Dead Inside or Just Trading Smart?

That feeling when you lose and feel nothing? That’s not a bug. It’s a feature ;)

Tradetopia Field Notes — Issue #37

You take a loss. You feel a flicker of… nothing.

You hit a 5R banger. You feel a flicker of… nothing (okay maybe just a teeny bit)

You follow your plan perfectly for a week straight and your P&L is flat. You feel… nothing.

Your first thought might be, “Am I broken? Am I a robot? Is something wrong with me?”

One of my traders, Von, said it perfectly in a recent session:

That’s not being broken or being a robot.

That’s what it feels like when you’re winning the psychological game.

The Emotional Whiplash Is Killing Your Account

Let's keep it a buck. Most traders are getting thrown around by emotional whiplash every single day.

• The Highs: You hit a big winner and you feel like a god. You’re on top of the world. So you get cocky, size up on a mid setup, and give it all back… and then some.

• The Lows: You take a stupid loss and you’re drowning in rage and shame. So you revenge trade, trying to force the market to give you your money back, and you dig a hole so deep you can’t see the light.

• The Fear: You’re in a drawdown and you’re terrified to pull the trigger on the next A+ setup. So you hesitate, miss the entry, and then watch it run to your target while you hate yourself for it.

Sound familiar?

This isn’t a technical problem. You can have the best system in the world, but if you’re making decisions from a place of euphoria, anger, or fear, you will never be consistently profitable.

Your edge isn’t just on the chart. Your biggest edge is your ability to stay neutral.

From Emotional Wreck to Resilient Pro

The real shift from amateur to pro isn’t about learning more setups. It’s about mastering your internal state.

It’s moving from reacting to every tick to executing with subtle confidence, regardless of the outcome of the last trade.

I told my group the other day:

This is the final boss for most traders. They have the system. They know the rules. But they can’t get out of their own way because their emotions are driving the bus.

Another trader in our group admitted she has a heavy “buy bias.” Even when a setup isn’t perfect, her desire for it to be a buy clouds her judgment. She knows she needs something more solid than a feeling.

That “something more solid” is emotional detachment.

It’s the ability to look at the chart and see what’s actually there, not what you hope is there or what you’re afraid is there.

The Superpower of Neutrality

Being “dead inside” isn’t about being numb. It’s about being neutral.

It’s the state where you’re not defined by your wins or your losses. You’re defined by your execution.

• You take a loss. It’s not a reflection of your worth. It’s a data point. You followed your plan, the trade didn’t work. Next.

• You take a win. It’s not proof you’re a genius. It’s a data point. You followed your plan, the trade worked. Next.

When you operate from this place, everything changes.

• You stop revenge trading because losses don’t trigger an emotional spiral.

• You stop getting cocky because wins don’t inflate your ego.

• You stop hesitating because your confidence comes from your process, not your last P&L.

This is the state where you can finally execute your system with the consistency it requires.

How to Build the “Dead Inside” Muscle

This doesn’t happen overnight. It’s a practice. It’s a muscle you build, rep by rep.

1. Redefine Your “Win” for the Day Your goal for the day is not to make money. Your goal is to execute your plan flawlessly. That’s it. If you do that, the day is a win, regardless of the P&L.

2. Fully Accept the Risk, Emotionally Before you click “buy,” know exactly what you’re willing to lose and truly accept it. Not just logically. Emotionally. Say it out loud: “I am willing to lose X dollars on this trade to see if my hypothesis is correct.” When you truly let go of the outcome, the fear loses its power.

3. Have a Post-Trade Reset Win or lose, do the exact same thing. Journal the trade. Review your execution. Close the chart. Walk away for five minutes. Break the emotional link between one trade and the next.

4. Separate Your Performance from Your Identity You are not your last trade. You are not your P&L. You are a scientist running an experiment. A losing trade doesn’t make you a loser. A winning trade doesn’t make you a genius. They are just data points.

The Final Frontier

If you feel like you’re technically ready but still struggling with consistency, this is your work.

This is the final frontier.

It’s not about finding a new setup or indicator. It’s not about tweaking your strategy. Just master the space between your ears.

So if you find yourself feeling “dead inside” after a win or a loss, don’t panic. Lean into it.

There’s nothing wrong with you... You’re just finally becoming a trader.

PS: What’s one emotion that hijacked a trade for you this week? Be honest with yourself.

PPS: Consistency isn’t found on the chart. It’s built in your mind.
PPPS: I’m dropping a new video in a couple hours, “How to Break Your Bad Trading Habits.” Watch it here

From Tradetopia,

Mike Navarrete 🧙🏽‍♂️