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How to Day Trade: The Plain Truth
If you want to know the truth about what professional day trading is like—and how to get started with a solid foundation—then this will be the most important book you'll listen to all year.
Ross Cameron is the guy who turned an initial investment of $583 into more than $10 million. No, his results aren't typical—and in fact, day trading didn’t come easily to him. This book describes what it's really like to go from knowing nothing about day trading to becoming highly successful at it.
But much more than a story about Ross Cameron, it's a guidebook about the lessons he's learned along the way. Why make all the mistakes yourself? You'll discover 20 specific "guardrails" that Cameron used to save himself massive grief and money. They might help you on your path to becoming a day trader.
How to Day The Plain Truth contains brutal honesty about day trading, including who's suited for it and who shouldn’t even try.
If you're looking for a sales pitch about how "anyone can succeed at day trading," this is not the book for you. If you're looking for a realistic and useful description of the highly misunderstood profession of day trading, you just found it.
Ross Cameron is the guy who turned an initial investment of $583 into more than $10 million. No, his results aren't typical—and in fact, day trading didn’t come easily to him. This book describes what it's really like to go from knowing nothing about day trading to becoming highly successful at it.
But much more than a story about Ross Cameron, it's a guidebook about the lessons he's learned along the way. Why make all the mistakes yourself? You'll discover 20 specific "guardrails" that Cameron used to save himself massive grief and money. They might help you on your path to becoming a day trader.
How to Day The Plain Truth contains brutal honesty about day trading, including who's suited for it and who shouldn’t even try.
If you're looking for a sales pitch about how "anyone can succeed at day trading," this is not the book for you. If you're looking for a realistic and useful description of the highly misunderstood profession of day trading, you just found it.
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Published March 28, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
January 1, 2024
Its a good book for beginners. But if you pretty much know the stock market but still are not profitable. I recommend you start reading at chapter 7 that's when it starts picking up. I want to say the "Meat" of the book is 82 - 85 and 125 - 129.
I took Ross's Classes and he is very knowledgeable about Day trading and would recommend anyone who has interest to try the course. But Start by reading this book first.
I took Ross's Classes and he is very knowledgeable about Day trading and would recommend anyone who has interest to try the course. But Start by reading this book first.
January 23, 2024
Disappointed.
The title of this book should be Day Trading Psychology. I was hoping for more technical content specific to use of indicators and patterns to look for.
The title of this book should be Day Trading Psychology. I was hoping for more technical content specific to use of indicators and patterns to look for.
August 12, 2024
Great book about the mindset and prep work that goes in to day trading. Not necessarily a how-to-day-trade book, but something everyone should read if they are even considering stepping into this as a way of making extra money.
August 6, 2024
Some good information but dispersed with quite a bit of advertising and direction to his trading website which charges hefty fees for courses.
March 7, 2026
The book does not cover the technical details of Ross's day trading (for that, you can either take his expensive courses and watch him live trading, or comb through his many videos on youtube for free and put things together yourself), but it is an essential reading for anyone learning his strategy. It provides sound and battle-tested guardrails and rationales to prepare you for day trading as a beginner in the safest way possible. You are free to ditch some or all the guardrails if you find them restricting or slowing you down, but you will very likely lose money, a lot of money in fact (ask me how I know this), as you are still honing the day trading skills.
The book is also a reminder that our mentalities are the biggest enemies in day trading. But the fight against our worst impulses is something we have to figure out on our own, and the battle never stops.
Interesting Quotes
--p16. I don't think beginner's luck alone can explain such a strong performance for someone just starting to day trade. Granted that he gave back all the profits in the second year, there definitely was something that Ross was able to grasp intuitively about day trading. And that, I think, might be the ultimate difference maker between him, or any other top performers in their profession, be it sports, art, etc., and us. However, this is not an admission of defeat but merely an acknowledgement that his results are indeed, as he emphasizes over and over again (for legal reasons I presume), not typical. We will all carve our own path in the world of day trading and try to extract as much profit as our own aptitudes, with the help of studying and practice, permit.
