When it comes to forex trading, many traders fall into the trap of focusing on short-term gains rather than prioritizing long-term profitability. While it's natural to want to see immediate results, successful traders understand that building a sustainable trading career requires a long-term perspective and a focus on consistent, disciplined trading.

One way to ensure that you're focusing on long-term profitability is to create a trading plan that aligns with your goals, risk tolerance, and trading style. A trading plan is a comprehensive document that outlines your trading strategy, including entry and exit criteria, risk management guidelines, and trade execution procedures.

1. Trading Goals: Start by setting specific, measurable, and achievable trading goals. These goals should be realistic and aligned with your overall financial goals. For example, you may set a goal of achieving a certain percentage return on investment over a six-month period.
2. Trading Style: Identify the trading style that best suits your personality and risk tolerance. This may include day trading, swing trading, or position trading.
3. Market Analysis: Conduct a thorough analysis of the market and identify the currency pairs that you will be trading. This analysis should include both fundamental and technical analysis to identify potential trading opportunities.
4. Entry and Exit Criteria: Define your entry and exit criteria based on your analysis of the market. This may include technical indicators, price action, and market news.
5. Risk Management: Develop a risk management strategy that includes stop-loss orders, position sizing, and risk-reward ratios. This will help to protect your trading capital and minimize losses.
6. Trading Psychology: Develop a mindset that is focused on long-term profitability rather than short-term gains. This includes developing discipline, patience, and emotional control.
7. Trade Execution Procedures: Define the procedures for executing trades, including the tools and platforms that you will use, the frequency of trades, and the maximum number of trades that you will execute per day or week.