A good start.
It's good to know that you know what you needed to do in order to be profitable in futures trading. You're on the right path, testing out options you see available with a small amount of money to see the results. Though, trading signals from someone you know might not be the best thing, you just got out from your comfort zone as you say but relying on someone's technical analysis won't let you grow.
So you need to stop that and make your own technical analysis. Don't rush yourself, like expecting to have a very good technical analysis when you're just a newbie. It takes time, you have to be emotional, mentally, and financially prepared before proceeding in a big capital in trading.
No, he was still a beginner and there is still no assurance if he will be profitable in the long run or not but whatever the results would be, that's okay. What important for now is he get out of his comfort zone and try something new. Post like this are great to encourage others who are scared in futures trading to do the same.
I think physically prepared is also needed other than the three that you mentioned there because once we suffered from them it also have an impact to our physical health. Did you notice that when we are stressed, we feel tired? But we can combat it when doing physical exercise regularly and eating healthy foods which can also improve how we think and helps normalize our emotions.
When you do know someone or look into some screen shots seeing +100% +1000% or more then as a newbie you would really be having those impressions that it would really be just that simple if ever you would decide to engage with it. Some might be having that beginners luck but some would really be able to taste on whats the reality of futures.
This is why its really always been that suggestable or recommended that you should really be starting with spot trading on which you could really be able to make yourself practice on how the market moves.
Using up high leverage would really be always that risky, even on veteran traders wont really be giving out assurance that they would be able to play along with these kind of margins
which is something that i cant able to bare on myself.
If you do test out just because of curiosity then its up to you, but make it sure that you wont really be burning up that much cash or capital.