Most traders react with pure excitement when they hear their Payout has been approved. But bbd88's first reaction was different: "Is my approach to trading truly valid? I need to refine and solidify it further." Verification came before celebration.

This was his first time in prop trading. After discovering LifeUp through a video, his very first attempt yielded a Payout, backed by a 13-trade winning streak and a 90% win rate on longs. With an average hold time of under 3 minutes, he is a classic scalper.

Reading through his responses reveals that behind this record lies a history of blown accounts. Here is our interview with bbd88 on the single core principle he learned from those failures—and why sticking to it is still a daily challenge.

Q. Great to have you! Please introduce yourself with your nickname.

A. Hello, I go by bbd88.

Q. What were you doing when you received the Payout approval, and how did it feel?

A. Rather than pure excitement, my immediate thought was whether my trading methodology is truly working, and that I need to refine it to be even more consistent going forward.

Q. There are many prop firms out there. Why did you choose LifeUp? What did you like, and where could we improve?

A. This was my first time prop trading. I came across Junho Cho's video by chance and decided to get started. Primarily, it being a Korean firm gave me the confidence to trust the platform.

Never Fight the Market Trend

Q. During your Challenge period, you had a 13-trade winning streak, with your long win rate exceeding 90%. How does it feel when everything clicks? Do you find yourself becoming more cautious during a winning run?

A. After blowing accounts multiple times, the biggest lesson I learned in futures trading is never to fight the trend. I focus on adapting flexibly to the prevailing trend and staying disciplined with it. I deliberately avoid taking positions based on assumptions like 'it has risen this much, so it must fall now.' I work hard to keep my personal opinions and emotions completely out of my entries.

Q. Your trade review shows an average hold time under 3 minutes, rarely exceeding 10 minutes. How did you settle on this style? What criteria do you use to execute and exit within minutes?

A. After trying various approaches, I realized my personality is best suited for scalping with the trend, so I stayed with it. I plan to stick to this strategy going forward.
Like many traders, my entry timing, stop-loss, and exit criteria focus on breakouts and support/resistance around previous highs and lows. I consistently focus on predefining strict stop-loss and profit target levels.

Q. On your final trading day, you were down over $500 intraday before recovering everything in about 20 minutes. With a Payout on the line, pressure must have been high. How did you stay composed?

A. I'm human, so trading purely mechanically isn't easy. I try to execute strictly by my rules, but there are times I fall short. When taking losses, I constantly ask myself: Did I execute according to my playbook, or am I trading emotionally? That self-reflection helps me reset.

Q. Were there any books, videos, or mentors that shaped your development? What are you studying right now?

A. I don't follow any single source. I watch various traders' videos and review trading journals on community forums to analyze how others view the market. I see if their perspectives align with mine, patch any gaps in my execution, and review chart histories.

Try to Make It Back in One Trade, and You'll Blow Up in One Trade

Q. Many traders are currently grinding through their Challenge Accounts. What is one piece of advice from someone who has passed?

A. Eliminate greed—that is the most critical factor. Once price violates your parameters, execute your stop-loss or profit target without hesitation. If you try to recover losses in a single trade, you will blow up your account in a single trade. I learned that the hard way.

Q. Did you reward yourself with this Payout? If not yet, what are your plans?

A. It goes straight back into trading capital. I still have a long way to go.

Q. Final question: What kind of trader do you aim to become?

A. A trader who operates without regret and holds himself accountable. If someone asks, "Why did you take that trade?" I want to provide a clear, logical thesis backed by consistent performance. Right now, I still feel like I have a lot to learn.

Ending the interview with "I still have a lot to learn" might seem overly critical for a trader who pulled off a 13-trade winning streak and secured a Payout on his first prop run. But re-reading his responses makes it clear this isn't false modesty. Admitting that mechanical execution is hard, that sticking to a framework often fails without discipline, and that trying to make it all back at once leads to blowing up—these are the reflections of a trader who rigorously evaluates his performance.
That is why, rather than celebrating the Payout approval, his first thought was, "Is my trading truly valid?" For a trader who questions his edge every day, becoming someone who can back every execution with solid reasoning and consistent results won't take long.