Read more of the
The W.T.F. Report

Write your awesome label here.
Write your awesome label here.
Write your awesome label here.
May 3 / The BALD BULL

#33 Debunked & Exposed: The Top 10 Trading Lies Retail Traders Swear By

Think you know what it takes to win in the market? Think again. In this blog post we go full truth serum on the myths that keep 90% of retail traders broke, confused, and stuck in a cycle of self-sabotage. ✅ Backed by surprising stats from FINRA, the SEC, and real market data. ✅ Designed to slap the fake confidence out of your trading ego. ✅ Packed with belief-flipping insights to help you finally trade like a pro. You’ll discover why more trades ≠ more money, why the "perfect strategy" is a lie, and how chasing alerts turns you into someone else's exit plan. If you’ve ever said “I just need one good setup” — this post might hurt. But it’ll help you more. Unlearn the lies.
“The elements of good trading are: (1) cutting losses, (2) cutting losses, and (3) cutting losses. If you can follow these three rules, you may have a chance.”

| Ed Seykota, Trend-Following Pioneer

Are you a retail trader holding onto some common myths?

Let’s call it out: The market isn’t just punishing your bad trades — it’s punishing your bad beliefs.

You’re not broken. You’re just biologically set up to suck at trading.

Your brain’s #1 job? Keep you alive — not help you build wealth.

So what happens?

You chase green candles like they’re prey.

You avoid losses like they’re tigers.

You cling to comfort, dopamine, and certainty — three things the market feeds you *right before it eats you alive*.

These myths?

They feel safe.

But they’re silently draining your account and sabotaging your consistency.

In this blog, we’re going full myth-buster mode — exposing the Top 10 Trading Lies Retail Traders Swear By with hard-hitting stats from FINRA, the SEC, and beyond.

If you’re brave enough to challenge your beliefs…
You might finally become the trader you claim you want to be.

Let’s unlearn.

Let’s out-trade.

Let’s GET FREE!

#1.  BELIEF = “I just need the right strategy.”

THE TRUTH:
STRATEGY without  Psychology and Physiology  is SELF SABOTAGE .

You don’t have a system problem — you have a *self-management* problem.

It’s tempting to think a secret strategy is all that separates you from success. The reality: even with strategies, most active traders still lose money.

In fact, a FINRA analysis found that 72% of day traders ended up with financial losses in a single year.

It’s tempting to think a secret strategy is all that separates you from success. The reality: even with strategies, most active traders still lose money.

In other words, the majority are in the red despite whatever strategy they tried. Consistently profitable trading comes from skillful execution and risk management, not a magical formula. If most traders lose, the “right” strategy alone clearly isn’t a golden ticket.

“If the right strategy was all it took… why are so many smart traders still inconsistent?”

The $1KWAY MINDSET: 
The OPERATING SYSTEM (OS) of TIME FREEDOM TRADING requires you to see the MARKET in 3D, define a proper edge, and execute a proven “consistency code”.

#2. BELIEF = “More trades = more money.”

THE TRUTH:
Overtrading is just compulsive gambling in a hoodie.

Fewer, higher-conviction setups scale better than trigger-happy mouse clicks.

Many newbies equate trading more often with earning more, but statistics show the opposite. Excessive trading actually hurts returns.

"Pioneering research by Barber and Odean revealed that frequent traders earned only about 11.4% annually, while infrequent traders earned 18.5% – a huge gap.

Those who traded the most lagged far behind those who traded sparingly. Why? Costs, overconfidence, and chasing too many setups eat into profits. Quality trades beat quantity. The data is clear: trading smarter, not harder, tends to make more money.

“What’s the real cost of feeling productive but compounding losses?”

The $1KWAY MINDSET:
Of the 22 trading days on average per month, 5-10 days per month will give potential setups with the proper catalysts.

#3. BELIEF ="I'll get consistent once I go full-time. "

THE TRUTH:
YOU DON’T RISE TO THE LEVEL OF YOUR GOALS, YOU FALL TO YOUR LEVEL OF YOUR SYSTEMS

Consistency MUST be built before you go full-time.
Or you’ll burn out — fast.


