Millions, or more likely billions, of blog posts, articles and inspirational quotes have been written about the fascinating topic of trading psychology. To succeed, all you have to do is buy, sell and close out positions according to your trade plan. How hard can it be?

Any seasoned or burned out trader will tell you that it has the potential to do unimaginable things to your mind.  When you win, you wish you’d won more and when you lose, the pain is rarely assuaged by the knowledge that trading losses are the ‘cost of doing business’.

But the cost of doing business argument only applies to trading losses from trades that are in your plan. Losses from trades that you missed, should have cut, or shouldn’t have made are the cost of losing the plot and then pressing those buy and sell buttons (or not) because … this one will get you your money back/I’m not having the market take off without me/I just know it’s about to turn/whatever story your mind has concocted to justify its actions.

Anger fantasies. You know you shouldn't, but you probably will.

Anger fantasies. You know you shouldn’t, but you probably will.

There was a big, red haired bouncer called Harry. He worked in the best clubs, and he loved his job. But Harry kept getting in trouble

If you need to bite someone, it's useful to be angry

If you need to bite someone, it’s useful to be angry

If you need to bite someone, it's useful to be angry. But for figuring out how to pay your energy bills, and stay moderately sane in

Doing what you should do and not doing what you shouldn't

Doing what you should do and not doing what you shouldn’t

No matter how often I tell myself not to do it, I still do it. You know that people on LinkedIn/Twitter/facebook/TikTok aren’t real. You know you

What a horrendous thought to believe - it's you!

What a horrendous thought to believe – it’s you!

Your own worst ______?What?You don’t remember many sentences you’ve heard,but you remember this one, ‘I am my own worst enemy.’ Whenever I speak with a group

I Want My Money Back. Now

I Want My Money Back. Now

When I look at Crypto charts, I see a lot of pain for inexperienced traders (probably seasoned hands too). It was going nowhere, and then the

Here a F**k Up, There a F**k Up, Everywhere A F**k Up

Here a F**k Up, There a F**k Up, Everywhere A F**k Up

Unhappiness, troubling thoughts and ongoing distress overpast events are all caused by misreadings of data by yourmiraculous, mysterious, highly complex mind. You are fine. How you

Heartbreak

Heartbreak

What do these seemingly disparate, but unpleasant, experiences have in common? There is a significant amount of pain, and it’s caused by your mind trying to

Good To Do, Good To Have Done - And Possible

Good To Do, Good To Have Done – And Possible

What do you do if you have something you must do, but you don’t want to? Heaviness and boredom have descended upon you, and no amount

If You Want To See Change, Communicate With Whose in Charge

If You Want To See Change, Communicate With Whose in Charge

No matter how often I tell myself not to do it, I still do it. You know that people on LinkedIn/Twitter/facebook/TikTok aren’t real. You know you

When I hit the skids, I became obsessed with self-improvement

When I hit the skids, I became obsessed with self-improvement

When I hit the skids, I became obsessed with self-improvement. I tried everything. The problem was me, so unless I could fix it, I would always

Nighttime fears take hold in the small hours ... what causes this? Emotion is your brain’s interpretation of bodily state in relation to what is going on around you.

Awake at 4am? It’s Just Sheep in Wolves’ Clothing

Nighttime fears take hold in the small hours … what causes this? Emotion is your brain’s interpretation of bodily state in relation to what is going on around you.

A decision cannot be bad or good depending on its outcome, because the outcome is after the event. 'I should have known' is simply not true.

Same Decision, It’s Just The Outcome That’s Changed

A decision cannot be bad or good depending on its outcome, because the outcome is after the event. ‘I should have known’ is simply not true.

Would you call a tree a loser?

Would you call a tree a loser?

It’s an ugly idea. To call a tree blown over by the wind a ‘loser’ feels mean and wrong. Although I don’t suppose the tree is

It is as if your body has called the emergency services for a multi-vehicle pile-up before you've even pulled out of the driveway.<

Fear isn’t Weakness, it’s Unnecessary Strength

It is as if your body has called the emergency services for a multi-vehicle pile-up before you’ve even pulled out of the driveway.<

Everybody knows that we are our own ...

Everybody knows that we are our own …

Everybody knows that we are our own … Worst? What?You don’t remember every sentence you ever heard,but you remember that one, ‘I am my own worst

Dumb question. Trading loses hurt because you wanted more money,

Dumb question. Trading loses hurt because you wanted more money,

Dumb question. Trading loses hurt because you wanted more money, you had more money, and now you’ve got less money (or none).It’s not so complicated. While

We'd all rather be around upbeat people.

We’d all rather be around upbeat people.

We’d all rather be around upbeat people. If someone tells you they’re feeling down, you naturally want to bring them up.So what do you do? If

Thoughts? So what?

Thoughts? So what?

Most of the thoughts that pass through my mind each day are repetitive and frankly … BORING. You think the thoughts you’re thinking because they are

You Don't Have a Lizard Brain. This Is Good News.

You Don’t Have a Lizard Brain. This Is Good News.

The reptilian, limbic and neocortex AKA primitive, emotional and thinking brains wrestle on another for control of our behaviour … Or so the ‘triune brain hypothesis’

People come because they are in pain, if they knew how to 'get over it' they would do it.

People come because they are in pain, if they knew how to ‘get over it’ they would do it.

People don’t come to me thinking, ‘I’d really like to clear the emotional impact of financial losses.’ They come because they are in pain. They don’t

Critical Inner Voice? It's Worse Than Useless

Critical Inner Voice? It’s Worse Than Useless

If that voice inside your head could do what it claims to do, it wouldn’t have to repeat itself. And repeat itself it does. It plays

I Bought Bitcoin at $1, and I Sold at $68,789.63

I Bought Bitcoin at $1, and I Sold at $68,789.63

(I didn’t, but I could have) Obsessing over recovering losses, being preoccupied with regret, and cycling between fear and denial are far from ideal states. It’s

He's Got More Than Me (And He Shouldn't Have)

He’s Got More Than Me (And He Shouldn’t Have)

It’s one of the worst feelings and it’s made even more uncomfortable by the shame that often hops on for the ride. Jealousy. It’s a long

The Copy & Paste Mind: Your Past Becomes Your Future

The Copy & Paste Mind: Your Past Becomes Your Future

If the future was the same as the past, … nothing would ever change. We know this. Of course 2022 was never going to be the