What excuses do you use?

Beginner Questions Trading Psychology
1

If you’re like me, you’ve used a lot of excuses not to practice/study/trade. There’s always something more important that I let get in the way. “Tomorrow” or “Starting next week” I’ll get serious on my practice, just as soon as I’ve taken care of XYZ, or so I tell myself.

So here it is, a non-exhaustive list of the excuses I’ve used.

Things I need before I’m ready:

  • Laptop
  • Better laptop
  • Keyboard
  • Better keyboard
  • Monitor
  • Better monitor
  • More monitors
  • Desk
  • Chair
  • Better chair
  • Coffee Maker
  • Modafinil
  • Whiteboard

Things I need to get done first:

  • Different work schedule
  • Small debts paid off
  • Get in better physical/mental shape
  • Finish this new book/course
  • Buy this new study software / trading platform
  • Finish this college class
  • Finish my motorcycle
  • Deep clean my apartment
  • Another 60 overtime week

It’s so embarrassingly transparent that I’m procrastinating, but I still struggle with it. I’ve always struggled with perfectionism, which really is nothing more than fear of failure manifesting as procrastination. On an intellectual level, I know what I’m doing and how stupid it is, but on some primal level, it is so difficult to overcome.

So what are some ways you’ve creatively procrastinated? And if you’ve broken through this wall, what are the ways you did it? How do you keep from falling back into that bad habit?

2 Likes
2

I’ve had this problem for a long time.

I found a few things that work at least for me. One is to always deny myself something I really like until I have done something that isn’t fun but needed doing.

A rather dramatic way I found to build up my self-discipline is through solo hiking and wild camping. If you’re going to do this you have to plan a route carefully and make sure you take everything you might need, plus spares, plus you know where you can get fresh water, where you can/can’t camp etc… The stakes are a little higher than just popping out for a coffee. Having done this, the little chores in ordinary life are easy to accomplish.

Overall, I found time management really helpful. Using simple rules the urgent + important stuff gets done first, the urgent but not important stuff next, then the important but not urgent stuff. If something isn’t either urgent or important, why would I even do it?

4 Likes
3

This is a good one! :slight_smile: I’ve also tried doing something similar in the past and it also worked for me! :blush: I wasn’t allowed to read a new chapter of the manga I was reading until I finished a task. So, the more interesting the chapters got, the more motivated I was to finish my tasks and spend the rest of my day reading. :sweat_smile:

Because it’s fun? :smiley:

1 Like
4

I know what you mean. But fun’s important.

Whether something is important is identified by the impact if it is not done at all. I think if I didn’t have some fun my trading would suffer…

5

Because it’s easy. There’s no pain. It goes with the whole idea of “start small, get something done.”. Do that enough times and it becomes a habit to just do all the easy and quick stuff while the harder stuff, which is probably way more important, doesn’t get done.

I’ve ignored the hard and important stuff lots of times…

I like the positive reinforcement. Do this harder task and you get a prize.

1 Like
6

You should read “atomic changes” by James Clear. I found it quite useful.

2 Likes
7

Ooh have you tried this one yet?

8

Atomic Habits, and yes I’ve read it a year ago. Need to read it again and start putting it into practice.

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9

I have, sadly I wasted them all on doing other mindless stuff. Need to get more and use them correctly.

10

I tried it but unfortunately didn’t do anything for me. I’ll have to try again one of these days.

11

to tell the truth it’s hard to look back at the trades and study them. many times i get angry with myself at the stupid trades i tried to do or jumping in too early before the indicators are ready.

12

It’s worse when you know it’s a mistake and yet you keep doing it!

1 Like
13

I live a simple life and have a daily schedule that I usually keep to. Planning ahead is a key involvement.

1 Like
14

Getting a quality brand is important. Honestly a legitimate prescription is the best way to go. I work nights so I have a good excuse, just need to find an agreeable doctor.

15

This is a good point. I used to have a nice daily morning routine and fell off. Time to get back to it. Thanks for the tip.

1 Like
16

Was it Provigil? I used a different brand. Maybe that’s why. Can’t remember which one though.

17

I always prioritize that my children are more important than any tasks I have. Sometimes I think I’m doing everything right, but when I realize that I’m not finishing certain tasks, I start planning my week differently. It helps, but not for long. It’s hard to find a balance.

18

Your children are very lucky to have you :slight_smile:

19

Hope so, but sometimes I think that I didn’t do enough

20

Provigil[quote=“ponponwei, post:16, topic:1209534, full:true”]
Was it Provigil? I used a different brand. Maybe that’s why. Can’t remember which one though.
[/quote]

is the brand name one, the original and likely the best one. I didn’t use that one, as I didn’t have a prescription. If that’s the one you used, then your probably right, it probably just doesn’t do much for you.