Let Go of That Version of You

Published on June 24, 2025

As traders, we all have faced red days in our trading journey. We often call those days “bad days.”

But is it really true that those are bad days? Was it bad because we lost money, or was it bad because we didn’t follow our rules and discipline?

The truth is, losing money doesn’t necessarily make it a bad day. A day where you followed your plan—even if you lost—could still be a success. Because trading is a game of probabilities. Losses are normal. They're not failures.

What makes it a bad day? When you break your rules. Overtrade. Chase setups. Let emotions take over.

The Version of You That Needs to Go

There’s a version of you—the impulsive, emotional, reactive one—that needs to go. That version wants wins now. It panics. It chases green. It hates red.

It served a purpose once. But now, it’s holding you back.

You don’t need to be perfect. But you do need to be intentional. Here’s the version of you worth becoming:

• Follows the plan—even when it’s hard.
• Walks away after a loss, not chase revenge trades.
• Logs trades honestly, even the painful ones.
• Knows when not to trade.
• Respects capital more than excitement.

Identity Drives Behavior

You can’t out-discipline a weak self-image.

If deep down, you still believe you’re reckless—you’ll act like it. Change your identity first:

• “I am a patient trader.”
• “I follow my plan.”
• “I handle losses with control.”

Over time, your behavior aligns with that identity.

Losses Are Feedback, Not Failure

You didn’t fail. You collected expensive information.

Losing trades are data. Feedback. Opportunities to reflect and refine.

So journal it. Log the emotion. Notice the pattern. Review the chart. That’s where growth lives.

Detach from the Outcome

You can control your entries. Your risk. But not the result.

The market owes you nothing. It doesn’t care if you “need” this win. Don’t attach your worth to the outcome.

• Your job is not to be right.
• Your job is to be consistent.
• Your job is to take losses with grace.

You Can’t Heal While Holding On

Let go of shame. Regret. Guilt. You cannot evolve if you’re still carrying who you used to be.

That was who you were. It’s not who you are now.

Ask yourself:

• Did I follow my plan?
• Did I manage my risk?
• Did I stay in control?

If yes—celebrate that. If no—reflect, reset. But don’t spiral in shame.

Forgive. Evolve. Repeat.

You’ll slip again. It’s part of the game. But you’ll rise too.

And every time you do, you become that trader—

The one who doesn’t just chase profit, but builds a process.