions.

What separates you from someone who washed out at their third evaluation?

The difference is simple: I stayed in the game long enough to learn. Persistence gave me enough time to improve my skills, risk management, and psychology.

What advice would you give yourself one year ago?

Slow down. Focus on protecting capital instead of chasing quick results. Consistency comes before profitability.

If prop firms disappeared tomorrow, would you still be trading? Doing what?

Yes. I would continue trading my own account and remain involved in the financial markets.

If I gave you a $1,000,000 funded account today, what would you do in the first 7 days?

I would focus on protecting the account, trading smaller than usual, understanding the conditions, and prioritizing consistency over profits.