Quitting your day job to trade full-time might sound like the path to consistent profits, but the odds say otherwise. Very few full-time traders ever achieve long-term consistency.

Industry data shows only 13% of day traders are profitable after just six months, and a mere 1% succeed after five years.

That means 99% fail to maintain profits long-term, even when trading as their main gig. Going full-time can actually add pressure and stress. Consistency comes from mastery and discipline, not simply having more hours at the screen. The vast majority who “go pro” end up bowing out, proving that full-time focus is no guarantee of success.

The $1KWAY MINDSET: 
The goal is to replace your living expenses through a few trades a month. A proper money management strategy is critical to growing and sustaining your profits with room for INCOME drawdowns.

#4. BELIEF ="Indicators will tell me when to buy."

THE TRUTH:
INDICATORS ARE TOOLS, not oracles.

They lag — and they lie when you use them without context.

A blinking indicator or fancy chart pattern seems like it could be your shortcut to timing trades. But here’s the kicker: most traders already use technical indicators, and it hasn’t saved them.

"Surveys show 70% of day traders have a defined strategy relying heavily on technical analysis."

Yet, as we’ve seen, most still lose money. No single indicator can predict the market with certainty – and over-relying on them can even cloud your judgment. Successful traders treat indicators as tools, not gospel. The statistic proves it: if indicators alone were the key, that 70% wouldn’t be struggling. Ultimately, indicators are only as good as the trader using them.

The $1K WAY MINDSET:
The market doesn’t care about your feelings — it reprices assets when a real catalyst shows up. Sometimes it’s news. Sometimes it’s a surprise. Either way, you better show up with a thesis, not a wish.
Only trade when your rules say so — backed by your edge, your system, and your ability to execute.

No thesis? No trade. No exceptions.

Because gambling is what happens when you skip the “why” and YOLO the “buy.”

#5. BELIEF ="News moves the Market."

THE TRUTH:
Expectations move the market.

By the time news hits, smart money already positioned — you’re late.

Many traders obsessively follow news feeds, believing breaking news will lead to big market moves they can trade. Yes, news can spark volatility – but by the time you react, algorithms likely beat you to the punch.

"High-frequency trading firms account for 50–60% of U.S. equity trading volume, and they pounce on news in milliseconds. "

Retail traders simply can’t compete at that speed. Furthermore, often the market moves before news becomes public (buy the rumor, sell the news). A CFA Institute study noted how flash crashes caused by algos wipe out billions before retail investors can even respond. The takeaway: chasing news is a losing game for retail traders. By the time a headline hits and you place a trade, the opportunity has likely passed or reversed.

The $1KWAY MINDSET: 
Trading against High Frequency Algorithm systems on news is not TIME FREEDOM TRADING.  Learning to trade when you have a proper EDGE for your ability is. Learning and advancing  your skills with the proper maturity model is key.

#6. BELIEF ="Options are Risky!"

THE TRUTH:
Ignorance is risky. Options are tools — with asymmetric power.

Risk isn't in the asset — it's in the user.

Options have a reputation as ultra-risky bets, scaring many retail traders away. But the truth is more nuanced: options are only as risky as how you use them. In fact, traders who educate themselves on options often find them useful.

According to an industry survey, nearly 70% of investors who have traded options would do so again – hardly the sign of a universally “too risky” product.

The biggest reason non-users avoid options isn’t horror stories, but lack of understanding (and a perceived risk) rather than actual risk.  Seasoned investors know you can use options to reduce risk (think protective puts or covered calls) as well as increase it. The statistic shows that once people try options (with proper knowledge), most are comfortable coming back. Options themselves aren’t inherently dangerous – it’s improper use that is. With the right education, options can be a precision tool in your arsenal, not a grenade.

The $1KWAY MINDSET: 
Learning to trade and invest is the key to compounding and building wealth.  Learning to manage both with the proper risk and leverage will accelerate your financial flywheel to compound wealth and earn time freedom.

#7.  BELIEF = "I’ll follow alerts until I learn."

THE TRUTH:
Alerts make you dependent.

You don’t learn how to think, just how to react.

