One of You Will Win. One of You Will Die.

The Dogfight for Standards

The trader you are today is locked in a dogfight with the trader you’re trying to become.

Only one of them will win.

Every chart, every risk decision, every trade is just another round.

The only question is… who are you training to survive?

The Struggle You Can’t Outsource

I was reminded of this truth on a run the other day.

I had already decided my distance and pace before my shoes even hit the pavement. That decision was done. Final.

But halfway through, the debate began.

Every rationalization possible came rushing in:

“Slow down, you’ve already gone far enough.”

“Cut it short, no one will know.”

“Ease up, your body will thank you.”

The feelings wanted to negotiate. They always do.

But the decision was made before the run started… just like in trading, when the risk, entry, and exit must be decided before the trade. The run itself was just the arena where the fight played out.

The Debate Between Standards

That’s the key.

The fight isn’t random. It’s an intentional rebuttal between your old standards and your new ones.

The old standard says:

• Risk more to make it back faster.

• Skip the journal today.

• Move the stop just this once.

The new standard fires back:

• Respect risk or you’ll never scale.

• Journal or repeat the same mistakes.

• Stops exist to protect you, not punish you.

Every decision is a skirmish.

When you execute the new standard more often than the old, the old starts to lose power.

Eventually, it stops being the default.

And that’s when the war is won.

The Trader’s Dogfight

Here’s how you lean into it:

1. Decide Before the Battle.

   The run, the trade, the risk, it’s locked in before emotions get a vote.

2. Expect the Debate.

   Feelings will always try to negotiate. That’s exactly how you know you’re on the right path.

3. Win More Than You Lose.

   The goal isn’t perfection, it’s attrition. Grind the old standard down until it disappears.

4. Recalibrate After Victory.

   When the new standard becomes who you are, a new war begins at the next level.

Final Word

Standards don’t shift because you write them down.

They shift because you fight for them, day after day, until they’re no longer up for debate.

That’s the dogfight.

Not against the market. Not against the chart.

But against yourself.

So ask yourself:

Which standard are you willing to go to war for today?

Filed: [August 18, 2025] | Location: Behind the Screens — [Chicago, IL USA]