--p19. I can understand the perspective of Ross's ex-wife and there was nothing wrong with her choice of walking away, which is remarkably similar to Ross's own teaching of never holding a losing trade (that would be Ross), averaging down (that would be getting a job herself and trying to make the marriage work), and hoping that it would bounce back (that would be Ross taking a job "like a real man"). But still, I still find it hilarious that the ex-wife simply just left all her belongings behind and gone. I seriously doubt the strain of their relationship was much more dire than what Ross put up in the book.
--p35. Let me echo this by saying that to me, and maybe many other aspiring day traders, Ross is our "Big Boy", and we would be content pulling in just tens of thousands of dollars a year, a mere blip compared to his profit.
--p47. An absolute truth that anyone who has seriously attempted day trading can attest. The struggle is hard and ever lasting, because you are always fighting against your own worst impulses. If this is a battle that Ross himself still needs to face from time to time (e.g., trading in an emotionally hijacked state), it's even more true to us beginners.
--p83-84. Loss has already been counted in the strategy. The goal is not to never have loss, but to only have small losses so that the much bigger wins will more than compensate. But this depends heavily on whether a person can follow the strategy diligently. And that is a very tough thing to do and is also something I've been struggling with since I started this journey.
--p136. Like most overly self-confident guys, I started out not following all the guardrails that Ross has put in place, thinking that my "way" (e.g., shorting daily top gainers during regular market hours when they are up more than 50%, trading in a simulator for only two weeks, taking as many trades as my heart desires when first trading with real money, etc.) would add more profits and more quickly on top of what Ross's can provide. And it worked badly, very badly. I was fortunate enough to absorb the cost of lesson learned, but had I had a chance to start over, I would have taken trading in a simulator much more seriously.
--p138. The concept is so simple. Ross's strategy has been tested, NOT back tested, but tested in real practice for more than a decade, and it has proven very successful. And now I come in, a newbie with no track record, think that my way would do better than Ross's. That does not make any sense in any parallel universe. Yet that was what my over-confident self chose to do initially. Stupid dumb idiot!
--p142. When you are in a trade, you typically don't have much time to think about profits at the moment. Your focus is on the trade at the moment. Once it's settled, you take a look at the P&L and decide, based on the market and daily goal, whether to continue or call it a day.
--p163. My natural aptitude is to be very patient when I am in a losing position (i.e., averaging down and hoping) but impatient when I am winning (i.e., out of a trade immediately after taking a couple cents of profit, and then watching the stock continue to climb tens or even hundreds of cents). This is the battle I have to fight for a very long time. It has kept my P&L at only 1 to 1, which puts a lot of stress on me to maintaining a high win to loss ratio, which in turn discourages me to take more bold actions that can result in bigger wins. And it spirals down from here.
The book is also a reminder that our mentalities are the biggest enemies in day trading. But the fight against our worst impulses is something we have to figure out on our own, and the battle never stops.
Interesting Quotes
In my first year of trading, I made around $30,000.
--p16. I don't think beginner's luck alone can explain such a strong performance for someone just starting to day trade. Granted that he gave back all the profits in the second year, there definitely was something that Ross was able to grasp intuitively about day trading. And that, I think, might be the ultimate difference maker between him, or any other top performers in their profession, be it sports, art, etc., and us. However, this is not an admission of defeat but merely an acknowledgement that his results are indeed, as he emphasizes over and over again (for legal reasons I presume), not typical. We will all carve our own path in the world of day trading and try to extract as much profit as our own aptitudes, with the help of studying and practice, permit.
She didn't come back.
That was actually probably a good thing. She waned a live a lifestyle that I couldn't provide. .She wanted me to work her idea of a "regular job" that I didn't want. And she wasn't willing to get a job herself.
--p19. I can understand the perspective of Ross's ex-wife and there was nothing wrong with her choice of walking away, which is remarkably similar to Ross's own teaching of never holding a losing trade (that would be Ross), averaging down (that would be getting a job herself and trying to make the marriage work), and hoping that it would bounce back (that would be Ross taking a job "like a real man"). But still, I still find it hilarious that the ex-wife simply just left all her belongings behind and gone. I seriously doubt the strain of their relationship was much more dire than what Ross put up in the book.