Relying on guru alerts or Discord chat “signals” might feel like a shortcut while you’re learning, but it’s a trap that often ends in losses or worse - a monthly fee that compound the losses and keep you hoping the next one will work. A dramatic real-world example:

In 2022, the SEC charged eight social media influencers in a $114 million stock-manipulation scheme for pumping stocks to their followers. "

These fraudsters lured novice traders with alerts and “hot tips,” only to dump shares for huge profits at the followers’ expense. The lesson? Blindly following alerts can make you a victim. Even legitimate alert services can’t make you profitable if you don’t understand the trades. You might catch a few wins, but you won’t know why – and the inevitable losses will come. Trading by copy-pasting alerts is like flying blind. The only path to lasting success is learning to execute a sound strategy yourself. Don’t become another statistic in someone else’s profit scheme.

The $1KWAY MINDSET: 
Master the skill. Build the system.
When you learn how to trade and invest with a proven operating system — you don’t just make money…you build self-sufficiency that prints financial independence for life.

    Because once you know how to read the market — you’ll never need to beg it again.

#8.  BELIEF = "Once I hit $X in profits, I’ll feel confident."

THE TRUTH:
Confidence doesn’t come from profits. It comes from proof — following your process.

“Would you rather feel good or trade good?”

It’s common to think a certain big profit milestone will finally make you feel secure as a trader. Ironically, the opposite often happens. After a hot streak, traders tend to get overconfident and take on more risk – leading to costly losses.

"Data shows that traders frequently increase their trade size and activity after a series of wins, which often results in losses shortly after.

In other words, the moment they “feel confident” from profits, they give a chunk back to the market. Confidence in trading needs to come from skill and consistency, not a dollar figure. Even if you hit your profit goal, you’ll always have another goalpost ahead. Rather than relying on a profit total to validate you, focus on building good habits. True confidence comes from knowing your process works over time – and knowing how to handle losses, because they will happen.

The $1KWAY MINDSET:
The process you follow.
The skills you sharpen.
The knowledge you apply.
Inside Time Freedom Trading, these unlock your Consistency Code — the blueprint to becoming a profitable trader and investor.

When you adopt a proven system, you stop guessing and start growing. Confidence compounds. Success becomes repeatable.
And you step boldly into Providence — not by luck… but by design.

    You don’t rise to the market — you rise to your level of preparation.

#9.  BELIEF = "I cant' succeed until I fix my personal life."

THE TRUTH:
Your trading desk is your personal mirror. Fix your focus there — and the rest will follow.


Some traders believe they must sort out personal issues, relationships, or job situations before they can succeed in markets. While a stable life can help focus, don’t use this as an excuse to put off success – plenty of people trade well amid real-life chaos. In fact, the majority of retail traders are in mid-life with many responsibilities.

Surveys show 58% of active day traders are over 40 years old– likely juggling careers, families, mortgages, you name it.

They didn’t wait for a perfect, stress-free life to start trading. Of course personal challenges can affect your mindset, but trading itself is its own skill set. Many find that improving their trading discipline actually helps other areas of life fall into place, not the other way around. Bottom line: You don’t need a monk-like existence to win in the market. Start where you are, manage your risks, and let the process of trading teach you to handle adversity – both on and off the charts.

THE $1K WAY MINDSET:
Becoming a Time Freedom Trader starts with an identity shift — not just a skill set. You don’t become a successful trader by accident.
You must think like one.
Act like one.
And most importantly… believe you are one.

You must first BE the trader,
Then DO what profitable traders do,
So you can HAVE the financial freedom they live.

    Because results follow identity — not the other way around.

#10.  BELIEF = "“I’ll know I’ve made it when I don’t lose.”

THE TRUTH:
*The truth: Losing is part of the game. Professional traders lose all the time — they just  lose less than they win and they don’t stay wrong.

You must shift how you see loosing: Don’t fear losses — fear lack of learning.

This might be the most pernicious myth of all – that top traders never lose. The reality: even the best traders endure losses regularly.
"Professional trading firms consider a win rate of 50-55% to be excellent which means even the pros are wrong nearly half the time! Hedge fund legend Steve Cohen once noted that his best traders only hit about 63% winners, and most are barely above 50%.

