Growth: Becoming The Trader You’re Meant to Be
For traders, that growth could be any number of things. It could be moving from SIM to LIVE. It could be increasing size, taking every trade you see, not freezing over news events — the list goes on.
Fight or Flight
Growth is not easy. As humans, we are programmed to reject discomfort and avoid situations we don’t like. When we step outside our comfort zone we don’t like it, and the good old fight-or-flight response kicks in. For the vast majority of us, when it comes to things that aren’t really life or death, we choose flight.
Trading is not a life-or-death situation and so, for many of us, it is certainly easier to shy away from growth — to not increase size, to skip trades, or to stay on SIM. The problem is that approach does not get you anywhere. Or worse, you end up in a cycle of losing money on a live account, then making money on SIM, and so on.
For others, it’s making money on smaller size, upping size and losing, instantly reducing size and going back into the comfort zone only to make money again. However, it takes a trader twice as long to recoup losses at this size, only for the cycle to repeat when they up size again.
Growth involves pain
Growth doesn’t happen overnight, and it rarely comes without discomfort. But every challenge, every setback, and every small victory along the way adds a new layer of strength, wisdom, and purpose. It may not feel that way at the time.
Growth often begins in a struggle. Things won’t go our way; plans will fall apart. Pain will be involved and perseverance required.
But every small act of progress — even the invisible kind — matters.
I suppose the question is: “Is the pain worth it to you?”
First and foremost you must answer this. You need to know that what you are trying to do — what you want out of trading — aligns with your core values. If it doesn’t, you’ll likely fail. You’ll be constantly at war with yourself.
If the answer is that the growth, trading, and financial rewards are worth it to you, then make peace with the challenges ahead. Really learn to accept that the road ahead is tougher than a standard 9–5 job — paved with obstacles, disappointments, setbacks, and frustration.
Planning is key
MAKE A PLAN. I truly believe this is the only viable way to tackle this. Set goals, targets, and progress increments once these targets have been hit. Know at what point you are going to increase size (if that’s the issue). Or plan how you are going to hit the news, how quick you need to be, how far up or down you are willing to trade away from the market, how far you intend to try to run it.
Whatever it is — whatever the situation that requires you to step outside your comfort zone — plan it in as much detail as you can.
Execution & Consistency
It is, I believe, the only way to attempt to avoid the costly errors that will come from trading in a heightened state of emotion and flight response. Don’t forget: keep journaling along the way.
Do your best to remain consistent, as much as is possible. Once you increase size, attempt, as much as you can, not to reduce it. Do not fall into the death spiral mentioned above. One day, what you were so uncomfortable with will be your new comfort zone.
Growth never stops. No matter where you are in life, there’s always more to learn, more to experience, more ways to evolve. Every new season brings opportunities to redefine yourself — not because the old you wasn’t enough, but because life keeps calling you to rise higher.
So, embrace the process. Be patient with yourself. Trust that every step — even the uncertain ones — is shaping you into someone stronger, wiser, and more grounded. Growth doesn’t demand perfection; it simply asks for persistence.
Keep showing up, keep believing, and keep growing.
