Thursday Trader's Tip: The Messages You Pass to Your Brain
Thursday Trader's Tip editions offer quick trading psychology advice that can be digested in 5 minutes.
This week, we’ll be discussing self-confidence in trading.
This post is an excerpt taken from the long-form post “Becoming a Trader with Unshakeable Self-Confidence.”
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Written Version:
Imagine if your brain were a separate entity, like someone else living inside you, observing your thoughts, words, and actions. How would it view you?
Your brain has the power to unlock your greatest potential, but it can also contribute to your downfall if you constantly feed it negative thoughts.
Unfortunately, many people wander through life unaware of this dynamic, never adjusting their mental framework to better support their goals.
These are many times, victim-minded people. You’ll notice them around you because their energy is contagious. They say things like: “I never have time for anything,” “Nothing ever goes right for me,” and “Why bother when everything is rigged against me?”
The behaviors you reinforce and your self-talk shape your brain's beliefs about you.
Seeing your brain as a separate, unbiased entity helps you adopt this perspective and be more intentional with the actions and words you put outside.
Many people with low self-confidence and passive tendencies are so used to meeting others' needs that they neglect their own. This doesn’t mean they don’t have their own values, desires and goals, but they choose to repress them over others ’ acceptance.
This translates into letting others walk all over your boundaries on a daily basis. If you're worried about getting the side-eye or a biting comment, you might fade into the background, mumbling your real thoughts and consistently putting your needs aside. This just keeps feeding the beast of lack of self-confidence.
Before you know it, this behavior had become like second nature.
You're the dedicated worker who can't seem to say no to an extra hour at the office or an additional project despite an already full schedule.
You’re the family member who volunteers to manage crises at the expense of your own peace of mind.
You're the people-pleaser, always prioritizing everyone else’s needs and losing track of what you really want.
In this crazy quest to make everyone feel good, you still beat yourself up for not having gone to the gym or spent time with your kids, your true priorities.
Maybe you started trading as a passion, and not dealing with people made it even more appealing. No need to play the pleasing game or simply deal with others’ BS, just you and the market.
But here’s the truth: that lack of assertiveness and your habit of avoiding confrontations can, and mostly does, reveal in your trading.
The market becomes a reflection of the very interactions you were hoping to avoid, and suddenly, the place you thought would be your escape is where your lack of self-belief is most apparent.
I want you to take a moment to reflect on how you’ve been programming your brain. What messages are you sending about who you are?
Take the time to reflect.
If you encountered someone else with the same patterns of self-talk and behavior as you, what would you think of them? Would you see them as the person you aspire to be?
Make a pause to answer.
With the insights you gained from your answers, don’t let this awareness pass by—embrace it to reshape your environment and align your life more closely with your priorities. If you’re not living in accordance with your values, then what are you truly representing?
It might seem as though you're stuck with no options, but there's always a choice beyond suppressing your ambitions and silencing your voice. Decide to take action now—you only live once, so make it count!
Peaceful trading,
Sara
A part of this excerpt is taken from the paid post “Becoming a Trader with Unshakeable Self-Confidence.” Click below to read the full post.
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