Losses are part of the game; you will have losing trades and even losing days or months. “Making it” in trading isn’t about never losing – it’s about managing losses so they’re small, and letting your winners run bigger. If you expect a 100% win record, you’re setting yourself up for disappointment and bad risk management. The real mark of having “made it” is when losses no longer shake your confidence or blow up your account. As one trading adage goes, cut your losses and keep them small. Even champions take losses; they just don’t let those losses take them out of the game.

THE $1K WAY MINDSET:
Show me a consistent trader — and I’ll show you a well-kept trade log.
If you don’t track it, you can’t improve it.
Every trade must be logged. Every result must be studied.

You need to know your numbers:
✅ Win rate
✅ Risk-reward
✅ Expectancy

That’s your Trader Triangle — and it’s not optional.
Your Expectancy isn’t just a stat…
It’s the gateway to building real Time Freedom.

    Profits follow precision. Precision comes from performance tracking.

THE FINAL WORD

Don’t let trading lies keep you broke.

The data doesn’t lie — most traders lose because they’re believing bullsh*t, not because they’re missing some “secret strategy.”

Winning in the market takes:
Realistic expectations
✅ Ruthless risk management
✅ A rock-solid mindset
✅ A proven system

Every trader deals with losses, doubt, and chaos.
But the ones who win?
They drop the myths.
They trust the math.
And they follow a blueprint that works.

    This is your wake-up call.
    Stop winging it. Start winning it.

Learn the system. Earn your Time Freedom.

Join us inside Time Freedom Trading.


Want to stop making the same dumb trades? Cool.

Download the Top 10 Trading Lies Retail Traders Swear By
and read it daily like your account depends on it — because it does.

Print it.

Post it.

Tattoo it on your ego.


Just don’t keep pretending you “didn’t know.”

Unlearn the lies.

Trade like a legend — not a lunatic.

👉 Download the list.
Sources: The statistics cited above come from reputable sources including FINRA, the CFA Institute, the U.S. SEC, and published financial research. Each debunked belief is backed by data – because in trading, as in life, facts trump false beliefs every time.
Empty space, drag to resize
Empty space, drag to resize
Empty space, drag to resize
Empty space, drag to resize

LIVE LIKE A SUPER HERO!


If you’re ready... it’s time to level up.

Join our Coaching Cohort, where we teach traders how to:

  • Think like a Trader and Investor
  • Build your own "consistency code"
  • Grow into Profits with Providence. 

No more hesitation. Just a proven path to financial freedom.

Click below to join the Time Freedom Trading Coaching Cohort and start trading the $1KWay today!

Join the TIME FREEDOM TRADING Coaching Cohort Today!

I have 2 slots available for our SPRING COHORT

Put your tax return to good use and learn to earn with the proper leverage!


Discover how Time Freedom Trading can help you start building your Financial Flywheel and your trading plan to THRIVE in 2025!

Freedom awaits—are you ready to claim it?

 | The "Bald Bull

P.S. If you want to get free,
book a call with me!



P.S.S.  PLEASE PAY IT FORWARD!

GIVE TIME FREEDOM - SHARE THIS LINK

Every one deserves Time Freedom!

If you know someone who would like to learn to earn time freedom, please forward this email / link and share the freedom!

Your network will appreciate it
(and remember you) for sharing thoughtful content. 

If you enjoyed this micro-lesson please share this link on social.

Get the "GET FREE" Bundle


10 TIME FREEDOM TRADING TACTICS YOU WILL LEARN!

When you sign up for the Coaching Cohort bundle, you will gain critical knowledge of the proven TIME FREEDOM TRADING system to gain profits in the stock market.

  1. Learn your real freedom number to earn time freedom trading in the stock market. (it's smaller than you think!)
  2. Learn how to see market manipulation by large institutional investors and profit from their movements.
  3. Learn how to make money in an up, down, or sideways market. More importantly, you will learn a quantitative approach to know when NOT to trade in the stock market to protect your capital.
  4. Develop the proper paper trading skills and processes to prove your trading ability in the stock market before risking a single dollar!
  5. Learn the proper trading chart configurations to see the markets in 3D and clearly see market moves before your trade!
  6. Understand the difference between retail trading (prey) and professional trading (predator)strategies and how to profit from both mindsets in the stock market.
  7. Learn simple trading strategies that only require 5th-grade math. No complex calculations or buzzwords to confuse you.
  8. Create simple automated trading tactics with your broker that allow you to place a simple trade on autopilot and minimize your risk while maximizing your gain for a trade.
  9. Join a live daily trader community chat that will discuss market moves in real-time to accelerate your learning and close your experience gap faster.
  10. Experience the seasonality of the stock market with a veteran trader to learn how to profit in all months and seasons of the year to earn time freedom!

