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with Sean Sawyer, MS

Session: #006 | Trading and Struggling with Lack of Family or Friend Support

February 25, 2024

Key Points:

  1. Importance of setting realistic expectations in trading.
  2. Impact of emotional and technical aspects on family support.
  3. Strategies for fostering mutual understanding and support within relationships.

Summary:

In this week’s session, Sean dives into the complex trading topic while dealing with a lack of family support. Recognizing that trading success often hinges on emotional stability and technical proficiency, he emphasizes the need for traders to balance personal responsibilities with their trading ambitions. The discussion highlights the significance of setting realistic expectations and maintaining open communication with family members.

Sean explores the emotional side of trading, noting how the pressure to prove oneself can lead to hasty decision-making. He advises traders to educate their families about the probabilistic nature of trading, ensuring they understand that profitability can still be achieved despite frequent losses. This education can help mitigate unrealistic expectations and foster a more supportive environment.

Participants share their struggles, with many expressing feelings of loneliness and guilt due to the lack of support from their families. Sean suggests that traders should actively work on building reciprocity in their relationships by trying to understand and support their partners’ interests. By doing so, they can create a foundation of mutual empathy and support.

One impactful quote from Sean encapsulates the session: “Are you acting in ways that you deserve support? Are you trading based on your values every day?”

This question prompts traders to reflect on their behaviors and how they might influence the support they receive.

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

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

  • Traders are encouraged to use mindfulness practices to stay present and manage the emotional challenges of trading without family support.

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

  • Implementing cognitive diffusion techniques helps traders detach from negative thoughts and beliefs about their abilities and worthiness of support.

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

  • Traders should reflect on their core values and ensure their trading strategies and behaviors align with them, promoting authenticity and integrity.

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

  • Acceptance of the current situation, including the lack of support, can provide traders with the strength to navigate their trading journey with resilience.

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

  • Using the support within the trading community and applying practical strategies can help traders transform their challenges into opportunities for personal and professional growth.

Actionable Strategies

  • Educate Family: Provide resources and explanations to help family members understand the nature of trading.
  • Set Realistic Expectations: Communicate the expected timeframes and potential challenges in achieving profitability.
  • Reciprocity in Relationships: Actively participate in and support your partner’s interests to foster mutual understanding and empathy.
  • Utilize Support Systems: Engage with trading communities to share experiences and gain emotional support.
  • Reflect on Core Values: Ensure your trading practices align with your core values to maintain integrity and authenticity.

Act Accordingly:

Navigating trading without family support can be challenging. Still, traders can create a more supportive environment by setting realistic expectations, educating family members, and fostering mutual understanding. Engaging with the trading community and reflecting on core values can further bolster emotional resilience and trading success.

Sean Sawyer, MS

Psychotherapist | Trader

Sean Sawyer has been a psychotherapist since 2003 and a full-time trader since 2018. Sean helps traders prevent tilt & repeat the same mistakes by rewiring the brain patterns that fail them under pressure.