Do you ever catch yourself thinking, “I need this trade to work” or “I can’t afford another loss”? That’s scarcity talking… and it’s quietly sabotaging your results.
In this episode of Talking Trading, Louise Bedford and Rik Schnabel uncover one of the most destructive psychological traps in trading: the scarcity mindset.
Scarcity doesn’t just make you nervous. It makes you impulsive. It makes you cling to trades, chase after moves, and abandon your strategy when you need it most.
And it hijacks your clarity and replaces it with chaos.
But here’s the thing: you can train your brain to trade from a place of trust and discipline instead.
Rik and Louise will show you:
- How scarcity thinking creeps into your decision-making
- Why so many traders confuse fear with intuition
- The tell-tale language that reveals if you’re trading from lack
- Practical steps to shift into an abundance mindset – without turning into a reckless cowboy
If you’re ready to stop trading for survival and start trading with purpose, this episode is for you.
Questions we discuss
- What are the most common signs that a trader is stuck in a scarcity mindset — even if they think they’re being “realistic”?
- You’ve trained thousands of people in mindset and behavioural change. Why do you think scarcity has such a strong grip on traders in particular?
- Can you explain the difference between healthy caution and fear-based decision-making? How does a trader know which one is running the show?
- What role does language play in reinforcing scarcity, and what should traders stop saying to themselves if they want to shift?
- Many traders believe things like “I can’t afford to lose” or “This is my only shot.” How can we start to dismantle those thoughts?
- What’s one powerful exercise a trader can do in the heat of the moment — maybe after a loss or during a drawdown — to interrupt scarcity thinking?
- You’ve called yourself “The Brain Untrainer.” What mental habits do traders need to untrain to move from scarcity into abundance?
- Some people fear that shifting out of scarcity means they’ll become careless or too relaxed. How do you balance abundance with discipline?
- How does a trader’s self-worth get tangled up in their profit and loss? And how do you coach someone out of that identity trap?
- If a trader listening right now feels stuck, broke, and desperate to make it work… what’s the very first step they can take today to shift their mindset?
About Rik Schnabel
Rik Schnabel is a renowned mindset coach, Master NLP Trainer, and best-selling author.
With over 38,000 hours of transformational coaching since 2002, he’s dedicated to helping individuals break through limitations and achieve their fullest potential.
Known as “The Brain Untrainer,” Rik specialises in helping clients unlearn limiting beliefs and rewire their thinking for success.
As the founder of Life Beyond Limits, Rik offers accredited NLP and life coaching programs that blend neuroscience, coaching psychology, and the art of NLP. His teachings focus on empowering individuals to become confident communicators and transformational leaders.
To get in touch with Rik:
Website: https://lifebeyondlimits.com.au/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rikschnabel/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LifeBeyondLimitsPage/
X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/RikSchnabel
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/RikSchnabel
Email: rik.schnabel@lifebeyondlimits.com.au
About Louise Bedford
Louise Bedford has traded, taught, and written extensively about the financial markets for over 30 years, building a reputation as a highly accomplished and experienced trader, educator, and author.
She co-founded The Trading Game and has gained recognition for her unique approach to teaching trading psychology and market analysis.
Louise has authored several successful trading books. In particular, her titles include Trading Secrets, Charting Secrets, The Secret of Candlestick Charting, and Investing Psychology Secrets.
Louise runs her hugely popular, repeat-for-free Mentor Program Pro online course. Through this course, she shows you how to automate your trading so you can retire early and get on with your life.
To get in touch with Louise
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TradingGame/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheTradingGame
LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/louise-bedford/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/tradinggame
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tradinggame.com.au
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tradinggame.com.au/
Image by Freepik
Image by AI Google Labs
