Markets and Mindsets

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IG UK
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Markets & Mindsets. Most trading content is about charts and setups. Markets & Mindsets is about something more important: you. Hosted by Isar Bhattacharjee, Paul Cooper & Emma Binns: this is the podcast that flips the lens from the trade to the trader. Each week, real traders and investors join as guests, send voice notes, or call in to unpack the psychological side of the markets: the confidence, discipline, and mindset that actually separate consistent performers from everyone else. Boredom trades. Revenge trading. FOMO. Overtrading. Sticking to a plan when everything in you wants to break it. These are the conversations most trading content skips and the ones that make the biggest difference to long-term success. No jargon. No shame. Just honest, direct conversation about the mental game of trading and investing. The hosts share practical ways to trade smarter, safer, and with a better relationship to the markets. New episodes every Monday and Wednesday.

  1. 26 Aug

    How Much Should You Risk?

    Want to be on the show? Send us a question, a voice note or a quick video to marketsandmindsets@ig.co How much of your income should you invest when you are just getting started, without leaving yourself short when life gets expensive? In our final episode of the Markets and Mindsets series, the team are joined by Finn, a newer investor with some experience in smaller cryptocurrencies who wants to understand how much to invest in relation to his income and wider finances. The conversation explores why there is no universal percentage that works for everyone, and why time horizon, liquidity needs and life stage should shape the decision. The team discuss the importance of keeping a savings buffer, starting early, investing regularly and avoiding situations where you may be forced to sell during a market downturn. They also examine the balance between enjoying money today and preparing for future costs, the value of tax-efficient accounts and employer pension contributions, and how diversification and regular investing can reduce the pressure of trying to time the market. In this episode: Why time horizon, life stage and liquidity needs should determine how much you investWhy starting early can make small, regular contributions meaningful through compoundingHow automating investments can build discipline and reduce emotional decision-makingWhy maintaining a cash buffer helps prevent forced selling during a downturnHow crypto volatility can distort expectations of risk in other marketsWhy housing costs and the cost of living make fixed investment percentages unrealisticHow ISAs, LISAs and workplace pensions can improve long-term outcomesHow to balance enjoying money today with future financial goals and expensesWhy diversification matters when indexes are concentrated in a few companies or sectorsWhy waiting for the perfect entry point can cost returns, and regular contributions can make downturns easierChapters 00:00 – Introduction: Knowing Your Risk 01:17 – Meet Finn: How Much Should a Beginner Invest? 02:10 – Time Horizons, Liquidity and Life Stage 03:51 – Starting Early and the Power of Compounding 04:36 – Regular Investing and Automating the Habit 06:26 – Keeping a Buffer and Avoiding Forced Selling 09:10 – ISAs, LISAs, Pensions and Tax-Efficient Investing 12:06 – Balancing Money Today with Future Financial Goals 16:29 – Market Timing, Diversification and S&P 500 Concentration 19:37 – Final Takeaways Enjoyed the episode? Subscribe to Markets and Mindsets for more conversations exploring the psychology behind better investing. If you enjoyed this episode, leave a rating or share it with someone looking to become a more thoughtful investor. Capital at risk. The value of investments can go down as well as up, and you may get back less than you originally invested. This podcast is for educational purposes only and should not be considered investment advice.

    How Much Should You Risk?

  2. 24 Aug

    Are You Trading for Thrills or Returns?

