TradingLife Podcast with Brad Jelinek

In this reflection, I explore why longevity in this business requires genuinely loving the "mundane" work—plotting charts, reading research, and tinkering with data—rather than just grinding for a paycheck. I draw parallels between my trading journey and starting Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in my 40s: you don't have to be the most athletic or the fastest to win; you just have to love the puzzle enough to keep showing up.Key Topics:The "Grind" Fallacy: Why survival is impossible if you don't actually enjoy the game itself.Evolution of Style: Moving away from high-stress, noisy futures trading toward longer-term swing and position trades that allow for cleaner execution.Technical Strategy: How I'm using AI to build custom indicators (like adapted McClellan summation indices) and focusing heavily on improving exits—learning to sell into euphoria rather than just focusing on the buy.2026 Resolution: Ruthless simplification. Cutting out the "energy vampires" (short-term noise) to double down on the strategies that actually work for my personality.

In this episode, I talk about the discipline of "getting centered"—why nothing good ever comes from FOMO or fear, and how I train myself to sit on my hands until the setup is perfect. I break down my recent long positions in Chinese equities (betting on the sentiment pendulum swinging back) and why I am seeing massive opportunities in commodities like Glencore while everyone else is chasing US AI.Key Topics:The Mental Game: Why I don't trade unless I'm centered and acting with "aggression and firmness" rather than anxiety.The China Thesis: The AI arms race and buying when the market is "uninvestable."Commodities: How I use custom price-action baskets to spot breakouts in hated sectors.Market Outlook: Why I'm waiting for better entries on US Tech/AI.

I’ve been working on a new project this week using the "Yutori Navigator" API. The original plan was to scrape Seeking Alpha articles for comment volume and upvotes to catch market sentiment, but I realized they guard their data too closely, so I switched to Reddit. I'm having much better luck there and have already found some interesting sentiment trends on stocks like Duolingo and PayPal. I'm also tracking a theory that "silence"—when the chatter suddenly stops after a big price move—might actually be a powerful turning point signal. I’m going to keep refining this to see if I can build a solid automated tracker.

People often ask what I’m actually building with AI all day. In this episode, I break down the 6 active projects I’m coding right now to automate my work and save money:The QuickBooks Killer: Replacing a $30/month subscription with a custom Python & Plaid script for automated tax reporting.Content Agent: Automatically converting podcast audio into a written Substack newsletter.Voice-First Trading Journal: A system to log trading results and tax liabilities verbally into a secure database.Global Earnings Tracker: Monitoring earnings revisions across US and global markets.The Buffett Scan: An automated scanner finding stocks that meet Warren Buffett’s investing criteria.Yutori Scouts: Using a new navigator API to dig up better market intel than Google News.

I’ve been refining my process for longer-term holds, and the market just handed me 5 painful but valuable lessons.In this episode:Management Integrity: If they miss guidance, get out.Buy the Leader: Don't nurse the loser (NVO) when the winner (LLY) is running.Positioning: Be okay with half-size until the chart proves you right.Crowded Trades: Beware of "Value" stocks that are actually just stuck longs.Execution: Never add to a loser until fundamentals and technicals improve.Listen in for the full breakdown.

Is a subscription fee holding you back from a winning trade? In this episode, I break down why paying for premium market information is one of the best investments you can make.I discuss:Why I commit to 6–12 month subscriptions to test value.How paid info helps identify narrative breakdowns and ownership data.Real-world example: How I used paid research to successfully hedge with "story stocks" during a market downturn.Why having more tools in front of you leads to better decision-making.Don't trade in the dark—load yourself up with the best ideas possible.

After a brief hiatus, we are back to discuss the evolution of a modern trading workflow. In this episode, we cover the transition from standard spreadsheets to custom, AI-built Python tools—including a new voice-to-text trade logger and qualitative scanners based on "Rule Breaker" investing principles.We also dive deep into current market mechanics, blending old-school sentiment analysis with new-school data. We break down the "Investor Day" top in Nvidia, why the disappearance of the MicroStrategy (MSTR) premium removes a critical bid for Bitcoin, and why China and commodities might be the next contrarian play.Key Topics:Workflow Evolution: leveraging Claude to build SQL databases and voice-logging tools.Market Psychology: How "Investor Days" and retail euphoria signal tops (The NVDA example).The Crypto Thesis: Why MSTR losing its ability to issue equity at a premium signals a potential drop for Bitcoin to the $50k–$60k range.Global Macro: A contrarian look at China and commodities amidst the AI arms race.

I share with you some personal projects that i amdoing with artificial intelligence that I think you might find interest in.

I discuss my interaction with a younger Trader and how we are working on zooming out and maintaining proper perspective when developing new trading strategies and when reviewing trade results.

I talk about different tactics and strategies you can use when the market is busy building a little bit more on the last podcast.

We talk about size management, emotional management and also timeframe when the market gets busier.

When you are centered in what you’re doing there’s really never a decision you have to make the decision will be obvious and the pull will be natural.

In this conversation, Brad and Brent explore the concept of a trading edge, discussing how to identify it, recognize when it is lost, and the emotional aspects of trading. They emphasize the importance of self-awareness and backtesting in maintaining a successful trading strategy, while also acknowledging the inevitable struggles traders face throughout their careers.TakeawaysDefining your trading edge can be subjective and varies for each trader.A clear sign of losing your edge is when past successful strategies no longer yield results.Emotional dissatisfaction in trading can indicate a loss of connection to your strategy.Backtesting can help identify when your edge is no longer effective.Experiencing larger losses than expected is a significant red flag.Trading should bring joy, but it also comes with stress.Long-term traders often face periods of doubt and disconnection from their work.Admitting when a strategy isn't working is crucial for growth.Rebuilding after losses requires humility and self-reflection.Finding a new edge is possible with the right mindset and approach.Finding Your Trading Edge: A Deep DiveWhen Your Trading Edge Disappears"How do you know when your edge is gone?""I feel like shit about what I'm doing.""You need to go back to the drawing board."

