Reflect, Refine, and Reignite

Get a Head Start on the New Year

As the year winds down, now is the perfect time to press pause, reflect on the lessons of 2024, and gear up for 2025. With quieter markets and a natural break in the trading calendar, Christmas and New Year provide an opportunity to assess, plan, and prepare for the journey ahead.

Why the Year-End is the Perfect Time for Goal Setting

A Natural Pause
Markets slow down, offering precious moments to reflect on what worked and what didn’t.

Year-End Review
This is the time to analyse your wins, losses, and lessons from 2024.

Fresh Start
The new year symbolises a clean slate, perfect for setting ambitious yet achievable goals.

Life Alignment
Your trading goals should reflect your broader life aspirations for a balanced and meaningful approach.

Momentum Builder
Lay the groundwork now for a strong start to 2025.

Step 1: Reflect on 2024

Before you set new goals, it’s important to take a hard look at the past year. Here’s how:

Wins and Losses

  • Best Performances: How did market conditions, trade styles, and effort allocation contribute?
  • Poor Performances: Identify common themes or mistakes.

Analyse and Assess

  • Review your trades and the conditions surrounding them.
  • Evaluate your style: Were you aligned with the market – trending or rotational?

Mindset and Emotional Control

  • How did you handle stress, greed, and frustration?
  • For many traders, emotional roadblocks are the biggest challenge – invest time here.

Metrics That Matter

  • Win rate, R-multiples, drawdown recovery time, MFE/MAE, and risk management stats.
  • Focus on data, not guesswork, to inform your plan for 2025.

Step 2: Solid Goal Setting for 2025

Goal setting is about creating a roadmap that aligns with your “why” and drives your performance.

SMARTER Goals Framework

  • Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-Bound, Evaluated, Readjusted
  • Example: Improve risk management by capping risk at 1% per trade by March 2025.

Short, Medium, and Long-Term Goals

  • Short-Term: Build consistency, such as adhering to a pre-trade checklist for 30 days.
  • Medium-Term: Master specific strategies or risk-reward ratios within six months.
  • Long-Term: Develop a personal trading playbook and achieve balance with lifestyle goals.

Tailored Goals by Experience Level

  • Beginners: Master basics and journal every trade.
  • Intermediate Traders: Reduce overtrading and achieve consistent profitability.
  • Advanced Traders: Scale strategies and mentor others.

Tools and Tactics for Success

  • Operational: Use pre- and post-market checklists, performance reports, and metrics tracking.
  • Mindset: Incorporate visualisations and affirmations for mental resilience.
  • Accountability: Build a support system with a trading buddy, mentor, or community.

Action Steps to Start Now

  1. Reflect on 2024’s performance to identify themes.
  2. Set SMARTER Goals for 2025.
  3. Gather Resources: Tools, tactics, and accountability partners.
  4. Create a Plan: Short, medium, and long-term goals to start 2025 strong.