How I Discovered My Biggest Enemy in Trading
When I first got into trading, I thought the enemy was outside of me. I blamed the market, the news, low volume, false breakouts—anything that explained why I wasn’t seeing the results I wanted. But the truth was, the biggest threat to my trading success wasn’t out there. It was me. More specifically, it was a quiet, sneaky habit that I didn’t notice until it had already drained months of progress.
I used to believe that the key to survival in trading was taking quick profits. “Secure the green,” I told myself. “Don’t let a winner turn into a loser.” It made sense—protecting capital, locking in gains. And in the moment, it felt good. Taking $30 here, $50 there, hitting small targets gave me a hit of confidence. But when I zoomed out and looked at my monthly results, something didn’t add up.
My win rate was decent. I wasn’t taking huge losses. But I wasn’t growing either. My equity curve was flat. I realized I was working hard, staying disciplined, but not actually getting anywhere. I was playing not to lose instead of trading to win.
The breakthrough came when I started reviewing my trades more deeply. I wasn’t just looking at the outcome anymore—I was looking at what happened after I exited. Trade after trade, I saw the same thing: I was right on the setup, I entered at a good level, and the move kept going… without me. I left too much on the table, again and again.
That realization hit hard. I wasn’t being rewarded for being right, because I wasn’t allowing my winners to run.
I started digging into why I was doing this. At first, I thought it was fear—fear of giving back unrealized gains. But deeper than that, it was about control. I wanted certainty in an uncertain game. Taking quick profits gave me that illusion. But trading isn’t about certainty. It’s about probability. And when I looked at the probability of my setups reaching their full targets versus the returns I was settling for, the truth was clear: I was sabotaging my own edge.
So I made a change. I committed to letting my trades breathe. I set wider targets and started using partial exits instead of full ones. I told myself, “If you planned this trade based on the chart, then trust the chart.” I used alerts to stay out of my own way. I removed the P&L display from my screen. Anything to reduce the urge to interfere.
It wasn’t easy. Some trades would pull back before hitting target, and I’d watch profit evaporate. But over time, something incredible happened. My winners started getting bigger. My equity curve started sloping upward. I didn’t need to win more often—I just needed to let my good trades work.
The market rewards patience. It rewards traders who don’t flinch at the first pullback. But you only get there by trusting your process more than your emotions.
Sometimes, your biggest enemy in trading isn’t fear or greed. It’s comfort. It’s safety. It’s choosing certainty over possibility. And once you see it, you can change it.
That’s when the real growth begins.
Now, I treat every trade with the respect it deserves. If I believe in the setup, I give it space. I let it run. I know I won’t catch every cent of every move, but I’ve learned to stop choking potential before it has the chance to bloom.
Cutting my winners short was my biggest enemy. Not because it felt reckless or emotional, but because it felt safe. That’s what made it dangerous. It disguised itself as good discipline, when in reality, it was a form of self-sabotage. Playing small. Settling.
That habit was cutting my winning trades too early.
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Forex
Athens
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DISCLAIMER: This material comprises personal opinions and ideas. It does not suggest to purchase financial services, nor does it guarantee the performance or outcome of future transactions. The material should not be interpreted as containing any type of financial advice. The accuracy, validity, or completeness of this information is not guaranteed and no liability is assumed for any loss related to any investment based on the material.
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