Traders are always surrounded by noise. Other people’s results, screenshots, win streaks, and hot takes are everywhere. It’s tempting to look around and ask how you stack up. But more often than not, that habit quietly works against you.
A long time ago, horse trainers figured out that horses perform better with blinders on. Blinders block out distractions and keep the horse focused on what’s directly ahead. Without them, even small movements in the background can spook the horse and throw it off course.
As a trader, I’ve found that whenever I started comparing my trading performance with other forex traders, my performance would usually worsen.
This “distraction” typically led to losses for both my trading account and mojo.
This isn’t just a trading problem. In everyday life, constantly measuring yourself against others can pull you off track. You start second-guessing your decisions, your pace, and even your goals. In trading, that kind of mindset is especially dangerous.
Comparisons don’t make you better. They make you reactive.
Every trader has a different background, risk tolerance, account size, and learning curve. What works for someone else may be completely wrong for you. When you compare results without knowing the full story behind them, you’re usually comparing apples to mystery fruit.
Instead of asking how you’re doing relative to others, a better question is whether you’re improving relative to your past self. Are you following your plan more consistently? Are you managing risk better than you were last month? Are you making fewer emotional decisions?
Those are the metrics that matter.
Looking outward invites frustration. You may feel envy when others appear to be ahead or discouragement when your progress feels slow. Neither emotion helps you make better trades. Both pull attention away from the one thing you actually control, your execution.
Strong traders run their own race. They don’t worry about imaginary finish lines or who crossed them first. They focus on refining their process and let results compound over time.
It also helps to remember that you rarely see the full picture behind someone else’s performance. A great month could be luck. A big account could be the result of years of losses. A perfect equity curve might hide risk you would never be comfortable taking.
Put your blinders on.
Focus on your own charts, your own rules, and your own progress.
Everyone learns at a different pace, and that’s fine. Trading is not a competition against other people. It’s a long-term exercise in discipline, patience, and self-awareness.
Run your own race and finish at your own pace.
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