Press Your Edge or Walk Away?
How to Make the Right Call
The Trader’s Dilemma:
When to Lock in Profits and When to Keep Going
So, you’re up big on the day… now what?
Do you keep trading, pressing your edge? Or do you lock in those gains before you give it all back?
LOCK OR NOT
There are two schools of thought here…
Option 1: Press Your Edge
If you’re in tune with the market and firing on all cylinders, so why stop?
Opportunities aren’t evenly distributed across the week, month, or quarter.
When conditions are right, you press your advantage… because who knows when the next prime market rhythm will come?
Option 2: Lock It In & Walk Away
Taking profits when you’re up big protects your P&L and your mindset.
Because nothing feels worse than going from king of the market to questioning your entire existence in a matter of hours… (hands up please!)
And the psychological damage of giving back gains? Brutal. Sometimes, it’s just not worth the risk for a little extra.
So… which is right?!
Well… in true trading fashion. It depends.
Where are you in your trading journey?
Huh? Why does that matter, Mark?
Because sometimes, protecting confidence is more important than squeezing out extra gains.
If you’re still building your confidence bank, the risk vs. reward of making a little more versus giving back your gains probably isn’t worth it.
But if you’re more advanced and comfortable with the trade-off? Maybe pressing harder is the right move.
It’s a very personal decision.
Let’s Figure This Out…
In my latest podcast, I break down this dilemma and some smart ways to handle it.
Here’s what we cover:
The psychology of giving back profits (and how to avoid the emotional spiral) Smart ways to set intraday loss limits, without trading scared When to keep your foot on the throttle (and when to step off) The one mindset shift that keeps your equity curve moving in the right direction
Because let’s be honest… nothing stings more than being up big, feeling on top of the world, only to give it all back by the close.
If that’s ever happened to you (or keeps happening), this is worth a listen.
Listen now: https://www.tradersmastermind.