Good morning, tradersā¦
I was reviewing my trades from last month when I noticed something strange.
Several bad decisions had been captured on video. Some during our live trading sessions, some from simply leaving my camera on.
I watched myself make each mistake in real time.
And what I discovered shocked me: My body language predicted every bad trade 30-60 seconds before I entered.
Leaning forward when I should have been patient. Checking my phone when I should have been focused. Fidgeting with my pen when uncertainty crept inā¦
My unconscious physical behavior was screaming warnings that my conscious mind completely ignored.
Thereās a reason that professional poker players, police interrogators, and TSA officers study physical tells and body language like a science.
They know that unconscious behavior reveals more than conscious words.
The same principle applies to trading. Your physical reactions reveal your true confidence level in any position.
Calm body = confident trade
Fidgety body = uncertain trade
The science is simple: uncertain trades lose money more often than confident trades.
Your Body Language Has Been Warning You About Bad Trades For Years ā¦ You Just Haven’t Been Watching.
Letās Investigate Why Your Physical Behavior Is A Near-Perfect Predictor Of Your Trading Successā¦
The Physical Warning System Youāre Probably Ignoring
Your body knows you’re about to make a mistake before your brain does.
Here are the tells I’ve identified that predict bad trades:
The Forward Lean: Leaning toward your screen during entry signals impatience. You’re forcing a trade instead of waiting for proper timing.
The Phone Check: Glancing at your phone during position management shows divided attention. You’re not fully committed to the trade.
The Pen Click: Repetitive clicking, tapping, or fidgeting reveals internal uncertainty. Your subconscious knows something’s wrong with the setup.
The Shoulder Hunch: Tensing up during entries indicates stress about position size. You’re risking more than you can mentally handle.
The Eye Dart: Looking away from charts repeatedly shows avoidance behavior. You don’t want to see what the market is telling you.
Each movement predicts a specific type of mistake with astounding accuracy.
How To Read Your Own Trading Tells
Set up a small mirror next to your screen, or record yourself on a webcam.
Watch your body language during trades.
Notice:
- How you sit when entering strong setups vs. weak ones.
- Whether you fidget more during larger position sizes.
- If you lean forward when you should be patient.
- How often you look away during critical moments.
Your reflection will show you what your analysis can’t.
The Stress Test Protocol
When considering any trade, do this quick body scan:
- Are your shoulders relaxed or tense?
- Is your breathing normal or shallow?
- Are your hands steady or restless?
- Is your jaw relaxed or clenched?
If any tension exists, the trade is either too large or too uncertain.
Reduce position size until your body relaxes completely. Your nervous system is a better risk manager than your spreadsheets.
Your Body Language Assignment
Record yourself during your next five trades. Even just using your phone camera.
Watch the footage later and note:
- What your body does during winners vs. losersā¦
- Which physical patterns preceded your worst decisionsā¦
- How your posture changes with different position sizesā¦
You’ll discover ātellsā you never knew existed.
Happy trading,
Ben Sturgill
P.S. Want to learn how to execute trades like this?*
The best place to start is in our Smart Money Workshops.
Youāre one click away from the best setups in the options market.
Join us TODAY at 12:00 p.m. EST.
*Past performance does not indicate future results
