r/FnOStories

We all have that sticky note on our monitor.

• "Only take 2 trades a day."
• "Never hold intraday losses overnight."
• "Wait for the candle to close."

And yet, when the market is moving fast, those rules suddenly become "suggestions." I'll swear to myself I'm only taking one trade today, but the moment I hit a stop-loss, I'm immediately hunting for a second trade to recover it.

Which of your own rules do you find the hardest to actually obey when the live market is ticking?

Does anyone else do this without even thinking? Unlock phone -> tap Zerodha or Dhan -> stare at the MTM.

Even when the market is closed, or I have a strict stop-loss in place and no reason to look, I find myself compulsively checking the screen. It is exhausting. I’ve realized that just looking at the fluctuating numbers triggers emotional decisions—I end up exiting good trades early or taking random trades just because I was staring at the chart too long.

I am trying to build a habit of forcing a pause or going through a mental checklist before I even let myself open the app, but the muscle memory is incredibly strong.

Has anyone successfully broken the habit of constantly checking their P&L? What actually worked for you?