Successful traders understand the market’s bias—whether it is bullish or bearish—and generally look to trade in the direction of that bias.That does not mean traders cannot take profits at key targets or even trade against the prevailing trend. However, if you go against the bias, you must know exactly where you are wrong. If price breaks through your clearly defined risk level and resumes moving with the broader trend, holding onto that countertrend position is generally not a good idea.In crude oil futures, the broader bias remains bullish. Since August 26—a period of only three weeks—the price has risen from around $80 to nearly $105, a gain of approximately 31%.Since September 10, however, the price has consolidated. Why?There is a clearly defined target and resistance area near $105.21. The high yesterday reached $104.95 before backing off. Sellers have now leaned against that area on three separate occasions, likely placing stops above it.For risk-focused traders, the goal is to “risk a little to make more than a little.” That is what successful traders strive to do.Do those sellers know the price will move lower? No. They hope it will, but hope alone is not a trading strategy. What matters is that they know where they are wrong, can define their risk and are willing to accept that risk if the market breaks higher.In the video above, I combine that trading mindset with my current technical analysis of crude oil futures:What is the prevailing bias?Where is the risk, and why?What are the next targets?How can traders use those levels to structure a trade?I address each of those questions. Watch and learn. It won’t hurt—and it may help you better understand what you should strive to do as a trader. This article was written by Greg Michalowski at investinglive.com.