Stop Setting Goals. Start Setting Standards.

Most traders think the reason they’re not profitable yet is because they haven’t hit their goals.
Maybe it’s “I want to make $1,000 this month” or “I want to pass a challenge in 90 days.”

But here’s the truth: goals don’t make you profitable.
Why? Because goals are outcome-based.

And no matter how smart, skilled, or disciplined you are, you can’t control the outcome. The market decides whether your trades hit target or not.

When you measure your progress against something you don’t control, you’re setting yourself up for one of two things:

• Constant frustration when you fall short.

• Or false confidence when you hit it by luck.

Neither creates consistency.

Standards Are What Actually Build Traders

Standards are different.
They’re the rules you live by as a trader every single day.

• ✅ “I only take trades that meet every rule in my checklist.”

• ✅ “I never risk more than 1% of my account.”

• ✅ “I review my trades at the end of every week, no matter what.”

These are things you can control.
And when you focus on those—and only those—profitability follows naturally.

Goals Without Standards = Self-Sabotage

Think about it: two traders set the same goal—make $1,000 this month.

• The first trader chases that number. They force trades because they’re “behind.” They bend their rules. They take setups they’d normally avoid.

• The second trader ignores the goal and holds himself to a higher standard: “Only A+ setups. Nothing else.”

Who do you think ends the month more consistent?
Not the one chasing the $1,000.

The irony is that goals without standards actually push you further from success. You compromise. You overtrade. You measure yourself against something you don’t fully control.

But when you raise your standards—when you say, “This is how I trade, and nothing less is acceptable”—the goals take care of themselves.

Discipline Comes From Standards, Not Goals

This is why so many traders struggle.
They think setting bigger goals will magically create discipline.

But discipline doesn’t come from goals.
Discipline is born from standards.

So if you’re stuck in inconsistency, stop asking:
👉 “What do I want to achieve?”

And start asking:
👉 “What do I expect from myself every time I sit down at the charts?”

That shift—from goals to standards—is what turns random wins into repeatable, sustainable results.

Ready to Raise Your Standards?

At Oneself, we don’t just talk about trading strategies—we focus on who you become as a trader.

👉Our Live Trading session, is all about holding yourself accountable to the standards you want to live by together with fueling discipline, focus, and long-term profitability.

Trading is not about hitting numbers—it’s about holding yourself to a higher standard.
And when you do, the numbers will take care of themselves.

The question is: are you ready to raise yours?