Happy New Year!
The champagne was flowing. Confetti everywhere. And the clock hit midnight…
Then, the New Year’s resolutions.
(And 99% of those resolutions will fail.)
We’ve all seen it hundreds of times before…
January 1st hits. Everyone’s pumped about losing weight, getting organized, or continuing their streak on Duolingo.
By February? The gym lies empty. The language app has 47 unread notifications. The meal prep containers haven’t been touched in weeks.
But in 2026, you will not be like those people. You will not abandon your resolutions like everyone else.
My millionaire students didn’t get to the top of the stock market by passively hoping.
They got there by committing to specific, repeatable behaviors … then following through on those good habits, time and time again.
So forget the gym membership.
Make these resolutions instead…
Resolution #1: I Will Cut Losses Quickly
This is the foundation of everything.
You can find amazing supernovas all year. You can nail pattern recognition.
But if you don’t cut losses quickly, none of that matters.
One horrible loss can wipe out weeks of gains.
Make this your non-negotiable rule for 2026: Every trade gets a stop loss. Every stop loss gets respected. No exceptions.
When the stock hits your stop, you exit. Immediately. No holding and hoping. No “let me give it one more minute.”
Small losses don’t hurt you. They’re just feedback. But big losses that you refuse to accept? Those are account killers.
Resolution #2: I Will Focus On The Best Setups Only
In 2026, commit to quality over quantity.
Only trade A+ setups.
Low float, small (and micro) caps with big potential.
Look for the patterns you’ve studied, the catalysts you understand, and the technical setups that fit your exact criteria.
If a stock doesn’t check all your boxes, you don’t trade it.
Cash is a position. Patience is a skill.
Be opportunistic in this market. You don’t have to trade every day.
A month ago, there were around 10 good small-cap setups every day. Sometimes 15.
Now? 1–2.
Recognize the market backdrop and adapt to it.
Resolution #3: I Will Study, Study, STUDY!
You know what separates my millionaire students from the 90% of traders who lose money?
The hours they put into studying.
They spent months (sometimes years) studying before they found consistency.
They reviewed thousands of charts, analyzed past runners, and most importantly, learned from past mistakes.
And they never stopped.
Make 2026 the year you get serious about your education.
Invest in your knowledge account before your brokerage account.
Review past charts every weekend. Study former runners to understand what patterns repeat. Journal every single trade and analyze what went right or wrong.
Losing traders spend more time scrolling social media looking for ideas than actually studying price action.
Do the opposite.
Resolution #4: I Will Hold Myself Accountable
You can commit to cutting losses quickly. You can promise to focus on the best setups. You can dedicate time to studying.
But if you don’t hold yourself accountable when you break those rules, you’ll keep making the same mistakes.
Keep a trading journal.
Log every trade, entry price, exit price, why you entered, whether you followed your rules, and what you learned.
Review that journal weekly. Look for patterns in your behavior, not just in the stocks.
The journal doesn’t lie. The numbers don’t lie.
And when you catch yourself breaking a rule, own it.
Don’t make excuses.
Don’t blame the market.
You broke the rule.
Acknowledge it, learn from it, and don’t do it again.
How To Make 2026 Your Year
These are your resolutions:
• Cut losses quickly.
• Focus on the best setups only.
• Study constantly.
• Hold yourself accountable.
You can easily stick to these commitments.
Write them down. Put them somewhere you’ll see them every day.
Then actually follow through.
Here’s to your best trading year yet…
If you have any questions, email me at [email protected].
Cheers,
Tim SykesEditor, Tim Sykes Daily
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