The Cost of Not Following My Own Rules

Every trader makes mistakes, but the most expensive ones come when we break our own rules. This post is about a lesson I learned the hard way.

There was a time I built a solid plan — entry, exit, and risk per trade. But when the market moved fast, I broke every rule I made. I entered early, exited late, and kept hoping it would turn my way.

The market didn’t punish me because it hated me. It punished me because I stopped respecting my own system.

That day I learned something simple but powerful: discipline is more valuable than prediction. Even a perfect setup is useless if I don’t stick to my rules.

Now, every time I open a trade, I remind myself — plan the trade, trade the plan.

Mindful trading isn’t about chasing every opportunity. It’s about staying calm when the mind wants action and trusting the process you built when you were clear, not emotional.