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Fear-Greed Loop–How Your Mind is Programmed to Fail in Trading!

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Hello Traders!
Today, let’s break down one of the most powerful traps in trading psychology – the Fear-Greed Loop. This loop is why so many traders lose money, even with good setups and solid strategies. Understanding this can be the difference between being stuck in emotional trades and becoming a consistent trader.

What is the Fear-Greed Loop?
The Fear-Greed Loop is a cycle that most retail traders fall into:
  • Greed takes over when the market moves in your favor, making you ignore your targets and hold for “just a bit more.”

  • Fear kicks in when the market reverses, and instead of exiting with small gains or small losses, you freeze, hoping it will bounce back.

  • This leads to poor decisions, such as revenge trading, early exits, and holding onto losing trades.


How to Break the Loop
  • Set predefined rules for entries, exits, and stop-loss. Don’t rely on emotions.

  • Use position sizing that keeps your mind calm, even when trades don’t go your way.

  • Journal your emotions after each trade – this reveals recurring patterns and helps fix behavior.

  • Don’t chase profits. Consistency and discipline bring long-term gains, not excitement.


Rahul’s Tip
When in doubt – pause. The best traders don’t trade all the time, but they’re always watching, learning, and acting only when the odds are in their favor.

Conclusion
If you keep losing despite having good setups, the problem may not be the strategy – it’s the loop. The Fear-Greed cycle is built into us, but the pros learn to master it. Now it’s your turn to take control.

Have you experienced this loop before? How did you overcome it? Drop your thoughts in the comments!

Disclaimer

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