Good morning, traders…
Everyone loves to talk up their winning trades.
But yesterday, I witnessed something in the Earnings Edge room that stopped me in my tracks.
One of our traders stepped up and openly shared their loss…
No excuses. No blame shifting. Just honest accountability about a trade that went sideways.
You have no idea how rare this is in our industry. Most people hide their mistakes, make excuses, or quietly disappear when things go wrong.
They treat losses like shameful secrets instead of valuable lessons.
But this trader did the opposite. They leaned into transparency.
The room’s response was immediate. “I just took a loss too.” “We’ve all been there.” “Onwards and upwards.”
What could have been a moment of isolation became a moment of connection.
The chat transformed from typical market commentary into something deeper — real human connection around the struggles we all face but rarely discuss.
That moment shifted everything. Instead of shame spiraling alone, this trader found community. Instead of isolation, they discovered that every successful trader in that room had walked the same path.
Here’s Why Being Honest With Yourself Matters More Than Any Single Trade You’ll Make This Week…
The Courage That Creates Winners
It takes courage to admit when you’re wrong. And you can’t grow without that kind of vulnerability.
The trader who shared their loss yesterday just took the most important step toward becoming consistently profitable.
Traders who can admit mistakes are the ones who learn from them.
Meanwhile, the ones hiding losses? They repeat the same patterns until the market humbles them permanently.
Last month, I met with some younger, Gen Z traders — several already millionaires, others working toward it.
One had been making excuses about why he wasn’t following his process. We challenged him directly: “You know what to do, so why aren’t you doing it?”
Yesterday, he called me. He told me he started asking himself that question before every decision.
And his account just hit an all-time high.
Why? Because he stopped making excuses and started making changes.
That’s the power of honest accountability within a community that actually cares about your success.
4 Smart Money Setups
In the spirit of accountability, here are the setups I’m tracking this week:
Robinhood Markets Inc. (NASDAQ: HOOD)
The September 5 $102 Calls are lighting up with institutional flow. On the 1-hour chart, HOOD is testing that downward trend line. The daily chart shows range-bound action with support holding at $98.81. If it breaks above $101, this could reverse with enormous volume.
Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOGL)
I already had a nice GOOGL win this month, but there could be more juice left to squeeze out of this rally. If it breaks above $232, I’ll consider September 12 $240 Calls, but I’ll keep the size small. I’d prefer to wait for a pullback.
PayPal Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: PYPL)
With a potential Stage 2 breakout forming, volume compression is creating an opportunity in PYPL. If it breaks above $70 (conservatively $71), I’m setting alerts for September 19 $72 Calls. If the bulls take control above that level, this could run hard.
American Eagle Outfitters Inc. (NYSE: AEO)
This name was getting massive Smart Money flow before Earnings. Mr. Anderson’s algorithm flagged it as bullish. I loaded September 19 $14 Calls. There was zero put activity. Sure enough, the stock gained 30% yesterday. The lesson? When Smart Money and technicals align, don’t hesitate.
The Real Edge
The trader who shared their loss yesterday just gained something more valuable than any winning trade: the ability to learn from mistakes.
In this business, you either win or you learn. Both outcomes move you forward if you’re honest about what happened.
The traders who shy away from their losses are stuck repeating the same mistakes until the market forces them out.
The ones who share openly? They build the support system that carries them through tough patches and celebrates their wins.
Find your support system in our Smart Money Workshops.
You’re one click away from the best setups in the options market.
Join us TONIGHT at 7:00 p.m. EST.
Happy trading,
Ben Sturgill
P.S. President Trump is preparing to announce his boldest economic plan yet … a move to fast-track an unprecedented $9 trillion initiative…
But before it has a chance to become “law of the land…”
On Wednesday, September 10th at 8 p.m. EST, Tim Sykes is going live with $20 million trader Jack Kellogg…
Since Trump’s return to the White House, Jack’s banked a ridiculous $5.4 million in trading profits.*
*Past performance does not indicate future results