Why the big picture comes first
• Waves on the larger timeframe are bigger than waves on the smaller one — direction is always set by the big picture
• Understanding the big picture first is what avoids big losses and lets a position start from a favorable location
The order of looking and the order of reaction are opposite
• Analysis goes from the big picture to the small: direction and zones are set in the big picture, and detailed entry points emerge the further down into smaller timeframes one goes
• Market reaction, by contrast, travels from the small view to the big: the first sign of a turn shows in the small candles first, and the large candle confirms it by closing
Connection to our data
• This is why MarketSurfer looks at 6 timeframes together, from the 4-hour to the monthly, and treats as signals only directions aligned with the higher-timeframe trend
Where people slip
• They start from the wobble of a small candle and work backward to the big picture — when the order is reversed, entry points that go against the big trend appear
Direction is set in the big frame, and entry points are found in the small frame. This one order separates big losses from favorable entries.
Which timeframe do you look at first when you open a chart? Is looking at the big picture first a habit?