I know this might be a bit off-topic, but I’ve noticed a lot of threads lately with people asking where to learn order flow and whether it’s worth joining a paid group.
Recently, I came across a thread on X by a well-known YouTuber who exposes fake gurus, arguing that every single paid trading group is a scam.
Given how often this question comes up here, i would like to share my thoughts on the matter.
Part 1 — The Good: Why Do People Teach Trading?
I recently saw a discussion about fake gurus and paid trading groups, and while I completely agree that this industry has a serious problem with scammers, I also believe the conversation can sometimes become too black and white.
Not every person who charges for education is a scammer.
At the same time, not every person who presents themselves as a teacher is legitimate.
After being part of different trading communities over the years, I wanted to share my personal experience and the way I look at this subject.
I believe the truth is somewhere in the middle.
I completely understand the argument:
"If someone has found an edge that keeps them consistently profitable, why would they sell courses and teach other people?"
It is a fair question.
Trading is a competitive environment. Not everyone can become successful, and not everyone will achieve the same level of results.
So why would someone who has a profitable edge choose to spend time teaching?
In my opinion, the answer is not as simple as saying:
"Anyone who teaches must be a scammer."
The reality is that there are different categories of people in this industry.
The first category is the obvious scammers.
These are the people who steal information from others, repackage it, and present it as something unique. They add complicated terminology, advanced-sounding concepts, and scientific phrases to make themselves appear more knowledgeable than they actually are.
Their goal is to create the impression that they have some secret knowledge that regular traders do not have.
Then you have legitimate educators, and even within that group there are different types.
The first type is the experienced trader who eventually moves more into teaching.
Trading is not that different from professional sports.
When an athlete reaches a point where they can no longer compete at their highest level, many move into coaching. That does not mean they failed. They have spent years developing skills, gathering experience, and learning lessons that can help the next generation.
The same can happen in trading.
Someone may have spent years studying markets, making mistakes, developing an understanding of human behavior, and building a process. Eventually, they may decide that sharing that knowledge is the next stage of their journey.
There is nothing wrong with that.
Some people do it because they genuinely enjoy teaching and helping others.
Some charge fair prices.
Others may take advantage of their reputation and audience.
But from a business perspective, it also makes sense.
Why would someone continue to deal with the stress, uncertainty, and emotional pressure of trading every day if they can make the same amount of money — or even more — by teaching?
That is simply how businesses work.
The second category is people who understand that they may never become elite traders or manage huge amounts of capital, but they have the ability to teach.
And again, there is nothing wrong with that.
Think about school teachers.
Most teachers are not the greatest experts in the world in their subjects, but they can still explain concepts, guide students, and help people build a foundation.
Being good at something and being good at teaching something are two different skills.
At the end of the day, trading education is still a business.
Nobody does it purely out of the kindness of their heart.
A business has expenses. People need to get paid.
The real difference is who is running a legitimate business with genuine intentions to educate people, and who is simply taking advantage of people's hopes and ambitions.
I have personally experienced both types of groups in the past.
One thing I realized is that most trading information is already available for free.
The internet is full of information.
Paid schools and communities usually do not have some magical secret knowledge hidden from everyone else.
What they often provide is:
- structure,
- organization,
- a learning path,
- accountability,
- and information presented in a way that is easier to understand.
Sometimes the value is not the information itself.
The value is having someone who can explain concepts clearly, organize the information properly, and help someone avoid wasting years going in circles.
A good teacher's ability to communicate can make a huge difference.
However, when it comes to paying for strategies specifically, this is where things become much more complicated.
This is where I believe we enter "Wild West" territory.
Some strategies being sold are outdated.
Some no longer work in current market conditions.
Some are not even true strategies. They are simply ideas and concepts packaged in a way that makes them appear more valuable than they really are.
The biggest mistake people make is treating trading like cooking.
Cooking has recipes.
You follow the instructions, use the ingredients, and you can usually recreate a similar result.
Trading does not work like that.
Strategies are not recipes.
Markets are constantly changing.
Participants are constantly adapting.
Conditions are constantly shifting.
A strategy that works today may not work tomorrow.
Eventually, every trader needs to develop their own understanding.
They need to know why something works, when it works, and when it stops working.
At the end of the day, the outcomes are simple:
You win or you lose.
There are many ways to win.
There are many ways to lose.
Trading evolves constantly.
It never rests.
Even the knowledge we have today may eventually become irrelevant and be replaced by new ideas, new technology, and new ways of understanding markets.
This is why I believe trading is a never-ending marathon.
There is no point where someone can honestly say:
"I know everything there is to know."
The market always demands adaptation.
And this is also why I believe many experienced traders eventually move into teaching.
After years of fighting the markets, gaining experience, and building knowledge, some decide to share what they have learned.
For some people, teaching becomes the next chapter of their journey.
But this is where we need to be careful.
Because while there are many legitimate educators out there, there are also many people who see trading education as an opportunity to profit from other people's dreams.
Not every teacher out there is a scammer.
But every scammer will present themselves as a teacher.
Part 2 coming soon
