Psychology
Trading edge is 20% technical, 80% psychological. Here are the frameworks, protocols, and hard-won lessons from years of managing myself under pressure.
“The market is a machine designed to transfer money from impatient people to patient ones. Psychology is the study of how to stay patient.”
Process Identity
I don't identify as a 'winner' or a 'loser.' I identify as someone who follows a process. The outcome is secondary to whether I executed correctly.
“When you separate identity from outcome, losses stop being personal.”
Pre-Trade Ritual
Before every session: 15 minutes of chart review, bias confirmation, level marking. No trades in the first 15 minutes of any session. No exceptions.
“The ritual is the edge. It creates the same mental state every single time.”
The Drawdown Protocol
2 consecutive losses = reduce size by 50% for the rest of the session. 4 consecutive losses = session ends. Non-negotiable.
“Rules written when you're calm protect you when you're not.”
Post-Trade Audit
Every trade gets a psychology score (1-10) and an execution score (1-10), logged immediately after closing. The scores matter more than the P&L.
“Data is the antidote to narrative. What does the log actually say?”
Mistake Taxonomy
Every loss is tagged: FOMO, early entry, wrong SL, revenge trade, no setup, etc. Over 50 trades, patterns emerge. Then I target the pattern.
“You can't fix what you don't name.”
Patience as Strategy
Skipping a setup that doesn't qualify is a trade. A good one. The market opens every day. There's always another setup.
“Inaction is action. Choosing not to trade is a decision.”