First, you need to identify what you see. Are you in a trending market, or are you in a ranging market? Are you in a market that may be transitioning from a trend into a range, or from a range into a trend?

As you look for that, you will start to notice shapes and patterns that help you build an overall idea of the direction you believe is most likely to prevail.

Notice in the image above that the 5 minute chart is where my trade timing and entry idea will come from. The 15 minute chart helps me see the raw price structure from the higher timeframe, and the 1 minute chart helps me see the raw price structure from the lower timeframe. The two indicators I have on the screen help me see a few different things, but to keep this section clear, I will keep those details to myself for now.

Look at how the blue arrow identifies the previous trend. The yellow arrow points to the range area that developed after the first move. The white arrow shows how my entry idea is sitting on top of two structures that support the buying direction I am trading.

As this was happening live, the 1 minute chart printed an engulfing candle, and a new 15 minute candle opened with the bottom half of the previous candle left as a wick. If you look at the 15 minute chart, you can see my entry is right near the end of the red candle. Also notice that the trade time is set to 30 minutes.

Without mentioning the indicator ideas, this trade was still simple. I took a 30 minute buy from a structure low that had two supporting structures underneath it. Time, shape, and the trade idea all complemented each other. The 30 minute trade time gave the average price run enough room to play out. That is it.

Here is an example of a few more trades I took in that same area.

Look at the yellow arrow. With the shape of the current trend on the 15 minute chart and the attractiveness of that zone, I looked to see what my Williams %R was reading. At the time of entry, it was near the 50 area. When I am looking at a steep shape, I like to see my indicator no lower than the 50 area. I have noticed other shapes where I will overlook that parameter, but those shapes are not as common.

Now look at the overall market cycle shape on the 1 minute chart. Do you see how I am entering off those engulfing candles? Also notice how the market does not just go straight in the direction I want after entry. This is why I space out the time on my trades.

This is what my typical system looks like. First, I identify what I see on the 15 minute chart. While doing that, I mark all of my important price points and market shapes.

Once I have an understanding of the higher timeframe, I start comparing what my 5 minute timeframe indicator readings and market shapes look like. I am thinking, “After I see a price point respected, what do my indicators look like?”

If the target zone and entry shape make sense with the indicator readings, I take the trade.

So many things can influence a trade. Keep your mind focused on how things work, and understand that your trading parameters are there to help you keep up with these ever changing markets. They are not there to make you scared of entries or make you sit there watching good trading ideas pass you by because you are unsure.

You see what you see for a reason. Learn how the indicators you like the most work, journal your trading, take whatever tips from this site fit your style, and scale that.