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C.L.E.A.R. Mindset Magazine

Connect to the Present Moment and Improve Your Self-Awareness

Loosen Attachment to Thoughts and Emotions

Embody Your Core Values

Accept All That the Present Moment Offers

Respond with Decisive, Informed Action

Your guide for building resilience and making confident decisions. Align your actions with your values, enhancing mental clarity and self-awareness. We transform challenges into growth through informed, decisive action, helping you live a mindful, values-driven life.

Is Your Money Mindset Sabotaging Trades?

Trading is a psychological battle. Every entry, exit, and risk decision is influenced by more than just logic and analysis—unconscious beliefs about money, success, and control shape it. If you’ve hesitated on good trades, chased losses, or sabotaged your performance, the problem isn’t just lack of discipline—it’s likely tied to deep-rooted money narratives from your past.

By recognizing and rewiring these hidden patterns, you can take control of your emotional trading and develop a clear, resilient approach to the market, feeling empowered and capable.

Greed Isn’t the Enemy—It’s an Underrated Edge

Greed, a familiar companion in trading, has often been cast as the villain. It’s been held responsible for impulsive decisions, account blowouts, and reckless overleveraging. But let’s face it, greed isn’t the problem—it’s how we navigate it that truly matters.

Much of trading psychology has been built on the idea of eliminating greed or controlling emotions. However, this outdated approach, often created by paraprofessionals without formal training in psychology, misunderstands how the mind works. Greed is not a switch you can turn off. It’s wired into your biology, linked to dopamine, ambition, and the pursuit of security. The goal isn’t to fight it—it’s to train it.

Change Your Life and Trading This Year

Key Points: Build a foundation for success by defining values in all key areas of life, from family to work, health, and creativity. Align actions with values to make disciplined trading and personal growth decisions. Use values as a compass to navigate challenges and...

Are You High Atop Mt. Stupid?

Have you ever felt like you’ve figured it out—only to see your confidence evaporate after a string of losses? You’re not alone. This common trap, tied to the Dunning-Kruger Effect, is why many traders feel invincible in the early stages of their journey. With low competence and soaring confidence, you stand atop “Mount Stupid,” where euphoria closes your eyes to the market’s realities.

Trading is Commerce, Not a Sport!

Key Points: Trading as commerce shifts the focus from winning to creating value, aligning with market dynamics for long-term success. Sports analogies mislead traders by emphasizing control, competition, and forcing outcomes—often counterproductive. Viewing trading as...

Emotions Drive All Decisions

Every decision we make is informed by emotions, whether we acknowledge it or not. Emotions act as guides, nudging us to pay attention to certain aspects of a situation. For example, excitement may drive us toward opportunities, while fear can warn us of potential risks. Research by Antonio Damasio demonstrates that individuals with impaired emotional processing struggle with decisions—not due to a lack of logic but because emotions are critical for prioritizing options.

Is Your Money Mindset Sabotaging Trades?

Is Your Money Mindset Sabotaging Trades?

3 Key Takeaways Deep-seated money beliefs, not just financial knowledge or discipline, shape your trading habits. Fear of success and self-sabotage often stem from unresolved emotional conflicts with money. Management—not suppression—of emotions is the key to...

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Change Your Life and Trading This Year

Change Your Life and Trading This Year

Key Points: Build a foundation for success by defining values in all key areas of life, from family to work, health, and creativity. Align actions with values to make disciplined trading and personal growth decisions. Use values as a compass to navigate challenges and...

read more
Are You High Atop Mt. Stupid?

Are You High Atop Mt. Stupid?

Key Points Understand the Dunning-Kruger Effect: High confidence paired with low competence is a recipe for disaster in trading. Recognize the Warning Signs: Overconfidence, poor risk management, and ignoring expert advice are red flags. Climb Down Safely: Focus on...

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Trading is Commerce, Not a Sport!

Trading is Commerce, Not a Sport!

Key Points: Trading as commerce shifts the focus from winning to creating value, aligning with market dynamics for long-term success. Sports analogies mislead traders by emphasizing control, competition, and forcing outcomes—often counterproductive. Viewing trading as...

read more
Emotions Drive All Decisions

Emotions Drive All Decisions

Key Points Emotions Guide Every Decision: Emotions are essential signals that help prioritize options and highlight what matters most. Neglecting Psychology Limits Growth: Ignoring psychological insights leads to impulsive actions and repeated mistakes. Introspection...

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The Discipline of Value-Driven Action

The Discipline of Value-Driven Action

Key Points: Discipline involves aligning actions with core values even in discomfort, enabling intentional and value-driven behavior. Psychological flexibility and cognitive defusion are key techniques for maintaining discipline. They help one navigate emotions...

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Overcoming Strategy Hopping in Trading

Overcoming Strategy Hopping in Trading

Key Points: Identifying Psychological Triggers: Strategy hopping is often fueled by psychological triggers such as impatience, self-doubt, fear of missing out, and perfectionism. Understanding Emotional Coping Mechanisms: Traders frequently switch strategies to cope...

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Is There an Upside to Avoidance?

Is There an Upside to Avoidance?

Key Points Stress Pivoting offers emotional stability by temporarily setting aside stressors, creating space for more effective decision-making. Intentional Stress Pivoting is a buffer, allowing us to pause and regain focus, which is essential in high-stress...

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Sean Sawyer, MS

Author | Performance Coach

Sean Sawyer, a licensed psychotherapist since 2003 and full-time trader since 2017. Sean uniquely blends psychology and trading, offering insights from both worlds. His experience in psychological trauma and performance psychology helps individuals master decision-making and resilience in high-pressure situations.