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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 However, this outdated approach, often created by paraprofessionals without formal training in psychology, misunderstands how the mind works.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.

State Dependant Learning Matters

State Dependant Learning Matters

Key Points: State-dependent learning explains why skills are best recalled and applied when one's mental and emotional state matches the conditions in which they were learned, making it vital to train under realistic conditions. This is also referred to as...

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Performance Killers Pt. 3: Avoidance

Performance Killers Pt. 3: Avoidance

Key Points: Avoidance, while providing temporary relief, often perpetuates long-term emotional struggles and hinders personal growth. Traders frequently avoid admitting mistakes and seeking feedback, which leads to repeated errors and emotional strain. Confronting...

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The Stoic Paradox: Emotion as Strength

The Stoic Paradox: Emotion as Strength

Key Points: Misinterpretation of Stoicism: Modern society often equates Stoicism with emotional suppression, especially in men, a misunderstanding that can lead to internal conflict and emotional vulnerability. Masculinity and Beyond: True Stoicism involves...

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To enhance your focus, cultivate resilience, align actions with your values, and transform challenges into growth opportunities through mindful, decisive action.

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.