“I Knew It…” – The Three Words That Are Sabotaging Your Trading Decisions
Why traders fall for the illusion of certainty
— And how to rewire your post-trade thinking.
Ever muttered the words “I knew it” after price ripped in one direction?
Yeah, you, me and every other trader on the planet…
Feels satisfying. Like you were right all along.
But those three little words?
They’re more dangerous than you think…
IT’S A TRAP
Now I’m no neuroscientist…
But I’ve been around long enough to know this:
That phrase builds the illusion of certainty.
You think you saw it coming.
You tell yourself you knew it.
Then you beat yourself up for not acting on it.
So, what happens next time?
You get a hint of an idea… and you’re in… cos there’s no way you’re going to miss this one, right?
Now, don’t get me wrong, intuition is real.
As a discretionary trader, it should be part of your edge.
But you never know it.
This is a game of probabilities, not certainties.
So instead of
“I knew it 
”
Try:
“I saw that setting up… what clues were there that I can use to support that setup next time?”
That shift… from hindsight to process is how you turn “I knew it” from a dangerous phrase to a powerful trigger to do the work.
Worth a try.