This Surprising Tip May Improve Your Trading—Make Light Of It
Learn how laughter can improve your trading. Embrace mistakes, find humor in tough moments, and stay resilient—trading is serious, but you don't have to be.
Note: Last time, I mentioned that today’s topic would be about building your trading system. But this idea came to me suddenly, and I thought it would be a fun post to share with everyone. We’ll resume the trading system series next week—consider this a fun freebie in the meantime!
Welcome, Trade Warriors!
Trading can be stressful—we all know that. But sometimes, the best way to handle the ups and downs is to take a step back and laugh about it. Today, we’re diving into the lighter side of trading: embracing the mistakes, celebrating the absurd moments, and learning not to take ourselves too seriously.
Why Laughter Matters
Every trader has those moments: earlier this week I entered a SPY put, and the price went in my favor right away. I planned to take profit at 30%, but because it can be hard to get a quick fill on Robinhood, I ended up with only a $3-4 profit.
Later, I checked the chart, and SPY was down over $7 for the day—my 0DTE put that I bought for $0.40 would have been worth over $700! All I could do was laugh.
Whether it's a perfectly timed wrong decision, a "gut feeling" that ends up costing you, or forgetting to set a stop-loss (we’ve all been there!), laughter can be a powerful tool. It turns moments of frustration into learning experiences and helps us stay resilient in an unpredictable market.
Relatable Trading Moments
The Buy High, Sell Low Fiasco: Ever gotten caught up in FOMO, bought at the peak, and then sold at the bottom out of panic? It’s almost a rite of passage in trading. The lesson? Market hype can be misleading, but laughing at yourself is a lot healthier than dwelling on the loss.
The “I Knew It” Trade: You close a trade early, then watch it skyrocket afterward. We’ve all had those “shoulda, coulda, woulda” moments. Sometimes all you can do is chuckle at the irony.
The Over-Complicated Chart: Adding so many indicators that you can’t even see the price anymore. Yep, sometimes we’re our own worst enemy.
Action Plan: Embrace the Laughter
Learn from Mistakes, Laugh at the Absurd: Instead of seeing mistakes as failures, view them as part of the journey. If you can laugh at a mistake, it loses its power over you.
Share Your Stories: Connect with other traders and share your funny moments. Realizing others have made the same mistakes can be incredibly freeing.
Reflect and Review Regularly: Set aside time weekly to review your trades—what went well and what didn’t. Identify patterns and use them to refine your approach. This habit will help you improve and keep perspective.
Summary
Trading is a serious business, but it doesn’t mean we have to take ourselves too seriously. Sometimes the market will humble you, but laughter will keep you resilient. So next time you make a trading blunder, take a deep breath, have a laugh, and remember—it’s all part of the process.
What’s the funniest trading moment you’ve experienced? Share it in the comments below!
In the next article, we’ll get back to business and start building your trading system from the ground up. Until then, keep laughing and keep trading!
What’s the funniest trading moment you’ve experienced? Share it in the comments below!
Stay humble,
TJ
Founder, Light Trades
