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Doing nothing is also a position — but it is the hardest position
Published by The Retail Trader · JUL 22, 2026 · Trading Psychology
The market is open, the screen is in front of you, and there is no setup. A trade taken in that empty time is the most common loss, and its entry cannot be written in the journal with a reason.
A large part of trading is waiting, but sitting in front of the screen creates an illusion of activity. The mind feels that if I am here, I should be doing something.
So a weak setup is slowly turned into a good one — the indicator is changed, the timeframe is changed, and the trade gets justified.
These four questions catch a boredom trade immediately:
• Is this setup in my written rules, or did I invent it today?
• If I were not at the screen today, would I have seen this trade?
• Where is its stop loss — if that is not clear, the setup is not clear either.
• Am I taking it only because there has not been a single trade since morning?
Writing down in advance the maximum number of trades for a day is the simplest cure for boredom. Closing the screen once the limit is reached becomes a rule, and stops being a decision.
This article is for education only — it is not a buy or sell recommendation, makes no claim of guaranteed returns, and is not advisory. Rules, rates and mechanics are changed from time to time by the exchanges, SEBI and RBI, so verify every number yourself with your broker or an official source.