One of the hardest lessons in trading is also one of the most important: the market doesn’t care what you want. It will do what it’s going to do, and your job is to listen – not argue.

Brian has been trading full-time since 1991, and that experience has taught him something simple but critical: price is always communicating. You just have to be willing to hear it.

Trading is a relationship

Think of trading like a relationship. If one side constantly makes demands and never listens, it doesn’t end well.

• Demanding specific pullbacks or perfect patterns ignores reality
• Forcing trades based on opinions creates frustration
• Refusing to accept what price is doing leads to losses

The market always has the final say.

Scans are tools, not commands

Scans and rules can be helpful, but they are not guarantees. They should guide attention – not dictate action.

• Scans highlight possibilities, not certainty
• Conditions change as price evolves
• Rigid rules fail when the market environment shifts

Successful traders stay flexible and responsive.

Important note

Loving a stock does not make it a good trade. Saying “I love Tesla” or “I love Nvidia” is meaningless if price is trending lower.

The market is not wrong. Your opinion might be.

What price is really telling you

When a stock gives back 100 percent of a prior move, the message is clear.

• Prior gains no longer matter if they were not realized
• A downtrend reflects sustained selling pressure
• Institutions control direction, not individual traders

Ignoring these signals keeps traders stuck trying to find bottoms instead of managing risk.

Caution

Expecting news, earnings, or a single comment to reverse a prolonged downtrend is hope, not strategy. Markets move based on supply and demand – not wishes.

The takeaway

• Listen to what price is doing
• Stop demanding the market behave a certain way
• Detach from opinions and attachments to symbols
• Respect trends and selling pressure

Listen to the market. Don’t tell it what you want.