“Himanshu, so you are a full-time option trader and have appeared in multiple business channels to share your research knowledge with viewers,” I said while welcoming one of the guests on the Big Bull podcast series.
“Yes, and that is something I always dreamt of while beginning my career in the stock market,” he replied with a smile, his eyes lighting up with a quiet sense of achievement.
“Oh, great, so the Universe gave you what you manifested,” I said as I leaned back in my chair, settling into the conversation.
“Yes, I believe in the ‘Law of Attraction,'” he nodded with conviction.
“So, what’s the biggest learning you want to share with new and other traders in the market?” I asked, genuinely curious.
“Well, emotional discipline,” he said with a heavy voice and a brief pause, “For me, emotional discipline is the most important aspect for one to become a successful and profitable trader in the market. If intelligence were the key, then everyone would be making money.”
“Okay, so what is emotional discipline according to you?” I asked, leaning forward with growing interest.
“Emotions, for me, is Energy in motion,” he replied, using his hands to emphasize the phrase.
“Oh wow! So that’s your phrase,” I said, impressed.
“Yes, and apart from greed, fear, hope, I’ve added one more parameter that plays an indirect but crucial role in developing emotional discipline.”
“And what’s that?” I asked, intrigued.
“It’s focus,” he replied firmly. “I’ve seen many traders who, due to a lack of focus, take a sell position instead of a buy, choose the wrong expiry, or sometimes enter 1000 quantity instead of 100. These are silly yet costly mistakes that mismanage their trades and lead to avoidable losses.”
“Do people make such mistakes?” I asked, raising my eyebrows in disbelief.
“Yes, and that’s why I have prepared a checklist that helps me — and of course, other traders — stay sane and grounded during trading,” he said generously, as if offering a tool he wished he had in his early days.
“So let’s discuss that checklist and see what significant role it plays,” I said, rubbing my palms together, preparing for this wonderful secret.
Checklist to Manage Emotions During Trade
He settled comfortably in his chair, took a deep breath, and began.
1. Always Follow the Trend
“Okay, this line looks common, but I put more emphasis on multi-time frame analysis,” he said.
“And you know what? Traders make it unnecessarily complicated. But I’ve cracked one formula that is purely statistical-based.”
“Okay, and what’s that?” I asked.
“It’s simple,” he said. “There’s an expiry on the last Thursday of every month, which means approximately there’s an expiry every 28 to 35 days — let’s average it at 5 weeks. With 5 trading days in a week and around 375 minutes per day, the math becomes interesting.”
“Okay, what does this mean in terms of time frames?” I interjected, trying to follow his statistical approach.
“So, if you divide 375 by 5, you get 75. Divide 75 by 5, you get 15. And then divide 15 by 5 again, you get 3. I use these three time frames — 75, 15, and 3 minutes — to trade intraday.”
“Wow! You cracked a formula based on the natural flow of market time,” I said, clearly impressed.
“Yes, and using these gives a holistic view of the entire trading day. Unlike using 60-minute candles, which won’t even display the final 15-minute move of the day.”
“That’s so clean and satisfying. So how do you use this for other formats of trading?”
“Simple,” he smiled. “Use the highest time frame to determine trend, the middle one to plan entry, and the smallest for stop loss. So, for intraday, it’s 75-15-3; for BTST, it’s Daily-75-15; for Swing, Weekly-Daily-75; and for scalping, it’s 15-3-1.“
2. Determine Entry Criteria
He moved to the next point.
“Every trader views the market differently. What looks bearish to me could seem bullish to you — it depends on a trader’s system and mindset.”
“Correct,” I nodded.
“That’s why this checklist point matters — have your own entry criteria and follow them with discipline. Whether you trade breakouts, breakdowns, near support/resistance, or on candlestick patterns — be consistent.”
“Yes, most people hop between strategies as if it’s mandatory to take every trade,” I remarked.
“Exactly! They forget that if the market doesn’t fit your strategy, it’s okay not to trade,” he said with emphasis.
3. Determine Position Sizing
He leaned forward again, lowering his voice slightly for this important topic.
“Once trend and entry are clear, position sizing comes next. This is often overlooked but extremely critical.”
“Most traders believe bigger position = bigger profit, which is wrong.”
“Yes, I hear traders brag about trading 10 lots, as if that’s the benchmark of success,” I added.
“Right,” he nodded. “They don’t check what they can afford to lose. That’s a dangerous mindset.”
“So explain this in your statistical way,” I smiled.
“Let’s say you have ₹10,000. Your max intraday risk should be 3%, i.e., ₹300. If your trade has a 1:2 risk-reward, the total risk + reward becomes 3. Divide ₹300 by 3 — you get ₹100. That’s your position size to limit losses.”
“Oh, neat. So practical and logical,” I said.
“Traders need to treat this as a serious business — just like a surgeon doesn’t enter the OT without a checklist, traders too must prepare before executing a trade.”
4. Ask Yourself: Are You Ready to Take the Loss?
He paused here for a moment and looked directly at me.
“This question may sound simple, but it reveals a trader’s inner readiness.”
“Interesting,” I said, adjusting in my seat.
“You see, most people enter a trade with the mindset of only winning. But trading is probabilistic — not every trade will go in your favor.”
“True,” I nodded.
“Before entering, ask yourself — if the trade hits stop loss, will I be okay? Will I overreact? Will I revenge trade? If your answer shows emotional imbalance, it’s better to skip the trade.”
“This one’s gold. Most traders ignore this psychological preparation.”
“Yes. Mental readiness to accept a loss reduces panic and irrational behavior,” he said.
5. Are You Emotionally & Physically Well?
He leaned back, stretched a bit, and then said:
“Another overlooked factor — your emotional and physical state on the day of trading.”
“Makes sense. But elaborate on that,” I requested.
“Suppose you had a fight in the morning or didn’t sleep well. Do you think your decision-making will be optimal?” he asked.
“No, of course not,” I replied.
“Trading requires alertness, calmness, and clarity. If your energy is off — if you’re tired, angry, or mentally distracted — your trading will reflect it.”
“Like how an athlete wouldn’t run a race with a sprained ankle,” I added.
“Exactly. Just because the market is open doesn’t mean you must trade. Your well-being should be part of your trading checklist.”
6. Are You Emotionally Disciplined or Just Bored?
“This point is important — are you trading because of setup or boredom?” he asked seriously.
“You’ve touched a nerve. I read a study once that said 40% of Swiggy and Zomato orders are placed not out of hunger but boredom.”
“Exactly!” he chuckled. “Trading often becomes a dopamine fix for people. They enter trades not because of logic but because they want action.”
“And then they end up in bad trades,” I added.
“Right. The market doesn’t owe you entertainment. If you’re bored, go for a walk, watch a movie, but don’t misuse capital to kill time,” he said firmly.
Final Thought
As we wrapped up the conversation, I couldn’t help but sit back and reflect on how simple yet powerful this checklist was.
In a world where traders chase complicated indicators and high-frequency tools, Himanshu brought our attention back to what truly matters — clarity, control, and consistency. His calm demeanor and thought process showed me that successful trading isn’t just about timing the market; it’s about timing your mindset.
What struck me most was how he emphasized internal alignment over external noise — how trading isn’t just a numbers game, but a mental sport that rewards the composed, not the compulsive.
And honestly, that’s a rare kind of wisdom.
If you’re someone struggling with impulsive decisions, frequent losses, or emotional burnout in the market, I highly recommend adopting even one or two points from Himanshu’s checklist.
Because sometimes, the breakthrough you need is not a better setup — it’s a better version of you behind the screen.
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