Good morning, traders…
Jeff here.
Have you ever felt discouraged seeing other traders make more money than you?
I get it. That’s simple human nature.
It stings when you see someone who’s put in less time and effort than you achieve greater success.
You might ask yourself: ‘When will it be my turn? Will I ever get my turn?’
But here’s the problem with that mentality…
Comparing yourself to others is one of the most dangerous and costly mistakes you can make as a trader.
Not only is it psychologically draining … but it can hurt you financially, too…
That’s why we’re going to forget about the charts, setups, and catalysts for a minute and instead, focus on the mental game of trading.
Specifically, I want to show you how eliminating trader envy can produce results you never thought possible…
Trading Isn’t a Zero-Sum Game
At some point, nearly every trader will feel like they’re being surpassed by others.
Take me as an example…
I didn’t have much experience when I first got hired on Wall Street.
Throughout my first few years in the markets, I watched several of my colleagues surpass me in total gains.
Did I get discouraged by it? Of course not…
On the contrary, it motivated me to work harder and do everything I could to prove myself.
I’ve known mentally weak traders who struggled with watching others succeed as they faltered.
It wasn’t long before they’d blow up their accounts and head back to their day jobs…
Short-sighted market participants view trading as a zero-sum game.
They think, ‘If this guy is winning, I must be losing.’
But this is a fallacy. The stock market isn’t poker. Just because you win doesn’t necessarily mean someone else lost.
There’s plenty of action in the stock market for everyone. Just because some other trader is crushing it, doesn’t mean you can’t do the same.
Don’t envy other traders — learn from them.
Forget About Instant Gratification
It’s no secret that we’re living in a generation of instant gratification…
- You can post a picture on social media and immediately get likes…
- You can order food and have it arrive at your doorstep in under an hour…
- You can open a streaming service and choose from tens of thousands of movies and shows at your fingertips…
But the stock market doesn’t work like social media, food delivery, or streaming services.
If you want instant gratification, trading probably isn’t ideal for you.
You’ve gotta truly dedicate yourself to mastering the art of trading, not making quick gains.
The hypnotic pull toward “easy money” is one of the primary reasons many aspiring traders face epic downfalls.
The attributes necessary for being a successful trader are in direct conflict with the current global mindset.
Newbies tend to see the success of others and want it immediately for themselves…
But they don’t consider all the blood, sweat, and tears that went into those other traders’ careers.
Most people want success now — while few are willing to put in the years of work that it usually requires. Be in the latter category.
The best traders I know are the ones who don’t worry at all about others’ success. They take a calculated, long-term approach to their trading journey.
But for every one of these success stories, I have too many tragic tales of traders who let other people’s success cloud their mindset and quit.
My advice?
- Think about the big picture — not short-term gains…
- Don’t look at other traders’ numbers…
- Focus on what matters — becoming the best trader YOU can be…
Happy trading,
Jeff Zananiri
P.S. I’m hosting a GAMMA workshop TOMORROW, January 7 at 12 p.m. EST…
Click here to reserve your spot now.
*Past performance does not indicate future results