    Want to be on the show? Send us a question, a voice note or a quick video to marketsandmindsets@ig.co How much risk can you genuinely afford to take and how much loss can you emotionally tolerate? In Episode 13 of Markets and Mindsets, the team is joined by Jimmy, an investor with around a decade of experience who is beginning to explore more active trading, technical analysis and a more structured approach to the markets. Jimmy shares his enjoyment of gambling and risk-taking, and asks how to preserve the fun of trading without getting carried away. The conversation explores the difference between risk capacity and risk tolerance, why a widely quoted percentage is not automatically the right target, and how position sizing should reflect both your wider finances and your emotional response to loss. The team also examines the difference between trading for recreation and trading for return, why being right can feel as rewarding as making money, and how community, transparency and a supportive process can turn short-term excitement into more sustainable motivation. In this episode: Why understanding risk is essential to both trading success and enjoymentHow life stage, liquidity needs and the cost of living can affect risk decisionsThe difference between risk capacity and risk toleranceWhy a commonly quoted 2% risk limit is a ceiling rather than a targetHow to translate percentages into a real monetary loss you can understandWhy trading for recreation requires a different mindset from trading for returnHow limiting account funding and position size can keep recreational trading controlledWhy return-focused trading requires a repeatable process and careful reviewWhy the consequences of a loss matter more than the number aloneWhy stepping away is the right choice when trading stops feeling sustainable Chapters 00:00 – Introduction: Knowing Your Risk 01:20 – Meet Jimmy: Investing, Trading and Risk-Taking 02:11 – Gambling, Enjoyment and the Appeal of Risk 04:18 – Risk Capacity and Risk Tolerance 05:30 – Why 2% Is Not a Target 06:20 – What Are You Optimising For? 07:13 – Recreational Trading vs Return-Focused Trading 10:51 – Why Position Size Shapes the Emotional Response 12:31 – Thinking About the Consequences of a Loss 19:10 – When to Step Away Enjoyed the episode? Subscribe to Markets and Mindsets for more conversations exploring the psychology behind better investing. If you enjoyed this episode, leave a rating or share it with someone looking to become a more thoughtful investor. Capital at risk. The value of investments can go down as well as up, and you may get back less than you originally invested. This podcast is for educational purposes only and should not be considered investment advice.

    Are You Trading for Thrills or Returns?

  3. 19 Aug

    Can Stress Make You a Better Trader?

    Want to be on the show? Send us a question, a voice note or a quick video to marketsandmindsets@ig.co What is trading doing to your body, not just your portfolio? In Episode 12 of Markets and Mindsets, the team are joined by Rich, a former international athlete and professional trader with two decades of experience across market-making, hedge funds and emerging markets. Rich reflects on the physical and psychological toll of trading through major market events, including the financial crisis, the Swiss franc de-pegging and periods of extreme volatility. The conversation explores the difference between short, sharp bursts of adrenaline and the longer-lasting build-up of cortisol, and how both can influence decision-making, focus, sleep and behaviour. The team also discusses when stress can improve performance, why routine and a documented process can reduce pressure, and the practical warning signs that trading may be taking over your life. From diet, exercise and sleep to position sizing, time away from the screen and stress-testing your portfolio, the episode examines how traders can protect their health while continuing to engage with the markets they love. In this episode: The physical and psychological toll that trading can place on the bodyThe difference between adrenaline and cortisolWhy adrenaline narrows attention and encourages faster decisionsWhy prolonged stress can cause cortisol to build up over timeHow stress can sometimes support flow, focus and faster executionThe four steps for turning stress into a performance aidHow routines and documented processes can reduce uncertaintyHow cold water and stepping away from the screen can help create a resetThe importance of diet, exercise and sleep for trading performanceHow position sizing should change with volatility and emotional stateChapters 00:00 – Introduction: What Trading Does to Your Body 06:16 – Adrenaline vs Cortisol 08:11 – How Adrenaline Changes Vision and Decision-Making 11:24 – How Cortisol Builds Up Over Time 14:52 – Using Stress to Enhance Performance 20:23 – Documenting Your Trading Playbook 24:18 – Memory, Stress and the Value of a Trading Journal 26:00 – Diet, Exercise and Sleep 32:27 – Position Sizing for Volatility and Emotional State 35:41 – Warning Signs That Trading Is Taking Over Enjoyed the episode? Subscribe to Markets and Mindsets for more conversations exploring the psychology behind better investing. If you enjoyed this episode, leave a rating or share it with someone looking to become a more thoughtful investor. Capital at risk. The value of investments can go down as well as up, and you may get back less than you originally invested. This podcast is for educational purposes only and should not be considered investment advice.