In this episode of the mentorship podcast, the hosts discuss the challenges faced by traders, particularly focusing on impulsiveness, discipline, and the psychological aspects of trading. They explore the importance of having a structured trading strategy, the impact of behavioral conditioning, and the necessity of treating trading as a serious career. The conversation emphasizes the need for a pre-trade routine and the significance of following rules to achieve long-term success in trading. Takeaways Many traders struggle with impulsiveness after experiencing success. Discipline is crucial for maintaining a consistent trading strategy. Writing down trading rules can help reinforce discipline. Changing the definition of a 'winning day' can improve mindset. Behavioral conditioning from past trading habits can affect current performance. Taking breaks after impulsive trades can reset mental focus. The adrenaline rush from trading can lead to poor decision-making. Treating trading as a career requires the same rigor as any job. Understanding the psychological aspects of trading can aid in self-regulation. Building a supportive trading environment can help mitigate loneliness.

Brent and I listen to Mike explain his strategy and then we go to work helping him make a few fixes that will help him align more to his intended outcome.

After a good day, I had a bad day and it was very preventable and there’s a lot of classic mistakes I made that others can learn from.

I share how I screwed up some trades in Chinese equities and what we can learn from them and then I pose a potential stupid news trade in oil and finally talk about maybe creating a Substack group. A reminder too on the mentorship podcast form that I want people to sign up for so we can enjoy learning from each other.

I briefly talk about some future plans for the podcast and then get into the importance of price action and how I use it.

I discuss a peculiar behavior I have when I put on positions and the rest of the podcast is about a mentorship podcast that i am going to have and I give directions to fill out a form on my website if you’re interested in the details.

This was a 25-minute chat I had with my wife about her observations of living with a trader and other topics that came up. You can also go to YouTube to see the video.

I describe my style to a friend, and I try to be as honest as possible.

I talk a little bit about the stats from this podcast and the demographics, which is interesting. I also cover some different ways we can engage with each other and ask for a little bit of audience feedback as well as talk about what a paid group would offer.

It’s all in the title

A continuation from the first podcast after I got cut off from a phone call.

This is a very wide ranging podcast where I get into a lot of different ways we can improve, and I share stories from my past, as well as things that inspired me to move the needle in my own development.

I talk about the importance of knowing your timeframe and then give you a few examples of how I’ve done that recently for the good and for the bad. The second half of this is me talking about running a paid group and how it might look and hopefully getting some feedback from you guys.

My wife’s phone call interrupted the last part, so this is the rest of it.

I discuss where we may be in the cryptocurrency cycle relative to other cryptocurrency cycles and we talk about staying curious and not getting narrow minded in a world full of strong opinions on both sides

I talk about how I’m using an artificial intelligence to build my own tools and I talk about why I think that is important.

The discussion today is about how you can survive all the different market cycles if you ground your process in thinking about risk management. There’s a lot of nuances to that thinking which I cover in the episode.

I discuss a good book I have read recently and the mistake of being busy all the time. We also talk about the pitfalls of over optimizing yourself and what you can do about it.

I discuss adapting over different time periods in your career and managing your sizing increases.

I offer two or three different perspectives on how I handle this and how overtime I’ve gotten better at dealing with it to live a higher quality life.

I discuss these today and how I’m using them.

I go over a book I just finished about the leadership lessons of Nick Saban and how it relates to us as well as adapting to changing market conditions.

I discuss two different paths to success and the price to pay for each.

Today is a fun one for me because this one is timeless. I talk about the cycles you’re going to go through from top to bottom and how to stay on a roll. What happens when you fall off and struggle how do you get back going again?

Some inspiration from a private jujutsu lesson really connected with a similar concept in trading. When you don’t do something a lot, it becomes special to you and when it becomes special to you, you don’t treat it like a process to the extent that you normally would. This can become a problem.

We discuss the fear of missing out, and some potential solutions to ease the burden. The second part is about broadening your perspective which can really improve mental health when things are not going perfect.

I talk about my excitement with the artificial intelligence boom and about how I’m using it to advance my trading.

I discuss my personal situation in 2023, and into 2024 and then talk a lot about handling, losers and handling what is going to be unknown changes in market structure. The ability to do this is more important than pretty much anything else.

I get into a little bit of a history lesson related to my career in the market by talking about different things I have gone through and then we eventually get to the main point about how to handle changing market structures and what you can do about it.

How the emotions that come up in trading can be used to make you happier, more profitable and as a template for your growth as a person. Im not sure anything matters more than this.

I discus the importance of figuring out why other people are in positions and how you can profit from that. This is particularly relevant for short term futures trading.

Like many of you, I was incredibly inspired by the Arnold Schwarzenegger documentary on Netflix. However, I would like to discuss a different angle on how the documentary made me feel and some possible paths forward.

I discuss a project that Brent and I are working on involving back testing and programming using GPT. A big take away is simply the ability to scale that comes from something with structured rules.

I discuss my tumultuous 2022 and how I am establishing alignment with myself through it all.

I talk about my experience with getting away from what I’m good at and finding my way back. I discuss how I am likely to hit my goals through a path that I did not see when I began.

A variety of topics covered about making your trading easier. Also about making your life easier. We get into sizing again as well as understanding yourself at a deeper level. I also use some examples from friends I am working with.

Today is a very important discussion I have with myself about sizing. In the absence of sizing problems, there really aren’t that many problems that cannot be easily fixed in trading. This is because you preserve your personal momentum and mindset which is everything.