What are some good trading habits and routines? Do you need to develop them in order to trade successfully? If not, how do you know if and when you're really winning or not?

 Developing good trading habits and routines is indeed essential for successful trading. Here are some key habits and routines that can help improve your trading skills:

1. Educate Yourself: Continuously educate yourself about financial markets, trading strategies, and analysis techniques. Stay updated with the latest news and market trends that can impact your trades.
2. Set Clear Goals: Define your trading goals and objectives. Establish realistic expectations and avoid chasing quick profits. Having clear goals will help you stay focused and disciplined.
3. Create a Trading Plan: Develop a comprehensive trading plan that includes your entry and exit strategies, risk management rules, position sizing, and timeframes. Stick to your plan and avoid impulsive decisions.
4. Use Risk Management Techniques: Implement proper risk management techniques such as setting stop-loss orders, using trailing stops, and limiting the percentage of your trading capital risked per trade. This helps protect your account from significant losses.
5. Maintain a Trading Journal: Keep a detailed record of your trades, including the rationale behind each trade, entry and exit points, and the outcome. Reviewing your journal regularly can help you identify patterns, strengths, and weaknesses in your trading strategy.
6. Practice Patience and Discipline: Avoid succumbing to emotions and impulsive trading decisions. Be patient and wait for favorable setups before executing trades. Stick to your trading plan and avoid overtrading.
7. Continuous Learning and Adaptation: Markets are dynamic, so it's crucial to adapt and learn from your experiences. Analyze your trades, learn from your mistakes, and constantly seek ways to improve your trading strategy.
8. Regularly Review and Adjust: Periodically review your trading performance and assess the effectiveness of your strategies. Identify areas for improvement and make necessary adjustments to optimize your results.

To determine whether you're winning or not in trading, it's important to measure your performance against your goals and objectives. Here are some key indicators to consider:

1. Consistency: Are you consistently generating profits over a significant period, or are you experiencing frequent losses?
2. Risk-to-Reward Ratio: Evaluate your risk-to-reward ratio. Winning trades should yield more significant profits than losing trades, ensuring that your gains outweigh your losses in the long run.
3. Risk-adjusted Returns: Assess your returns in relation to the amount of risk you are taking. Consistently achieving favorable risk-adjusted returns indicates successful trading.
4. Positive Equity Curve: Examine your equity curve, which illustrates the growth of your trading account over time. Ideally, it should exhibit a steady upward trajectory, indicating consistent profitability.
5. Emotional Well-being: Consider your emotional state while trading. If you can maintain discipline, manage stress, and avoid making impulsive decisions based on fear or greed, it indicates a successful approach.

Remember that trading success is not solely determined by short-term results but by the ability to generate consistent profits over time while managing risk effectively.