Podcast Episode Details
Back to Podcast Episodes
Trading Unlocked - Crushing Hope
Hosts Kyle and Sean Sawyer from Sound Performance Psychology continue their “Trading Endgame” mini-series with an exploration of one of the most deceptively uplifting emotions in trading: Hope. In this episode, they dissect how hope (so often celebrated as a virtue) can quietly sabotage performance when it mutates into Hopium. From Buddhist philosophy and trauma psychology to practical trading examples, they unpack the fine line between adaptive optimism and intoxicating self-delusion. Through humor, listener questions, and personal reflection, Kyle and Sean reveal how hope can both anchor and derail traders… depending on whether it’s rooted in grounded values or fantasy avoidance. They examine how traders use hope to justify inaction, how timeframes change its impact, and why journaling emotional data is as crucial as tracking price action.
Key highlights include:
The difference between hope, Hopium, and healthy optimism, and why context is everything.
“Three Faces of Hope”: revenge trader, swing-trade paralysis, and the hot-handed gambler.
Why fantasy and avoidance masquerade as hope, and how to spot the difference.
Practical interventions to build awareness, defuse intoxicating thoughts, and find balance between presence and aspiration.
A reminder that emotional mastery is edge… and most traders never cultivate it.
🎓 Want to train these skills? Join an upcoming workshop or book a free consultation at SoundPerformancePsychology.com
Sponsors and Friends
Our podcast is sponsored by Sue Maki at Fairway Independent Mortgage (MLS# 206048). Licensed in 38 states, if you need anything mortgage-related, reach out to her at SMaki@fairwaymc.com or give her a call at (520) 977-7904. Tell her 2 Bulls sent you to get the best rates available!
If you are interested in signing up with TRADEPRO Academy, you can use our affiliate link here. We receive compensation for any purchases made when using this link, so it's a great way to support the show and learn at the same time! **Join our Discord for a link and code to save 10%**
To contact us, you can email us directly at bandoftraderspodcast@gmail.com
Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, or Discord to get updated when new content is posted!
Check out our directory for other amazing interviews we've done in the past!
If you like our show, please let us know by rating and subscribing on your platform of choice!
If you like our show and hate social media, then please tell all your friends!
If you have no friends and hate social media and you just want to give us money for advertising to help you find more friends, then you can donate to support the show here!
About Sean:
Sean Sawyer, a licensed psychotherapist since 2003, whose journey into the world of stock trading in the mid-2010s led him to become a full-time trader by 2017. Sean’s unique expertise lies at the intersection of psychology and trading, blending his in-depth understanding of human behavior with practical trading experience in shared trading commons, options, and futures.
Sean’s work in psychological trauma has been pivotal in shaping his approach to performance psychology. With a rich background in clinical settings, hospitals, universities, and
Published on 15 hours ago