Introduction to Systems Course

Read on to learn: 

• What is a Trading System?
• What is a Useful Way Of Thinking About Trading Systems?
• Will Trading With a System Make You Profitable?
• How to Develop Your Systems Thinking Ability.

The Introduction to Systems Course will take just a couple of hours to watch. Each section includes homework exercises that will also take an hour or so to complete. While the lessons contain great information, the homework is where you feel the results.

The new course is for both new and experienced traders. Even if you think you already know about systems, you may get an eye-opener. The content is based on the timeless insights of legendary trading coach Dr. Van K. Tharp. He studied systems development for decades and fine-tuned the process of systems thinking for traders. This introduction to these powerful concepts may very well set you on a new path of discovery. It’s priced just right to get you started.

Looking for a deeper experience? If you find this introduction valuable and want to go deeper into the world of systems and systems thinking, we recommend two advanced courses that build on these concepts. How to Develop a Winning Trading System that Fits You guides you through the detailed process of designing a system tailored to your unique beliefs, objectives, and style.

For a more profound exploration into the mindset and models behind long-term trading success, Trading Genius II: The Holy Grail – Systems Thinking and Beyond takes you into the heart of systems thinking and how it creates a lasting edge. Both are ideal next steps on your path to trading mastery.

The Introduction to Systems Course Overview

Why Most Traders Don’t Trade With a System

That’s the original title Dr. Van Tharp wanted to name this eLearning course. Most traders, in fact, don’t trade with a system. Many traders – even professional money managers – either don’t know what a system is or only have loose ideas about it. Trying to use something you don’t understand or don’t know about is hard – even impossible – to accomplish.

What Is a Trading System?

In his research, Van gathered information from thousands of retail traders and hundreds of professional traders. Very few understood what a trading system is, what parts it has, and why to even bother with system trading. Definitions and variations covered a wide range of responses.

• Your trading methodology
• A formalized strategy
• How do you enter a trade
• The entry and exit steps I programmed into the platform
• It’s how I trade.
• I’m more experienced, so I don’t use systems. I’m a discretionary trader.

The list goes on and on, of course.

Why Such a Range of Definitions?

The short answer is: People think differently about systems and how to use them – or even if to use them at all.

The full answer, however, requires going back very far in the past. The dominant models of thinking actually originated many centuries ago. You probably don’t know about these but once they are explained, you’ll start to recognize them everywhere. They are in use everywhere by everyone all around the world to some degree. Of the major thinking models, however, only one will help you think about trading systems in a much different way than the others – a way that provides you with a huge edge.

How Can Thinking Provide An Edge?

You have probably heard Dr. Tharp’s maxim “You don’t trade the markets, you trade your beliefs about the markets.” When you have an understanding of that principle, then you can start looking at your beliefs, at your thinking process, and change your beliefs to be useful. In Van’s context, useful beliefs help you make money in the markets and reduce your stress. This course introduces you to the power of these ideas.

So How Do Most Traders Think About Trading?

Most traders are following trading advice from some newsletter, talking head, or analyst. If you have been doing that, you are probably reading this because of your limited success and desire for a better approach. That’s understandable. Big money has incentives for you to rely on them. So, they provide what many traders and investors want – confidence in advice provided by well-spoken, very credentialed professionals. They assuredly predict what the markets will do and drop suggestions for what to buy – and the masses love that. If you follow the professionals’ advice, you can look like a winner when your trade works and you can blame them when it doesn’t. Everybody wins – at least at some level. You, however, are looking for something more, a different way to approach trading or investing that generates better results. That will require you to change your thinking. Are you up to that task?

What Is A Useful Way Of Thinking About Trading Systems?

In recent years, Van noticed that a few traders he knew had been making money over a period of many years in the markets. These traders seemed to adapt their trading as the markets changed over time. Van knew from his own trading that what works today in the markets may not work in the future. That future might be far off or near term, but markets do change and evolve. He wondered what enabled some traders to remain successful and even increase their success as the markets changed.

After some observation and research, he concluded that the edge for these traders was primarily in how they looked at the market and how they adapted their systems as a result. These traders had a different thought process that incorporated what was happening at the symbol level, at the group level, at the market level, at the economic level, and at the global level.

They also included what was happening within themselves as part of their thinking. They focused on the interrelationships between the different systems at the different levels. As the relationships between factors changed, that changed their thinking about their trades at the symbol level. Incorporating those ideas into a trading system and being able to change that trading system as needed was a huge edge for them.

Now, the list of potential interrelationships and factors someone could pay attention to could be endless. This course, however, distills that list of everything down to just six key areas. No Ph.D. or a degree of any kind is required. You can learn to pay attention to six factors, and best of all, you can start simply – with a trading system.

What is the Definition of a Trading System?

Van has several definitions for a trading system, but they all involve a group of parts acting as a whole to guide your trades under certain market conditions. That explanation simplifies the subject but leaves a lot of room for exploration and additional information. The course goes more into depth about how a system is defined, what the parts are, and how they work together.

Will Trading With a System Make Me Profitable?

