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Mindful Trading Live: Session Summary

September 11, 2024

 Mindful Data: Extracting Truth from the Body

with Sean Sawyer, MS

Key Points:

  1. Mindfulness isn’t about feeling better; it’s about becoming better at feeling.
  2. Traders should pay attention to their data just as they monitor the market.
  3. Your body consistently gives honest signals—your job is to learn how to listen.

Summary:

In this session, Sean emphasizes the importance of mindfulness as a tool for traders, focusing on a body scan exercise to enhance self-awareness. He points out that traders must gather information from their bodies and feelings just like traders collect market data. “You are pressing the button, so why aren’t you taking in more data?” Sean asks, highlighting the need to stay attuned to physical and emotional cues. By drawing attention to bodily sensations, from feet to face, the exercise encourages participants to establish a baseline of their internal state, which can impact their decision-making in trading and beyond.

Sean also emphasizes that mindfulness isn’t about constantly feeling better—it’s about recognizing and accepting reality, even if that reality is uncomfortable. He reminds participants that trading can become a form of avoidance if they’re not careful, urging them to ground themselves in the present and respond to their emotional state with clarity rather than distraction.

C.L.E.A.R. Mindset Connections

Connect to the present moment and enhance your self-awareness with practical techniques.

  • Sean guides participants through a body scan, helping them focus on physical sensations and breathe into the present moment.

Loosen your attachment to thoughts and emotions, and cultivate mental clarity and resilience.

  • Sean reminds the group that wandering thoughts or distractions are normal and that the key is gently bringing attention back without judgment.

Embody your core values and align them with your actions to foster authenticity and purpose.

  • Sean suggests that if trading feels off, it may be time to act in line with other values, like spending time with loved ones or taking a break.

Accept all the present moment offers, whether wanted or not, and find peace and strength.

  • Acknowledging discomfort, Sean emphasizes that feeling worse is sometimes part of the process, but it still provides valuable data.

Respond with decisive, informed action, transforming challenges into opportunities for growth.

  • Sean encourages traders to act based on the data they gather from their bodies and emotions, making better-informed decisions in life and trading.

In conclusion, Sean’s session provides a powerful reminder that traders must cultivate the skill of feeling and self-awareness. By tuning into their bodies, they gather essential data that informs their decisions in and out of the market.

Sean Sawyer, MS

Psychotherapist | Performance Coach

Sean Sawyer, a 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.