🧩 3-Step Reset

August 15, 2025

In partnership with

Hello, my Friends!

We’ve heard a steady drumbeat from Fed speakers - hinting at possible fall rate cuts, reiterating we’re not stuck in an inflation spiral, and suggesting policy can ease.

But talk is talk. The real liquidity and conviction often show up next month as volume returns.

What is remarkable right now: the S&P 500 keeps pressing fresh all-time highs - in the summer. That’s a market leaning into growth despite the seasonal lull.

So here’s the mirror check:

  • If the majors can keep climbing, can you?

  • Is your process - your mindset - compounding at the same pace?

Today’s focus: How a growth mindset turns losses into lessons in the 2025 market.

Lesson from the Trenches

Most traders start with the odds stacked against them. That’s the base rate. But it’s not your destiny - it’s a challenge to engineer your own reality through process and mindset.

The Research:

  • Why losses sting: Classic prospect theory estimates loss aversion ≈ 2.25—a loss hits with about twice the psychological force of an equal gain (fuel for revenge trades).

  • Mindset matters: A 2025 meta-analysis links growth mindset ↔ higher grit, the trait that keeps you executing after setbacks.

  • Perform under pressure: A 2024 meta-analysis on stress-mindset shows a small but reliable performance lift in high-stakes tasks.

  • Plan the bounce-back: Meta-analyses on implementation intentions (“if-then” plans) report medium-to-large effects on goal achievement - perfect for pre-committing to your next move after a loss.

Plug & Play Framework

Reframe (Mindset): Treat red days as reps. Adopt: “Loss = data. Data → adjustment.” Growth mindset + stress-mindset nudges = steadier execution.

Reflect (Journal): Spend 10 minutes post-loss to capture:

  1. one lesson, 2) one rule tweak, 3) tomorrow’s focus. Keep it factual, not emotional.

Re-plan (If-Then): Pre-commit before the session:

  • “If I hit –1R by 10:30, then I halve size and take only the next A-setup - or I’m done for the day.”

  • “If I feel urgency to ‘make it back,’ then I pause 3 minutes, breathe, and re-read my plan.”

Write one sentence for each step on a sticky note: Reframe. Reflect. Re-plan. Put it next to your screen. You’re not chasing outcomes - you’re compounding decisions.

Giveaway

I’m excited to announce a new partnership with E8 Futures - an established prop firm with a strong track record of payouts. To celebrate, we’re running a community giveaway - link is here.

  • Use code TDI at sign-up with E8 Futures to be included in the draw.

  • Giveaway details and eligibility rules will be posted on X.

  • Trading involves risk; this is not financial advice. Terms apply.

Market Rundown

Nasdaq100

Nasdaq finished the session in a short-term bearish control zone, with sellers capping advances at the key supply levels: 23,864 & 23,805, which contained price into the close.

Wall Street digested mixed reads on consumer sentiment, while investors monitored headlines around a potential Trump - Putin meeting in Alaska.

Today’s Impulses

  • Policy/Funding: Reports that the Trump administration is considering using CHIPS Act funds for a stake in Intel.

  • Fed tone: Goolsbee signaled that if data this fall confirm no inflationary spiral, rate cuts would be on the table.

  • Rates pricing: Traders trimmed rate-cut odds; markets still see a September cut, with one additional cut in 2025.

  • Trade policy: Trump on chip tariffs: low initially, ramping higher over time.

Partners

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Thank you for your support—this is just the beginning.

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Until next time,
Steve B
Founder, The Daily Impulse

Important Disclaimer:

This newsletter is for educational purposes only and does not offer financial or investment advice. It should not be taken as a recommendation to trade assets or make any financial decisions. Please be cautious and ensure you conduct thorough research or consult with a financial professional before making any investment choices.

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