The giants could clash overhead and compete for the billions of dollars at stake in the market at large. Let them have at it. I was content to compete where the stakes were, first, my cost of living, then a nest egg, and if I played my cards right, a few million dollars in the bank. My big dreams would not even register as a blip on the screens of the Big Boys, and that was fine with me.
--p35. Let me echo this by saying that to me, and maybe many other aspiring day traders, Ross is our "Big Boy", and we would be content pulling in just tens of thousands of dollars a year, a mere blip compared to his profit.
Day trading is not about becoming expert at the stocks you will buy and sell. Day trading is becoming an expert at human nature.
--p47. An absolute truth that anyone who has seriously attempted day trading can attest. The struggle is hard and ever lasting, because you are always fighting against your own worst impulses. If this is a battle that Ross himself still needs to face from time to time (e.g., trading in an emotionally hijacked state), it's even more true to us beginners.
It's also worth reminding yourself that losses shouldn't be considered mistakes. A mistake is when you break the rules of your strategy. A loss is simply when a trade based on your strategy didn't work as expected. You stopped at the correct price required to maintain a healthy profit-to-loss ratio on your trades for the day; in other words, you took the proper actions.
--p83-84. Loss has already been counted in the strategy. The goal is not to never have loss, but to only have small losses so that the much bigger wins will more than compensate. But this depends heavily on whether a person can follow the strategy diligently. And that is a very tough thing to do and is also something I've been struggling with since I started this journey.
It's a mistake to decide to blaze a new trail with your ideas about how to take a shortcut to success, or cherry pick the concepts you wish to follow. The only real shortcut to success is to not make the mistakes that other people made who came before you.
--p136. Like most overly self-confident guys, I started out not following all the guardrails that Ross has put in place, thinking that my "way" (e.g., shorting daily top gainers during regular market hours when they are up more than 50%, trading in a simulator for only two weeks, taking as many trades as my heart desires when first trading with real money, etc.) would add more profits and more quickly on top of what Ross's can provide. And it worked badly, very badly. I was fortunate enough to absorb the cost of lesson learned, but had I had a chance to start over, I would have taken trading in a simulator much more seriously.
Just don't try to reinvent the wheel with your own custom strategy at this point; instead, decide on a strategy that someone else has proven to be profitable and learn it.
--p138. The concept is so simple. Ross's strategy has been tested, NOT back tested, but tested in real practice for more than a decade, and it has proven very successful. And now I come in, a newbie with no track record, think that my way would do better than Ross's. That does not make any sense in any parallel universe. Yet that was what my over-confident self chose to do initially. Stupid dumb idiot!
Profits are a byproduct of a disciplined trader with some experience and educated intuition following a proven trading plan.
--p142. When you are in a trade, you typically don't have much time to think about profits at the moment. Your focus is on the trade at the moment. Once it's settled, you take a look at the P&L and decide, based on the market and daily goal, whether to continue or call it a day.
Impatience is a symptom of someone who's not very disciplined.
--p163. My natural aptitude is to be very patient when I am in a losing position (i.e., averaging down and hoping) but impatient when I am winning (i.e., out of a trade immediately after taking a couple cents of profit, and then watching the stock continue to climb tens or even hundreds of cents). This is the battle I have to fight for a very long time. It has kept my P&L at only 1 to 1, which puts a lot of stress on me to maintaining a high win to loss ratio, which in turn discourages me to take more bold actions that can result in bigger wins. And it spirals down from here.
June 22, 2024
This is a great book for anyone thinking about becoming a day trader. This book provides a very basic foundation on the mindset and skills required to be successful as well as what steps you should take. It doesn't go over a lot of the technical aspects of trading, but he does give you a list of subjects he recommends you study before you begin day trading.
March 3, 2024
This book should be the starting point for any potential day trader!
