Stop losses. Profit targets. They’re there for a reason. They say, “This is as far as I’m willing to go.” They define my comfort zone — both for risk and for reward.
If a trade moves beyond my stop, I start losing more than I’m okay with.
If a stock races beyond my upper price target, I start to worry it’s overextended and due for a sharp correction.
These aren’t just technical lines on a chart — they’re psychological lines in the sand. And as much as I know they’re important, I’ll admit: boundaries are hard for me.
Sometimes I break them.
Sometimes I blur them.
Sometimes I forget why I set them in the first place.
And the more time I spend in the markets, the more I realize:
Trading teaches me about far more than markets — it teaches me about me.
Every time I ignore a stop loss or stretch a target, I’m not just failing as a trader — I’m revealing something deeper about how I operate. Because when I struggle to hold boundaries in my trading, it’s usually because I’m struggling to hold boundaries in other parts of my life, too.
In relationships.
With time.
With energy.
With my own sense of self-worth.
So I’m working on it. In both arenas.
I’m learning that boundaries aren’t rigid walls — they’re containers. Containers for safety, for clarity, for self-respect.
And when I honor them in the markets, I get to practice honoring them in life.
And when I honor them in life, I become a better, clearer, calmer trader.
It’s not perfect. It’s a work in progress.
But I’m walking the road.
And I’m learning that sometimes, the real edge isn’t in breaking the rules — it’s in finally learning to respect your own.
Sean McLaughlin | Chief Options Strategist, All Star Charts
