Stuck Watching Your Trades? Here’s Why

How to Break the Mental Loop and Let Go of Open Trades

So, have you ever found yourself constantly staring at an open trade … even though you know it’s best to leave it alone?
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You place the trade, and suddenly, your mind can’t let go.
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Watching every, single, tick…
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Why is that?
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Well, it’s not just you… it’s your brain’s way of handling “unfinished business.”
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There’s a psychological concept behind this called the Zeigarnik Effect.
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​It works like this:
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When we leave something incomplete (like an open trade), our brain keeps reminding us about it. It’s like a mental loop that never shuts off until the task is done.
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And in trading, this can be a huge problem…

The Open Loop

Now, I’m sure you know what I’m talking about.
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You’ve been there, right?
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Placing a trade, then constantly checking the charts, wondering… “Did I make the right trade here?”
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​But here’s the good news: there’s a way to break this cycle.
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And the solution could be simpler than you think…

How to Stop the Mental Loop

So, how do you stop obsessing over your open trades?

Here’s the trick: you need to create your own closure. Even if the trade is still running, your mind needs a way to ‘check the box’ and move on.

Here’s how:

  1. Post-Trade Routine
    Write down all the reasons for the trade, set your stop and profit target. After that? You’re done. Let it go. Your job is finished.

  2. Reframe Your Role
    Once you place the trade, the market takes over. You’ve already done the hard work. Now, let the trade play out without obsessing over every tick.

  3. Scheduled Reviews
    Set specific times to review your trades. Constantly refreshing your screen isn’t helping… stick to a schedule and give your brain a break.

So, next time you catch yourself checking your trades every five minutes, remember: you don’t need to be glued to the screen.

Break the mental cycle, and your trading will be sharper, more focused, and a lot less stressful…