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Trading Psychology

No Other Trading Teacher Would Ever Do This

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Written by Timothy Sykes
Updated 1/4/2023 10 min read

Tubs and trading haven’t grabbed this much attention since Margot Robbie explained the subprime mortgage crisis from a bubble bath in “The Big Short.” No other trading teacher would do this…

Yep: that’s me, in a bubble bath, with a beautifying face mask, talking about trading. Think my dewy complexion comes effortlessly? Think again.

I’m not afraid to be real with you. I’ll do anything to expose the truth — whether it’s sharing my self-care routine or telling you how the penny stock niche really works.

I share every trade publicly. I freely share my lessons and rules.

I’m completely transparent, which is why I openly admit that I’m not the greatest trader of all time. Sure, I’ve made $6 million in profits* — nothing to sneeze at.

But my top student Tim Grittani has done even better — at over $12.7 million in profits*, he’s made more than double what I have … in about half the time.

But I’ve learned a lot in my 20+ years of trading and 10+ years of teaching. It’s my honor to pass on my knowledge to my students.

Why do I do this? Because most people in this industry are fake. I want to be different … I want to do what no other trading teacher has done before.

(*Please note: My trading results, along with the results of my top students are far from typical. Individual results will vary. Most traders lose money. My top students and I have the benefit of many years of hard work and dedication. Trading is inherently risky. Do your due diligence and never risk more than you can afford to lose.) 

No Other Trading Teacher Does This … Why Not?

I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone in the finance or coaching industry post a video or photos featuring their self-care routine.

I mean … everyone does it, right? People need to take care of themselves. But nobody in trading really talks about it.

I’m not saying that I want #bathtubtrading to start trending. I’m trying to illustrate a point — there’s a lot that goes on behind the scenes in life.

It’s the same with trading.

People love posting screenshots of their big wins. But they don’t post the ugly stuff, like their losses. They don’t post the ‘boring’ stuff, like their process.

I talk about this stuff because no other trading teacher does.

I’ve lived through a lot in my trading career. I’ve had some incredible wins … and some crushing losses. You can learn all about my story in my autobiography, “An American Hedge Fund: How I Made $2 Million as a Stock Operator & Created a Hedge Fund.”

I’ve experienced and traded through bull and bear markets. I’ve had scammers try to imitate me.

I’ve seen tons of traders come and go. And it’s usually the ones who think they’ll get rich quick who fade away fastest.

I’m beyond caring about what people think of me … so I’ll always be honest.

If you want good skin, you need self-care. If you want financial freedom, you need education.

Myth vs. Reality

I need to make another point about myth vs. reality in trading.

Let me use reality TV as an example. I’ve been featured on a few shows, so I can tell you firsthand that the ‘reality’ part is a myth.

Yes, it’s real footage. But despite the name, it’s highly edited to tell a specific narrative.

For instance, there’s this infamous episode of “Below Deck” where I come off as a cranky crybaby because the Wi-Fi wasn’t working on the yacht I was on.

Sure, they showed that part. What they didn’t show is that I went on to make nearly $70K* when the Wi-Fi was working.

They didn’t show how deliriously happy I was after I had my big win.

In that case, reality TV showed something entertaining, but it had no substance.

It didn’t tell you how I found the stock, how I did my research, or anything about my entry or exit.

To really impart knowledge, you can’t just show the most entertaining parts.

That’s why I want to show the ugly parts, too. So whether it’s how I keep my skin looking radiant or my trading losses, I’m not afraid to show you what no other trading teacher will!

It’s All About the Process

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In the case of my reality TV feature, they showed what they thought would be interesting to viewers.

But really, the most important part wasn’t my grumpiness or even the money I made. It’s about how I made that money.*

In that case, it was a stock I found on StocksToTrade — my go-to stock screener.

One of my students spotted it and that’s how I found the opportunity. I profited … but could have made even more if I’d held longer.*

I’m honest with my students about when I hold too long or not long enough. I share a ton of commentary and all of my trades — both good and bad. It’s the kind of thing no other trading teacher does.

I do it because I want to help my students understand trading. It’s not just about making bank or going broke.

Most of my wins aren’t huge. They’re boring little few hundred- or thousand-dollar wins.* But they add up over time.

That’s why it’s so dangerous when fake gurus promise that you can get rich quick if you just follow their ‘easy’ systems.

Trading isn’t easy. It’s usually not big wins, either. It’s about learning the process, becoming self-sufficient, and creating a system that works for you.

Digging Deep

You know what? The process of trading isn’t glamorous.

Sure, you have a great run every now and again, like my student Karan Khanna’s $17K day.* But those are few and far between.

You’ve gotta be willing to dig deep, do your research, and really master the process.

That’s why I’m choosy about my students and make them apply for my Trading Challenge.

I don’t want losers who want to get rich quick. I want to find people who want to see the process, who aren’t afraid of losses.

The students I want to work with aren’t afraid to see the ugly details if it means getting the results they want. Whether that’s great skin, to be rich, or whatever.

You need a mentor who’s blunt about it. It’s in my best interest to have the best students. And I’m willing to tell the truth about things no other trading teacher will. I’ll stop at nothing.

Let’s Make It Official

There’s something else I want to share with you … and this time, I’m playing for keeps.

On my birthday this year, I offered a special lifetime membership opportunity for Trading Challenge students.

It was originally going to be a one-time thing, but it quickly became apparent that this upgrade had benefits I hadn’t even considered.

The students who took advantage of the opportunity suddenly had a mindset shift. They no longer felt pressured to try to become consistent traders within a specific timeline.

