When to start adding size...

[spy74]

Interested in any thoughts from experienced hands on the how and when of starting to add size to your trading clip

I currently trade 1 lot, have traded on a Sim for several months and live for 2.5 months. I'm profitable each of those months (even each of those weeks within those months), and gaining confidence in consistently applying my set-ups and sticking to the stops/limits etc etc in my trading plan (which is a written document). I've managed to cover my trading costs these two months with a small amount left over in the tin.

The biggest issue I have is not taking all trades in my trading plan, and taking profits too early, hence while I have quite a decent number of profitable days each month, they're still quite low relative to what i was doing on the Sim, and certainly what I could be doing if I took each trade - hence on days when i reach my daily stop ...i can erase 2 days profit.

gut feel (and my trading plan) is that I should wait until i'm taking all/most trades and racking up a few reasonably good days in a row before adding another contract.

Also, i require 10k (in the currency of the contract I'm trading) of risk capital per contract - too conservative :?:

keen to get some feedback on this approach

 

[MarketMoverTrader]

I'm not very experienced, but I'll give you my thoughts anyway because nobody else has replied.
I'm learning from a couple of very very successful and experienced traders anyway.
This is just my own reasoning, take it or leave it:

The biggest increase you should ever do is from 1 lot to 2, which is a 100% increase in capital. Thereafter just increase 1 at a time. I have an example trading plan of this, albiet abitious: http://www.marketmovertrader.net/?page_id=76 - this givem me predetermined point at which I increase my lots. A preplanned 'map' to grow your account is very important.

My issue is also cutting my profits, as well as my losses. It's a common trading error and is considered by market/traing psychology types as almost as bad as not learning to cut your losses.

Go with your gut feel, but write it down and stick to it. More just a few reasonably good days in a row should pass I think. Try a month maybe - or have a specific account balance target.