Trading Wisdom

Quotes, Rules and Timeless Trading Truths.

Uncover timeless trading wisdom through quotes, rules, and lessons from the greats. Principles that outlast markets and insights every trader should know. 

The best lessons in trading aren’t from charts; they’re from quotes, conversations, and questioning existing ideas to find the truth.

In this section, you’ll learn from one of my favourite traders (Paul Tudor Jones) and meet a fearless pit legend.

Get top trading book picks, quick performance hacks, timeless rules of thumb — and the truth behind those ‘90% of traders lose’ stats

Take a breath, lean in, and find real trading wisdom…

Table of Contents

Paul Tudor Jones Trader Quotes

Wisdom from one of the all‑time greats. PTJ’s quotes are packed with hard‑earned lessons on risk, ego, resilience, and adaptability.
  • “Get out if you’re wrong, let winners ride”- risk control above all
  • "You learn more from your losses, than from your gains."
  • “Adapt, evolve, compete or die”- a mindset for staying alive in the markets

Explore these quotes and even the day he nearly quit trading. Lucky for us, he didn’t…

Buy on the Sound of Cannons, Sell on the Sound of Trumpets

That vintage Rothschild proverb re‑examined through modern markets and actual war‑day price action.

  • 'Buy on bad news, sell on good news.'
  • Analysis of equity moves on invasion days: Gulf War, Iraq, Afghanistan, Ukraine
  • Relief vs. unknowns patterns and insights

Learn whether this 1800s saying is still accurate here.
See how the crude oil price reacts to war.

And see what we can learn from Winston Churchill about trading…

My Top 10 Trading Books

A curated list of must‑reads, combining strategy, psychology, and legendary trading tales for anyone hungry to learn.
  • Classics like Reminiscences of a Stock Operator and Hedge Fund Market Wizards
  • Modern gems such as The Playbook, Bulletproof Trader, and Trading To Win
  • Formats for every learner: analysis, storytelling, and mindset training

You can listen to my trading podcast or simply read here (we can’t forget about my favourite non-trading related books, which are just as insightful)

The Lewis Borsellino Interview: Lessons from a Pit Legend

An inside look at the fearless S&P 500 pit trader who defined his era and became the whispered legend in the trading pits.

Learn why Lewis Borsellino dominated the trading floor here (also check this out if you’re keen to learn a bit on pit trading)

Why "Traders Lose" Stats Aren’t the Full Picture

The sobering stats get nuanced here – small accounts and inexperience skew the numbers.
  • Small deposits often lead to reckless risk that burns quickly
  • Treating tiny accounts like big ones: learn first, scale slowly
  • Experience is proportional to profitability

Take a second look at those losing trader stats.

The Prop Challenge Hamster Wheel

Caught in the endless prop-firm trial loop? This one calls it what it is—and offers a grounded exit path forward.

  • Prop firms can be helpful stepping-stones, but some fall into a costly repeat loop
  • The “challenge hamster wheel”: keep failing, retrying, and feeling stuck
  • Maybe it’s time to pause, trade small on your own terms, and recalibrate before hopping back in.

Break the cycle – read more here. Also, you can listen to the state of prop firms in my podcast and how to pass an online prop firm challenge

Quick and Easy Hacks For Improved Trading

Shortcuts that pack a punch; five simple but powerful habits you can start using right now to tighten your game.

The details are audio-only (Spotify or Apple), but they’re quick, practical, and impactful.

Also, check out hacks on holding winning trades and a cheeky account balance hack.

Rules of Thumb

Quick, memorable rules that stick. These are the little reminders that keep you aligned.

  • Buy on red, sell on green
  • Late-day surges? Don’t fade them; likely institutional rebalancing
  • Trust your gut; sometimes hesitation signals something deeper to respect

Learn more about these rules here.

Trading Wisdom Ideas

Dive into trading insights, prop firm secrets, and timeless market theories in the articles below.

Trading Legends

Prop Firms

History and Theories

If you’re hungry for actionable trading strategies, you won’t want to miss this strategies page. Or, for a more visual presentation, my webinars are definitely worth watching.

Looking to improve your discipline and mindset? Then click here for my Trading Psychology main page.

On the move? No time to read?

Have a listen to my trading podcast with solo episodes, expert interviews and the super popular developing trader series. (available on all the usual podcast platforms, just search for Traders Mastermind)

Good trading,

Mark Holstead

PS: If you like this type of content, you’ll love my daily email!