Dopamine is often misunderstood as the "pleasure chemical," but really, it's the anticipation chemical. It's what keeps you refreshing charts, opening your trading app after every small move, or chasing a quick win when you swore you wouldn't.

 

And in today's hyper-stimulated world - TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and everything else begging for your attention - your dopamine system is constantly being hijacked. Studies show that unpredictable dopamine hits (think quick wins, likes, matches, news alerts - even losses) can dysregulate your brain's natural baseline.

 

Over time, this leads to reduced motivation, brain fog, compulsive behavior, and - yep - poor decision-making under pressure. In trading, that's fatal. When your dopamine is fried, your ability to delay gratification, follow your plan, and keep calm in drawdowns drops off a cliff.

 

The good news?

 

It's not hardwired. It's learned behaviour - and that means it can be unlearned. Here are a few action steps you can start today to reset your system and take back control.

Dopamine isn't bad. But unmanaged, it's the invisible force pulling your attention away - and your edge right along with it.

 

Sources: psypost.org/dopamine-and-social-media-why-you-cant-stop-scrolling-according-to-neuroscience/ & https://jbiomedsci.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12929-021-00779-7

 

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Most traders start the day in react mode - phone in hand, charts open, caffeine ingested, cortisol up. But a simple 5-minute shift can calm your brain and sharpen your state of mind. Try this instead:

You can always aim for more optimisation. But perfection is the enemy of good. Start with five minutes. No gimmicks.

 

Pro tip: Use a real alarm clock. That first dopamine hit from your phone can influence your entire day. ⏰

 

 

 

 

 

First place: home. Second place: work. Third place: ...?

 

In the past, "third places" were a part of life - cafés, local pubs, parks, book clubs. Sociologist Ray Oldenburg coined the term to describe spaces where people gather just to exist together. No performance. No pressure. Just presence.

 

But in the modern age, third places have quietly vanished. For many, the entire world has collapsed into two zones: home and work. And that comes with a cost.

 

Without a third place, we forget how to just… be human. We lose spontaneous conversation, ambient social connection, physical cues, non-performance identity - the stuff that buffers stress and adds texture to life.

 

Third places protect us from burnout. They widen our perspective and offer something the other two places can't: grounding.

 

So what qualifies? Anything social, low-stakes, and regular. A jiu-jitsu gym. A climbing wall. A chess club. A jazz night. A local café where they know your name and don't care what you do.

 

Don't overthink it. Just find somewhere you can be a person first, trader second. Because this work - high-stakes, high-focus, often lonely - demands balance. And balance isn't built in front of a screen.

 

 

Prompt: What would this look like if it were easy?

 

We recommend you write this down, sit with it, and jot down everything that comes to mind. No pressure, no right or wrong answers - just reflection and inner guidance.

 

Thank you for reading. Have a mindful, positive week.

Happy trading,
The Traders Journal.