Why can't I make that cut?

I've seen too many traders, including myself—familiar with candlestick theory inside out, able to read indicators effortlessly—but at the moment when it's truly time to hit the exit button, my fingers feel frozen. It's not a lack of awareness of risk; the key issue is that my mind keeps repeating: "Hold on a bit longer, maybe there's a rebound?"

And then? A small floating loss of 5 points gradually slides into a deep trap of 50 points, and I end up watching my account shrink to a shocking level.

Later, I realized one thing: stop-loss is never a technical problem; fundamentally, it's a psychological war. The real opponent you're fighting isn't the market manipulators on the candlestick chart, but the "resentment" inside your own mind.

**Why do I always crash here?**

Clearly, the price breaks through a key support level, yet I keep telling myself stories—"This must be a shakeout by the big players"; even when the trend has already turned bearish, I still cheer myself on—"Don't worry, let's hold on for now, others are trapped like this too." These psychological traps are more damaging than any technical indicator.

Digging deeper into the analysis, there are actually just a few root causes:

**Sunk cost fallacy**. The money already invested, the time spent, and the effort put in make you feel that cutting losses means "losing everything," and psychologically, you can't accept that kind of loss.

**Fear of missing out (FOMO) is stronger than fear of loss**. What you're most afraid of isn't the shrinking account balance, but the moment you cut losses and see a rebound, the feeling of being slapped in the face is even more painful than actual losses.

**Ego gets in the way**. Admitting that a trade has failed is, to some extent, denying your own judgment. Many prefer to hold on stubbornly rather than humbly admit their mistake.

**How I forcibly correct this problem**

First, I changed my understanding of stop-loss. Instead of seeing it as a "sign of surrender," I treat it as "investment insurance." Before opening a position, I ask myself a tough question: "If this trade loses 10 points, can I truly accept it calmly?" If I don't have confidence, I proactively reduce my position size.

Then, I rely on rules to replace emotions. I set a strict standard—for example, exit unconditionally at -8%. If it reaches that point, I don't hesitate; I stick to it. When it hits that level, I don't procrastinate. Mechanical execution helps counteract emotional swings.

The last trick is very effective: isolating from short-term noise. I consciously reduce watching the 1-minute chart, instead focusing more on daily and weekly charts. The rapid fluctuations on the 1-minute level are the easiest to disturb your mindset and obscure the trend.

**A word for beginners**

The market never spares those who rely on luck, but following rules can save your life. Cutting losses removes floating losses, preserving the capital needed for a comeback.

(If you're currently trapped in a position, ask yourself: If this were a friend's account, would I advise him to hold on or exit now? Your first instinct is often the most honest judgment.)