You will gain the above critical skills and a whole lot more......

Quantified Strategies: Learn to identify repeatable trading patterns to profit in the markets with systematic, data-driven methods.

Practical Examples: Real-world cases, demonstrated strategies in action.

Consistent Results: Strategies that have proven successful for decades are now accessible to you.

To ensure your success we have also included these added bonuses to make sure you make it to your freedom number!
 Get direct access and monthly 1:1 coaching with a Time Freedom Trader who is invested in you to get you to freedom. You will get direct 1:1 feedback on your trading to hold you accountable with our consistency code to ensure you scale your trading to achieve your freedom goals. ($3000 value)
Gain access to professional charting tools and templates from the Time Freedom Trading Toolbox to ensure your accuracy in the markets and advance your trading skills. ($875 value)
Leverage the NOTION Time Freedom Trading Workstation to build your yearly trading journal and catalyst calendar to earn Time Freedom and profit from it year after year. ($199 value)

When your ready;
There are five (5) ways I can help.

1.0  ​Subscribe to
The W.ith T.ime F.reedom Report

​Join the Time Freedom Trading Community​. SIGN UP for The W.ith T.ime F.reedom REPORT newsletter and learn how to earn TIME FREEDOM from your INBOX! Get trading strategies and get elements of the Time Freedom Trading Operating System in your inbox! Time Freedom Awaits!

The W.ith T.ime F.reedom Report


2.0  ​Subscribe to
TIME FREEDOM TRADING TACTICS

​Get an "investing lesson" on the 1st of every month in your inbox with simple tactics you can implement immediately to start earning time freedom.

TIME FREEDOM TRADING TACTICS


3.0  ​The Time Freedom Trading
ON DEMAND COURSES​

The #1 On-demand Trading Curriculum for learning Trading MECHANICS, Trading DYNAMICS, Trading STRATEGY, and Trading MINDSET.

Join the TIME FREEDOM TRADER COMMUNITY in our flagship courses. Time Freedom Trading teaches you exactly how to lose less and make more by learning a simple system to compound profits in the stock market.

Come inside and get over 25 years of trading expertise, proven methods, and actionable strategies to help Main Street earn Wall Street profits by trading and investing in the stock market.

Ondemand.TimeFreedomTrading.com


4.0  ​The Time Freedom Trading COACHING COHORT​

Join Time Freedom Traders learning "live and in real-time" the seasonality of the stock market. This comprehensive Trader Coaching Cohort will teach you 1:1, in live Cohort sessions, and open office hours, specifically how to trade the seasons of the stock market and learn from live Market Moments for profitable trading strategies.

The WINTER, SPRING, SUMMER, and FALL seasons all have different dynamics to profit from in the stock market. Build the proper knowledge, process, and skills to leverage the exact system I used to gain TIME FREEDOM all year through by effectively trading the stock market with seasonal catalysts. Grow your account with real money with the $1K to $100K Way and earn time freedom your way.

Time Freedom Trading Coaching Cohort

5.0  ​The FREEDOM FRIENDS & FAMILY AFFILIATE PROGRAM​

Join the Time Freedom Trading Affiliate Program at no cost to you, and GET PAID to share the gift of TIME FREEDOM with friends and family. Refer others to Time Freedom Trading and share your personal affiliate link ID to earn a commission on every offering we sell.

Help Time Freedom Trading scale to reach more TIME FREEDOM TRADERS and fund your $1K WAY to earn time freedom. Become a partner to scale the Time Freedom Trader Community.

Giving back and paying it forward with Time Freedom Trading is a WIN-WIN for all!