May 28, 2025
Has a lot of solid information, but at times it felt like it was getting too technical when it didn't need to be. I enjoyed the story and information the best when Ross was talking about how to know if day trading is for you. Overall I really enjoyed the story and appreciate that Ross publishes his audited trading reports for 100% transparency and his enthusiasm to help those understand if they would be a good fit for day trading. This book helped me confirm I'm on the right path, it's for me, and I'm taking all the right steps.
May 30, 2025
How to Day Trade: The Plain Truth” by Ross Cameron was my very first book about the stock market, and I’m really glad I chose it to start my journey. What drew me in right away was Ross’s personal story—his ups and downs, the challenges he faced, and his determination to keep going even when things got tough. His honesty and transparency made this book more than just an introduction to trading; it felt real and motivating. thinking about everything he went through and still didn’t give up. I’m glad I picked this book for my first Stock market book.
September 5, 2025
I had a friend suggest this book to me based on my personality and his belief that I may find the book useful. I found the book a mix of practical guide, introspective analysis, and self help book. Cameron does a nice job of setting the stage and walking interested day traders through the profession from beginning to professional novice.
The language and descriptions are easy to understand. The technical content is well explained and additional resources are also provided. It is a good read if you have an idea of day trading.
The language and descriptions are easy to understand. The technical content is well explained and additional resources are also provided. It is a good read if you have an idea of day trading.
April 4, 2025
A very good book for those who are considering to day trade. I wish that he would add in more technical details to ease beginners on what to expect from the screens be it on simulators or brokerage accounts. A chapter on what to look for in a good simulator, scanner and brokerage firm would be useful for beginners too.
September 25, 2024
I stopped reading after finding this.
https://www.ftc.gov/enforcement/refun...
https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/...
https://www.ftc.gov/enforcement/refun...
https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/...
December 1, 2024
Great introduction to day trading
The author is very knowledgeable and honest about the subject.
The book is well written and gives all needed information for a novice to start trading.
The author is very knowledgeable and honest about the subject.
The book is well written and gives all needed information for a novice to start trading.
November 17, 2025
I enjoyed reading Ross Cameron’s book on day trading. He gives very helpful insight on what it’s truly like to day trade. I recommend reading this book and subscribing to his YouTube channel if you’re interested in the stock market.
March 12, 2026
This book talks about the challenge of becoming a day trader and why it is one of the hardest way to make money in the markets. The author shows his style of day trading but majority portion of the book talks about hardships and discipline required to succeed in day trading.
December 5, 2025
Love this guy can’t wait to get his program
May 29, 2024
Excellent Introduction to Day Trade
It is an excellent introduction to day trading. The book does not delve into specific strategies or the mechanics of buying and selling. Still, it provides a good overview of what is required to start day trading and the associated risks and helps you determine if it's a path you're willing to pursue. The risks involved and if you are eager to take it.
It is an excellent introduction to day trading. The book does not delve into specific strategies or the mechanics of buying and selling. Still, it provides a good overview of what is required to start day trading and the associated risks and helps you determine if it's a path you're willing to pursue. The risks involved and if you are eager to take it.
July 4, 2025
This is probably the best "how to" book I've ever read about day trading. At least in terms of getting down into technical details like how to find good setups, how to read candlestick charts, and perform basic technical analysis. As opposed to other excellent books on trading like The Market Wizards and others which are excellent and are certainly must-reads but don't quite fall under the categories of "how to" books, in my opinion.
Other "how to" books can be dry, bland, with some even lacking any unique input or insight by the author. In this book, Ross tells his own story and even interviews a few other traders, which is useful for people to see, especially aspiring or beginner traders. "See? I did it, this other trader did it, too, and we both have entirely different strategies and methods and trade different types of stocks. If we did it, you can do it too!"
Other "how to" books can be dry, bland, with some even lacking any unique input or insight by the author. In this book, Ross tells his own story and even interviews a few other traders, which is useful for people to see, especially aspiring or beginner traders. "See? I did it, this other trader did it, too, and we both have entirely different strategies and methods and trade different types of stocks. If we did it, you can do it too!"
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews