2025-08-29
Curtis Faith's rise in the financial world is not the typical rags-to-riches tale of a lone genius spotting opportunities no one else could see. His story begins in the 1980s, inside a bold and controversial trading experiment that would prove a remarkable truth: profitable trading could be taught. At just nineteen years old, Faith became the youngest member of Richard Dennis's legendary Turtle Traders—a group of novices turned disciplined market operators—and went on to demonstrate that in trading, rules can trump instinct.
The financial markets of the early 1980s were expanding fast but remained a closed arena. Without deep pockets or insider connections, most people never got close. Curtis Faith, however, was different. Driven by a fascination with price movement and market patterns, he sought a way in—and found one through the most unusual of gateways.
Richard Dennis, one of the most successful commodities traders of his time, was convinced that trading success had little to do with natural talent. Alongside his partner William Eckhardt, Dennis set out to prove that anyone could be taught to trade profitably using a clear, mechanical system. Faith applied, was accepted, and joined the now-famous Turtle Trading experiment.
At just nineteen, he was handed a substantial trading account and a set of precise rules for identifying trends, managing risk, and sizing positions. Within months, he was turning in results that placed him among the most successful of the group.
The Turtle Trading experiment was more than a trial run—it was a wager on the very nature of trading skill. Dennis taught his recruits a trend-following methodology that relied on objective price signals, strict risk limits, and position sizing techniques designed to let profits run while cutting losses quickly.
There were no crystal balls, no "gut feelings", and no reliance on breaking news. The system's rules dictated when to enter, when to exit, and how much to risk—removing much of the emotional turbulence that derails many traders.
Faith thrived under this structure. His ability to follow the system with precision, without second-guessing signals, allowed him to capture large market trends in commodities and currencies. By the end of the programme, he had not only validated Dennis's theory but also proven that youth and inexperience were no barriers when armed with discipline and a proven system.
For Curtis Faith, trading is less about predicting the market and more about reacting to it with discipline. His philosophy centres on a few unshakable principles:
Follow the trend – Let price movement, not opinion, dictate your trades.
Manage risk first – Position sizing and loss limits are the trader's true safety net.
Detach emotionally – A trade is neither good nor bad until it's closed; the market owes you nothing.
Faith often distils his philosophy into simple but powerful statements. One of his most repeated is: "Trading is not about being right or wrong. It's about how much you make when you're right and how much you lose when you're wrong."
This mindset keeps the focus on long-term survival and profitability rather than the win–loss ratio, which can mislead inexperienced traders into chasing short-term validation at the expense of capital preservation.
While Faith continued trading successfully after the Turtle programme, he also became an advocate for transparent, rules-based trading education. His 2007 book, Way of the Turtle, offers an inside look at the experiment—combining personal anecdotes with practical instruction on the trend-following method.
Far from a dry manual, the book unpacks the psychology of sticking to a system under pressure, the importance of thinking in probabilities, and how traders can overcome emotional impulses. It has become a recommended read for aspiring traders and remains one of the most accessible yet insightful works on systematic trading.
Through seminars, interviews, and mentorship, Faith has extended his influence beyond his own trading desk, inspiring traders to replace intuition with tested methodology.
Curtis Faith's track record during the Turtle years is the stuff of trading legend. Reports suggest that his performance outpaced many of his fellow Turtles, generating millions in profits during the course of the experiment. More importantly, his consistency over time illustrated that the system's rules worked across different markets and conditions.
His greatest achievement, however, might not be monetary. By openly documenting his process and the lessons learned, Faith helped demystify professional trading, showing that success was less about mysterious market insight and more about structured execution.
Faith's public talks and writings are rich with sharp, memorable lines that capture the essence of disciplined trading:
"The most important rule is to play great defence, not offence."
"The markets don't care about your opinion. They will do what they want."
"You must accept losses and let winners run—that is the essence of successful trading."
Each quote is a reminder that markets are unpredictable, and survival depends on humility, adaptability, and discipline.
Curtis Faith's journey from a determined teenager to one of the standout Turtle Traders remains one of the most compelling narratives in trading history. His story validated the power of systematic strategies and challenged the myth of the "born trader".
In today's markets—where algorithmic systems dominate and retail traders have unprecedented access—Faith's principles are more relevant than ever. His career is a testament to the idea that while markets evolve, the foundations of disciplined trading remain timeless.
Disclaimer: This material is for general information purposes only and is not intended as (and should not be considered to be) financial, investment or other advice on which reliance should be placed. No opinion given in the material constitutes a recommendation by EBC or the author that any particular investment, security, transaction or investment strategy is suitable for any specific person.
