Prior to going to bed I set my stops accordingly, was looking for a small move and then to get out before the open. Once and a while I dabble in the E-Mini’s, which are leveraged contracts that mirror the S&P 500. Sure they can be risky, but that is why one manages risk through stops, targets, and appropriate trades when you have a perceived edge.

So what’s the issue? I’d love to blame it on the time change, but that was Sunday. Maybe I can blame it on my alarm? No, it went off and I turned it off.

By the time I woke up it was 7:30AM PST. Normally I’m up by 6:00AM for the market open, which gives me time to wake up before things get going.

Naturally I was stopped out by about 7:15AM. Had I woken up when my alarm went off I would have found my overnight position profitable instead of closed out for a small loss.

Waking up on the wrong side of the bed can be a determinant for how your day will go. All that is really happening is that you are framing your start of day with a negative outlook. While I’d like to remain upset it isn’t worth it. I made a mistake and had made a plan in case it didn’t go accordingly. Now I must do it all over again and realize it was a great learning lesson. In a way I’m thankful for the painful lesson.

So, if you are going to wake up on the wrong side of the bed make you can get back to the right side in one piece.