A trading system is one critical element of success in trading. Without it, you may spend many frustrating years failing to trade profitably. Trading with a good system will improve your results much more quickly, and adding a few other elements will speed up your path to success. Core to these elements is a sense of total ownership for your results – complete responsibility. Van liked to reference the ability to respond to anything that happens to you as respond-ability. Respond-ability enables you to take the steps needed, meet the challenges that come up in life, and keep moving forward. As long as you don’t accept full respond-ability, you can keep blaming something or someone for your disappointing results. Accepting respond-ability can be very challenging at first – but it also quickly liberates and empowers you.

So Why Don’t Most Traders Trade with a System?

You can spend your time pondering that question.

But wouldn’t it be more stimulating to know that you can confidently answer \”yes\” to the following questions?

1. You can adopt a respond-ability mindset.
2. You can learn to think in new ways about trading and the markets.
3. You can trade with a system.
4. You can assemble the other necessary pieces to trade profitably.
5. You can succeed in the markets.

How Do You Get Started?

Aside from trading systems is “Systems Thinking”. Different from trading systems, this is more about your ability to think in terms of systems. It’s more all-encompassing.

Systems thinking relies on models. Learn three models within systems thinking and how this applies to trading systems. Sometimes it boils down to relationships. Not among people but among models, parts, or processes.

At this low price, this is a high-return trade. 

If this information saves you from one losing trade or helps you capture a bigger gain, the course will pay for itself multiple times over.

What You Will Learn:

The Introduction to Systems course consists of easily digestible recorded content, divided into five sections. In this course, you will learn:

• What a trading system really is – and why most traders misunderstand the concept
• Why trading with a system can lead to more consistent and profitable results
• The key components of a complete trading system and how they work together
• How to develop your “systems thinking” for better decision-making in any market
• The difference between trading systems and systems thinking – and how both give you an edge
• Why most traders fail without a system – and how to avoid the same mistakes
• How your beliefs about the market impact your results (based on Dr. Van Tharp’s core principles)
• The six critical factors to focus on when building and adapting a trading system
• Simple models to help you understand complex market dynamics
• Actionable exercises and homework to apply the concepts immediately

The Introduction to Systems Testimonials

This course gives you a strong foundation for understanding what trading systems are, why they matter, and how to think about them in a way that gives you a real edge in the markets.

Want to see how powerful these ideas can be? Check out what participants have said about our “How to Develop a Winning Trading System That Fits You” course — a more in-depth program from which some core concepts in this introduction were pulled.

“Excellent! I never thought of how many separate elements went into a system. I now have the knowledge and confidence to develop a system for myself.”—B.F., Huntington Station, NY

“Due to attending your workshop entitled How to Develop a Winning Trading System that Fits You, I have had a radical shift in my perception of how to achieve consistently successful trading.”—M.S., Shropshire, England

“Your system workshop simply changed the way I approach system development… my profits are significantly higher and could have paid my workshop costs ten times since then.”—L.M., Atlanta, GA

“Superb. Every section of the workshop was stuffed with information. I couldn’t take notes fast enough (so I opted just to listen). Lots of creative ideas worthy of further research”—R.W., Superior, CO

Types of People Who Will Benefit from the Introduction to Systems Course:

• New traders who want to build a strong, strategic foundation
• Frustrated traders tired of inconsistent results and chasing tips
• Discretionary traders looking to add structure and clarity to their approach
• Experienced traders who want to revisit core principles with fresh insights
• System developers seeking a better understanding of what makes systems work
• Investors transitioning into active trading
• Traders relying on outside advice who want to take control of their decisions
• Anyone interested in Van Tharp’s proven methods for achieving trading success
• Traders who want to develop a personalized edge based on how they think and operate
• Those curious about systems thinking and how it can apply beyond just entry and exit rules

About your instructor, RJ Hixson

RJ Hixson is a seasoned trading mentor, systems thinker, and transformational educator with a unique ability to blend psychology, strategy, and personal growth. With over 15 years of experience guiding traders, investors, and entrepreneurs, RJ is known for helping people shift how they think—about trading, about money, and about themselves.

RJ began his career in the defense industry after earning his MBA from the University of North Carolina. A deep curiosity about human performance and decision-making eventually led him to the Van Tharp Institute (VTI), where he became a student, teacher, and ultimately, one of the most influential voices in the organization.

After completing the rigorous Super Trader Program in 2012—a cornerstone of Dr. Van Tharp’s work on trading transformation—RJ joined the VTI leadership team as Vice President of Research & Development. In this role, he co-developed and refined many of the institute’s flagship courses and workshops, translating Van’s groundbreaking principles into practical tools traders could use to improve both performance and mindset.

RJ is especially skilled at making complex ideas clear, and his calm, insightful teaching style has earned the trust of thousands of students worldwide. He has authored dozens of insightful articles, helped students through deep belief-change work, and facilitated growth at every level—from beginner traders to seasoned professionals seeking more freedom and flow in their systems.

Today, RJ is the Co-Founder of TenHundred Marketing, where he continues to lead others in the pursuit of meaningful success through conscious entrepreneurship and systems-based thinking. His approach is grounded in the same transformational principles he taught for years at VTI: radical responsibility, systems clarity, and the inner work required to achieve true wealth—on your terms.

Whether you’re just starting out or rethinking your entire trading approach, RJ brings the wisdom, experience, and compassion to help you unlock lasting change from the inside out. Learn more about RJ Hixson.

Frequently Asked Questions