BECOME A FREEDOM FRIENDS & FAMILY AFFILIATE



"Wall Street never changes.  The pockets change, the suckers change, the stocks change, but Wall Street never changes, because human nature never changes."
                                                                             - Jesse Livermore



SUBSCRIBE TO THE NEWSLETTER


Join TIME FREEDOM TRADERS who are readers of
The W.
ith T.ime F.reedom Report for exclusive tips, strategies, and resources to learn how to trade and invest in the stock market. 
Thank you!
I will never spam or sell your info. Ever.

More WTF REPORT!

#23 Bear Markets: How to Spot One Before It Mauls Your Portfolio (And Your Sanity)

#4  FIVE (5) REASONS EVERYONE SHOULD LEARN TO TRADE THE STOCK MARKET

# 14 The Secrets of Longevity (in Life and Trading)

#15 Mastering Divergence: How Price Action Reveals the Truth Hidden Behind Indicators

Share this Article on:

Learn to Earn Time Freedom;

FREE TO LIVE YOUR LIFE YOUR WAY!

Thank you!
I will never spam or sell your info. Ever.

Join us today

Join us today

Join us today

THANK YOU

Join us today

Join us today

Join us today

Thank you to our sponsors who keep this newsletter free to the reader.

Learn to earn and earn time freedom with your profits in the stock market.  Time Freedom Trading is helping MAIN STREET earn WALL STREET profits through real trading and investing strategies.

Forget the dogma of "set it and forget it" tactics with passive investing that keeps your advisor rich with fees and your account balance diminished with under performing portfolio strategies.  

Time Freedom trading is helping MAIN STREET earn WALL STREET PROFITS. Can you afford to NOT find out?  What is your old way of investing really costing you.  Get started with TIME FREEDOM TRADING today!

Sponsor this Newsletter!

Have questions?
Hit reply to this email and we'll help out!

You are receiving this note because you joined us at one of the Time Freedom Trading websites.
Copyright © ​www.TIMEFREEDOMTRADING.com​
All rights reserved.

About www.TIMEFREEDOMTRADING.com
THE TIME FREEDOM TRADING SYSTEM empowers Main Street with Wall Street knowledge and tools to compound wealth and earn time freedom through proven trading and investing strategies. Learning how the stock market works from the inside is critical to compounding wealth consistently in any market environment. Time Freedom Trading empowers you to build your own financial flywheel based upon your skills and goals.  Regardless of the technology or market volatility, with TIME FREEDOM TRADING you will have the right mentor and mental coach who will reveal the patterns in human nature that don’t repeat but do rhyme which you can profit from. Whether it’s stocks, options, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), or futures, we empower you with an effective skill set and tools for everyone at every level of experience to earn time freedom.

Life is short.

MAKE IT WORTH WHILE!


Compounding wealth with Time Freedom Trading can make it long and worthwhile.

Earn time freedom to enjoy life, enjoy your family, and enable the life and legacy you deserve.
Become a Time Freedom Trader Today!

Your Time Freedom Awaits!


DISCLAIMER: Stocks and options trading have large potential rewards, but also large potential risks. You must be aware of the risks and be willing to accept them to invest in the stocks and options markets. Do not trade with money you can’t afford to lose. This is neither a solicitation nor an offer to Buy/Sell stocks or options. No representation is being made that any account will or is likely to achieve profits or losses similar to those discussed in this communication. The past performance of any trading system or methodology is not indicative of future results. All trades, patterns, charts, systems, etc., discussed in Time Freedom Trading materials are for illustrative purposes only and not to be construed as specific advisory recommendations. Information contained in this correspondence is intended for informational purposes only and was obtained from sources believed to be reliable. Information is in no way guaranteed. No guarantee of any kind is implied or possible where projections of future conditions are attempted.


TIME FREEDOM TRADING DOES NOT PROVIDE RECOMMENDATIONS OR ADVICE.


FOR EDUCATIONAL AND INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY; NOT ADVICE. TIME FREEDOM TRADING content is offered for educational and informational purposes only and should NOT be construed as a securities-related offer or solicitation or be relied upon as personalized financial advice. We are not financial advisors and cannot give personalized advice. There is a risk of loss in all trading, and you may lose some or all of your original investment. Results presented are not typical. Please review the full risk disclaimer


​LEGAL DISCLAIMERS​
ADDITIONAL RISKS​