Trading Psychology · Emotional control · Article 3 of 4
Filtering Market Noise
Trade ideas reach you all day: a post on your feed, a tip in a group chat, a dramatic headline, a friend's big win. Some are useful. Many aren't. The problem isn't hearing them; it's acting on them before you've checked them.
CFDs are complex instruments and carry a high risk of losing money rapidly because of leverage. Make sure you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.
Four questions for every outside idea
- Who said it, and how do they know? An anonymous account, a screenshot or “everyone's saying” isn't a source. Look for confirmation from a reliable outlet or official data.
- Does it fit my plan? Is it a market I trade, a setup I recognise and a timeframe I use? If not, it's someone else's trade.
- Where do I get out if it's wrong? If you can't name your stop loss, you aren't ready to trade it.
- Would I take it if nobody else was? If the only reason is that it's popular, pass.
An idea that passes all four is yours to consider. One that fails any of them goes in your passed trades log.
Turn down the volume
- Check news at set times, such as before the session and at lunch, rather than all day.
- Mute accounts that post hype, guarantees or constant calls.
- Keep your positions private. Sharing live trades creates pressure to be right in public, which makes losses harder to cut.
- Compare yourself with your plan, not other people. Leaderboards and screenshots show the wins, rarely the losses.
