the trading mindset that separates consistent traders from everyone else
welcome back to another edition of stay sharp.
last week, I broke down how you can use our new ORB algo with 2 take profit orders. very easy to get set up and customize once you get access. if you want to read more about the 2TP ORB, click here.
with 2026 right around the corner, a lot of traders are starting to think about next year. what they're going to do differently. how they're finally going to be consistent. the goals they're going to set.
and that's exactly what I want to talk about today — because the way most traders set goals is the reason they stay stuck.
let's talk about the key aspects of a successful trading mindset:
it comes down to one thing: process vs. results.
here's what we're going to cover today:
- the difference between a results trading mindset and a process trading mindset
- why focusing on money actually costs you money
- how to use edgeful data to build a process you can actually follow
- two examples showing how subreports give you predefined entries and targets — so you're not guessing anymore
by the end of today's stay sharp, you'll have a completely different way of thinking about your trading goals — and a framework for making 2026 your best year yet.
let's get into it...
the trading mindset that's keeping you stuck
I talk to traders every single day. through email, on Discord, on one-on-one calls. and I hear the same thing over and over again:
- "I want to make $500 today."
- "I need to hit $50k in 2026."
- "I need this trade to work."
these are results goals. and the problem with results goals is simple:
you can't control them.
you can't force the market to give you $500. you can't make a trade work just because you need it to. you can't will your account to $50k by wanting it badly enough.
and when you set goals you can't control, something happens to your psychology...
you start forcing setups because you "need" to hit your daily number. you hold losers way too long because you can't accept being red on the day. you cut winners short because you're scared to give back the profits you already have. you size up after a losing streak because you need to make it back.
every single trade carries emotional weight it shouldn't.
I've been there. early in my career, I'd set a daily P&L goal and trade like an idiot trying to hit it. if I was up $400 and my goal was $500, I'd force a trade I had no business taking just to hit my number. and half the time, I'd give back everything I made.
that's what results-thinking does to you.
the process trading mindset — what actually works
now compare that to a process trading mindset:
- "I want to execute my setup when the data confirms"
- "I want to follow my rules 90% of the time in 2026"
- "I want to enter and exit at my planned levels"
notice the difference?
these are things you can actually control.
you can control whether you check the data before entering. you can control whether you wait for confirmation. you can control whether you honor your stop. you can control whether you hold to your target.
when you focus on execution instead of money, the pressure comes off.
at the end of the day, you're not asking "did I make money?" — you're asking "did I follow my process?"
if you followed your process and lost money, that's fine. that's variance. that's part of the game. you did your job.
if you broke your rules and made money, that's actually bad. you got lucky. and luck doesn't compound.
it sounds simple — but this is the shift that separates traders who finally become consistent from those who stay stuck and don’t make any money, year after year.
why most traders can't make this trading mindset shift
here's the thing...
the reason most traders default to results-thinking is because they don't have a real process in the first place.
think about it. if you don't have predefined levels, what are you supposed to focus on?
so all you can measure is whether you made money or not. the outcome becomes the only thing you can evaluate — because you didn't have a plan to evaluate in the first place.
that's why data changes everything.
when you have data-backed levels for your entries, your stops, and your targets — you now have something to execute. you have a process. and that process becomes the thing you measure, not the P&L.
let me show you exactly what I mean with two examples...
example 1: ORB by levels — setting data-backed targets
one of the biggest problems traders have is not knowing where to take profit.
you're in a trade, it's going your way, and the whole time you're asking yourself: "should I take profit here? what about now? what if it reverses?"
that type of conversation in your head is exhausting — and it usually leads to one of two outcomes:
- you take profit way too early because you're scared to give it back
- you hold too long and watch your profits disappear
both of these come from the same place — you don't have a target based on data. you're just guessing.
the ORB by levels subreport fixes this.
this report shows you exactly how far price tends to extend after breaking the opening range. it tracks price movements through whatever intervals you set, and below you’ll see the ones I’ve selected:
here's what the data shows on ES over the past 6 months:
- price reaches 0.2x the opening range to the upside 73% of the time
- price reaches 0.5x the opening range to the downside 63% of the time
- less than 25% of the time does price extend beyond 2x the opening range
so instead of thinking "I hope I make $300 on this trade," you now have a target based on what the market actually does.
your process-based trading mindset becomes:
"I'm targeting the 0.3x level because the data says price reaches it 70% of the time over the last 6 months."
