Frustration
Emotional tension caused by a gap between expectations and outcomes.
Beginner-friendly explanation
Frustration is what you feel when the market doesn’t behave the way you wanted. It can lead to bad decisions, like entering too early, exiting too late, or forcing a trade.
Example: You miss a trade that went up 20%. Trying to 'make up for it,' you rush into another one — and lose. That’s a frustration-driven decision.
Intermediate-level insight
Frustration in trading often comes from unrealistic expectations versus market reality. It causes impatience, repeated mistakes, or overtrading. It must be identified to break the cycle.
Example: A trader opens multiple trades after a few small losses, trying to 'recover fast' instead of waiting for a proper setup.
Advanced perspective
Frustration acts as a sign of internal misalignment between the trader’s belief system and market randomness. Experienced traders use self-regulation tools (active pause, emotional journaling, review) to defuse this tension.
Example: After an unjustified losing trade, a pro trader takes a break, logs emotions, and revisits the rules — without trying to 'compensate.'
Psychology & Behavior
frustration, tension, impatience, overtrading, loss of control, emotions, revenge trading