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Is This The Number One Silent Killer of Trading?

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Written by Timothy Sykes
Updated 10/6/2023 7 min read

They say that more than half of auto accidents that cause serious injury or death occur within 25 miles of home.

It’s startling, isn’t it?

People often let their guards down, feeling a sense of comfort and familiarity, believing they know their surroundings so well they can operate on auto-pilot.

It’s this very comfort that can lead to devastating consequences.

There’s a similar silent killer when it comes to trading.

One that many traders, both newbies and experienced vets, fall victim to.

This deceptive pitfall convinces you that you’re in a comfort zone and know what’s happening, making you believe you’re in control.

But, in reality, it might be steering you straight into a crash.

However, you can stop it before it gets out of control. And that’s what I’m going to talk to you about today.

My Message To My Students Yesterday

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Every trading day, I send my watchlist to my students and share my insights on the current market with them.

And while I don’t think it’s fair to them for me to share my watchlist with you here, I do think my message to them is too important not to mention.

Here is what I told them yesterday:

 

Too Much Screen Time: The Silent Killer of Trading

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In our digital age, screens dominate our lives.

But when it comes to trading, there’s a deceptive pitfall in believing constant monitoring equals constant opportunity.

In reality, while you’re fervently watching every minor market tick, you’re setting yourself up for overtrading—a surefire way to dwindle your capital.

You see, the great opportunities we saw over the last month or so are dwindling.

There’s simply not a lot of great setups at the moment.

That does happen…it’s been like this for most of the year.

I’ve always said this was the year for learning, not earning.

It’s very hard for most traders to sit in front of the screen all day and not trade.

I have issues with it myself. That’s why I’m constantly stepping away from the screen.

Why is too much screen time a bad thing?

The Trap of Overtrading

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Overtrading isn’t just about making too many trades; it’s about making trades without proper justification.

It’s a scenario where you think, “I’ve spent hours watching, so I must act,” even when the ideal conditions for your strategy aren’t met.

But remember, trading is not about quantity; it’s about quality.

And while we’re on the subject, let’s talk about those impressive squeezes we’ve seen recently.

Yes, they’ve been fantastic, and the allure is undeniable. But—and this is crucial—most of the plays fade.

Not every stock is going to evolve into a FEMY-like short squeeze. Getting swept away in the excitement and trading impulsively is not the way forward.

But that’s not the only problem with spending too much time in front of your trading screen…

Revenge Trading: The Monster Born from Impatience

Spending excessive hours in front of screens can often lead to another damaging habit: revenge trading.

Here’s the scenario: You make a losing trade, emotions surge, and instead of stepping back to analyze, you immediately jump back in, hoping to ‘win’ your money back.

It’s a vicious cycle and one that’s exacerbated by endless screen time. Revenge trading is the antithesis of strategic trading, and it’s a path I urge you to avoid.

Embracing Patience Over Gambling

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Let me share something pivotal: Don’t feel like you need to trade every minute of every hour of every day. This approach isn’t sustainable, and it’s not strategic. It’s gambling, pure and simple.

In the trading world, patience isn’t just a virtue; it’s the bedrock of success. Instead of getting entranced by the incessant market noise, focus on the clear signals that align with your strategy.

The best setups—the ones with the highest odds of success—will present themselves. And when they do, you’ll be ready, not drained from endless, unproductive screen time.

 

Finding Balance in a Chaotic Market

The market is a beast, unpredictable and wild. But just as you wouldn’t stare into the eyes of a wild animal incessantly, you shouldn’t be trapped into watching the market without breaks.

Find a routine that works for you, integrating screen time with crucial study periods, reflection, and strategy enhancement.

Ready to Combat the Silent Killer of Trading? 📈

 

The trading landscape is evolving, and old habits are proving lethal. We’ve all felt the temptation of the screens, thinking vigilance might give us the edge.

Yet, more screen time is emerging as the unsuspecting villain—leading to overtrading, revenge trading, and a departure from sound strategy.

🔥 Navigating this digital age requires a new mindset, where quality trumps quantity, and patience paves the path to success.

🔥 With market unpredictability at an all-time high, the old methods won’t cut it. But the solution isn’t more hours—it’s smarter hours.

🔥 It’s high time we adapt, evolve, and redefine our trading habits.

🚀 Join our exclusive live training session to get ahead.

🚀 Engage with proven strategies tailored to combat the pitfalls of this screen-dominated era.

🚀 Gain insights through real-time analysis, highlighting the most potent trading opportunities.

Don’t become a victim of the silent killer. Equip yourself with the tools and knowledge to thrive in this ever-evolving market.

🚀 Master the balance, refine your focus, and elevate your trading game.

Your Blueprint for Smarter, More Effective Trading Awaits.

👉 CLICK HERE TO SECURE YOUR SPOT! 👈

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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

* 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”