Key Points:
- Recognizing and managing psychological factors affecting trading decisions.
- Utilizing mindfulness and grounding techniques to maintain emotional balance.
- The importance of self-awareness and empathy in trading performance.
In this session, Sean Sawyer takes us through the practical application of the four-step process for traders, highlighting the importance of acknowledging psychological and emotional factors that influence trading decisions. Sean emphasizes the significance of self-awareness and mindfulness in recognizing and managing feelings of anxiety, regret, and frustration related to past trades. He candidly shares his experiences with sold contracts, acknowledging the emotional impact while stressing the importance of being authentic and honest about these feelings. This session is a deep dive into how traders can navigate their psychological landscape to make informed and balanced trading decisions.
“If I’m not paying attention to this, my feel score is going to be bullshit. I’m going to bullshit myself through the feel score, and that’s just a deadly mistake.” – Sean Sawyer
C.L.E.A.R. Mindset Connections:
Connect to the present moment and enhance your self-awareness with practical techniques.
- Recognize the anxiety and regret associated with past trades and bring attention to how these feelings affect current decision-making.
Loosen your attachment to thoughts and emotions, and cultivate mental clarity and resilience.
- Acknowledge the humanity in regret but avoid dwelling on it or letting it dictate future actions.
Embody your core values and align them with your actions to foster authenticity and purpose.
- Revisit your core values, such as family and quality of life, to ensure that trading decisions align with these priorities.
Accept all the present moment offers, whether wanted or not, and find peace and strength.
- Accept that emotions like frustration and disappointment are natural and use grounding techniques to manage them effectively.
Respond with decisive, informed action, transforming challenges into opportunities for growth.
- Respond using self-awareness and mindfulness to inform trading strategies, ensuring decisions are based on present conditions rather than past regrets.
Conclusion
This session offers a raw and honest look at the emotional complexities traders face and provides practical techniques to maintain psychological balance. By integrating mindfulness and grounding exercises, traders can enhance their self-awareness and make more informed decisions that align with their core values. Emphasizing the importance of empathy and self-reflection, Sean Sawyer encourages traders to listen to themselves and the market, ultimately fostering a more resilient and authentic trading practice.