It reminded them of what I’m always saying about trading — it’s a marathon, not a sprint.

So I decided to extend the offer, because I want to get my students out of the ‘money mindset’ and into a passion for the process.

So far, it’s been working. It’s led to better study sessions, better results. Are you an existing student who wants to upgrade to the Challenge Lifetime special? Click here to learn more now.

Let’s Get Real

sykes in tub in arizona with laptop
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There’s no off switch for my good looks … but they do require maintenance. I’m not scared to play a little ‘truth or self-care.’

I’m also not scared to show you that I’m not a perfect trader.

Nobody’s perfect. None of my top students are perfect, either.

But we’re all dedicated, and we’re not afraid to get our hands dirty — figuratively speaking at least. Most traders have the softest hands I know. Except my friend and SteadyTrade Team lead trainer and podcaster Tim Bohen. (Check out my guest appearance on his podcast here.) He’s probably building a log cabin or something right now.

The point is, when you get real, you can start to untangle the tricky parts of trading that could be holding you back. That could be dealing with losses, bag-holding, figuring out how to improve your strategy … However that plays out for you.

That stuff only comes with full transparency. So let’s rip off the mask and see the ugliness beneath. The results could be better looking than you ever dreamed.

Are you ready to get real? Leave a comment … Do you like how I talk about things no other trading teacher does?


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Author card Timothy Sykes picture

Timothy Sykes

Tim Sykes is a penny stock trader and teacher who became a self-made millionaire by the age of 22 by trading $12,415 of bar mitzvah money. After becoming disenchanted with the hedge fund world, he established the Tim Sykes Trading Challenge to teach aspiring traders how to follow his trading strategies. He’s been featured in a variety of media outlets including CNN, Larry King, Steve Harvey, Forbes, Men’s Journal, and more. He’s also an active philanthropist and environmental activist, a co-founder of Karmagawa, and has donated millions of dollars to charity. Read More

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* Results are not typical and will vary from person to person. Making money trading stocks takes time, dedication, and hard work. There are inherent risks involved with investing in the stock market, including the loss of your investment. Past performance in the market is not indicative of future results. Any investment is at your own risk. See Terms of Service here

The available research on day trading suggests that most active traders lose money. Fees and overtrading are major contributors to these losses.

A 2000 study called “Trading is Hazardous to Your Wealth: The Common Stock Investment Performance of Individual Investors” evaluated 66,465 U.S. households that held stocks from 1991 to 1996. The households that traded most averaged an 11.4% annual return during a period where the overall market gained 17.9%. These lower returns were attributed to overconfidence.

A 2014 paper (revised 2019) titled “Learning Fast or Slow?” analyzed the complete transaction history of the Taiwan Stock Exchange between 1992 and 2006. It looked at the ongoing performance of day traders in this sample, and found that 97% of day traders can expect to lose money from trading, and more than 90% of all day trading volume can be traced to investors who predictably lose money. Additionally, it tied the behavior of gamblers and drivers who get more speeding tickets to overtrading, and cited studies showing that legalized gambling has an inverse effect on trading volume.

A 2019 research study (revised 2020) called “Day Trading for a Living?” observed 19,646 Brazilian futures contract traders who started day trading from 2013 to 2015, and recorded two years of their trading activity. The study authors found that 97% of traders with more than 300 days actively trading lost money, and only 1.1% earned more than the Brazilian minimum wage ($16 USD per day). They hypothesized that the greater returns shown in previous studies did not differentiate between frequent day traders and those who traded rarely, and that more frequent trading activity decreases the chance of profitability.

These studies show the wide variance of the available data on day trading profitability. One thing that seems clear from the research is that most day traders lose money .

Millionaire Media 66 W Flagler St. Ste. 900 Miami, FL 33130 United States (888) 878-3621 This is for information purposes only as Millionaire Media LLC nor Timothy Sykes is registered as a securities broker-dealer or an investment adviser. No information herein is intended as securities brokerage, investment, tax, accounting or legal advice, as an offer or solicitation of an offer to sell or buy, or as an endorsement, recommendation or sponsorship of any company, security or fund. Millionaire Media LLC and Timothy Sykes cannot and does not assess, verify or guarantee the adequacy, accuracy or completeness of any information, the suitability or profitability of any particular investment, or the potential value of any investment or informational source. The reader bears responsibility for his/her own investment research and decisions, should seek the advice of a qualified securities professional before making any investment, and investigate and fully understand any and all risks before investing. Millionaire Media LLC and Timothy Sykes in no way warrants the solvency, financial condition, or investment advisability of any of the securities mentioned in communications or websites. In addition, Millionaire Media LLC and Timothy Sykes accepts no liability whatsoever for any direct or consequential loss arising from any use of this information. This information is not intended to be used as the sole basis of any investment decision, nor should it be construed as advice designed to meet the investment needs of any particular investor. Past performance is not necessarily indicative of future returns.

Citations for Disclaimer

Barber, Brad M. and Odean, Terrance, Trading is Hazardous to Your Wealth: The Common Stock Investment Performance of Individual Investors. Available at SSRN: “Day Trading for a Living?”

Barber, Brad M. and Lee, Yi-Tsung and Liu, Yu-Jane and Odean, Terrance and Zhang, Ke, Learning Fast or Slow? (May 28, 2019). Forthcoming: Review of Asset Pricing Studies, Available at SSRN: “https://ssrn.com/abstract=2535636”

Chague, Fernando and De-Losso, Rodrigo and Giovannetti, Bruno, Day Trading for a Living? (June 11, 2020). Available at SSRN: “https://ssrn.com/abstract=3423101”