you're no longer sitting in the trade asking "should I take profit here?" — the data already answered that question before you even entered.
and here's the psychological benefit that most traders miss...
when you have a predefined target, you can actually sit in the trade. you're not second-guessing every tick. you're not moving your target based on how you feel. you know where you're getting out, and you can let the trade do its thing.
that's a process-focused trading mindset.
example 2: IB by retracement — setting data-backed entries
I want to walk through another example of how you can use data to add probabilities to your trading — with the goal of building consistent execution, not just a focus on results.
let me know if any of the below sounds like you:
how many times have you watched a breakout happen, chased it, and got in at the worst possible price right before it reversed?
or you hesitated on the breakout, watched it run without you, and then chased it anyway — only to get stopped out on the pullback?
this happens because you don't have a plan for where to enter. you're reacting to price instead of anticipating it.
the initial balance by retracement subreport fixes this.
this report shows you how far price typically pulls back after breaking the IB range — while still being a single break day.
here's how to read the data above on ES, over the last 6 months:
- ES will retrace to 10% of the IB range after a single breakout nearly 70% of the time.
- ES will retrace to 25% of the IB range after a single breakout only 40% of the time.
when looking at the right side of the chart above, you’ll see the retracement probabilities on ES for a single breakdown.
- ES will retrace back up to 10% of the IB range nearly 82% of the time after a breakdown.
- ES will retrace back up to 25% of the IB range nearly 71% of the time after a breakdown.
what this data is telling you should be clear:
it's very common for price to retrace back into the IB range after breaking out, while still being a single break day. that means you don't have to chase the breakout. you can wait for the pullback and enter at a better price.
the data tells you exactly where that pullback is likely to find support before continuing.
so instead of chasing the break and getting in at the top, your process becomes: "I'm waiting for a pullback to the expected retracement level because the data says that's where price tends to find support before continuing."
your entry is predefined. no chasing. no FOMO. no "I got in too late."
and your stop? it's set below the expected retracement level — not some arbitrary number based on how much you can afford to lose.
putting it together — the 2026 reframe
if you take one thing from today's edition, let it be this:
don't set a dollar goal for 2026. set an execution goal.
instead of "I want to make $50k," try:
- "I will check edgeful data before every single entry"
- "I will only enter at data-backed levels"
- "I will set my targets based on what the subreports tell me — not what I hope will happen"
- "I will honor my stops without moving them"
- "I will evaluate my trading based on whether I followed my process, not whether I made money"
here's what happens when you make this shift...
- you stop forcing trades because you don't "need" to hit a number.
- you stop holding losers because your stop was predefined and you honor it.
- you stop cutting winners short because your target was predefined and you trust it.
- you stop sizing up after losses because you're not trying to "make it back."
- you trade with less stress, less emotion, and more consistency.
and ironically... the money follows. because you're finally trading like a job instead of just gambling your money away.
the traders who break through
the traders who have their best year in 2026 won't be the ones who finally find the "perfect setup."
they'll be the ones who stop asking "how much did I make?" and start asking "did I execute my plan?"
that shift — from results to process — is the difference.
and edgeful gives you the data to make that process real. you're not just saying "I'll be more disciplined" — you have actual levels to execute on. entries, stops, and targets based on what the market actually does.
if you’re looking for more reports and subreports to help you create strategies that you trade on your own, check out these reports:
- gap fill by spike
- gap fill by weekday
- ICT midnight retracement by size
tons more, but these are a good start to get comfortable with the reports themselves, but also using the subreports.
wrapping up
let's recap what we covered today:
- results mindset = focusing on money you can't control → leads to forcing, holding losers, cutting winners, emotional trading
- process mindset = focusing on execution you can control → leads to consistency, less stress, better decision-making
- the key to making the shift = having predefined levels based on data so you actually have a process to follow
- ORB by levels = gives you data-backed targets so you know where to take profit
- IB by retracement = gives you data-backed entries so you know where to get in
- and 3 more subreports to get comfortable with customizations and our report layouts.
2026 can be different. but only if you change the way you think about your goals.
stop chasing dollar amounts. start chasing execution.
P.S. — every single Monday and Friday, I’m streaming with James live and for free. this is a perfect opportunity for you to see how we’re applying the reports and data to our trading, in real-time. just check out my X for the links.