    Can Stress Make You a Better Trader?

  4. 17 Aug

    How to Stop Chasing Your Losses?

    Want to be on the show? Send us a question, a voice note or a quick video to marketsandmindsets@ig.co How do you keep trusting your process when several trades in a row go against you, and every instinct tells you to win the money back? In Episode 11 of Markets and Mindsets, the team are joined by Luke, who has spent 13 years working closely with active traders and has experienced his own shift from short-term, instinctive trades towards a more structured approach built around the S&P 500, position sizing and risk management. Luke shares the emotional pull that follows a losing streak, even when the strategy and risk controls are behaving exactly as expected. The conversation explores why losses feel more powerful than gains, how fight-or-flight responses can trigger revenge trading, and why a good process can still produce a bad outcome. From reducing position size and creating clear trading rules to changing your physical environment, speaking to other traders and protecting your sleep, the episode offers practical ways to reset, avoid paralysis and make the next decision on its own merits. In this episode: How a string of stopped-out trades can challenge confidence in a good processWhy losses often feel more painful than equivalent gains feel rewardingWhy anxiety can push traders towards overactivity and revenge tradingHow reducing position size after a losing streak can limit emotional pressureWhy a morning routine and market plan can support slower, clearer thinkingHow to leave yesterday’s result behind while still learning from itThe difference between a good process with a bad outcome and a genuinely bad processWhy trading can become isolating and how conversation creates useful challengeWhy position size and stop placement should reflect the market’s volatilityWhy standardised position sizes can reduce inconsistent, emotional decisions Chapters 00:00 – Introduction: Loss, Anxiety and the Revenge Trade 00:23 – Meet Luke: From Vibes-Based Trading to a Structured Process 02:45 – The Emotional Pull After a Losing Trade 04:23 – Why Losses Weigh More Heavily Than Gains 07:41 – Anxiety, Fight-or-Flight and Revenge Trading 08:54 – Building Rules for a Losing Streak 10:21 – Detachment: Leaving Yesterday Behind 13:23 – Good Process, Bad Outcome 22:41 – Position Sizing, Volatility and Stop Placement 28:41 – Resetting After a Run of Losses Enjoyed the episode? Subscribe to Markets and Mindsets for more conversations exploring the psychology behind better investing. If you enjoyed this episode, leave a rating or share it with someone looking to become a more thoughtful investor. Capital at risk. The value of investments can go down as well as up, and you may get back less than you originally invested. This podcast is for educational purposes only and should not be considered investment advice.

    How to Stop Chasing Your Losses?

  5. 12 Aug ·  Video

    How to Avoid Taking the Market Personally?

    Want to be on the show? Send us a question, a voice note or a quick video to marketsandmindsets@ig.co When a trade goes against you, how do you tell the difference between rational conviction and an emotional attempt to win the money back? In Episode 10 of Markets and Mindsets, Paul, Emma and Isar are joined by Andy, an experienced investor and trader with a background in equities, options and higher-risk strategies. Together, they explore why losses often feel more powerful than gains and how those emotions can shape the decisions that follow. Andy shares how losing positions can leave him feeling sad rather than angry, why he sometimes steps back from options when markets turn against him, and how strong conviction can lead him to add to a falling position. The team examine where thoughtful reassessment ends and revenge trading begins. The conversation also explores portfolio concentration, position sizing, the emotional rush of short-term trading, the influence of market-moving news and why self-awareness is essential when deciding whether the facts still support a trade, or whether emotion has taken over. In this episode: Why losses tend to feel more powerful than equivalent gainsHow loss can trigger overtrading, paralysis or revenge tradingWhy reviewing a loss can become a valuable learning toolHow different traders experience and express trading emotionsWhy sadness can be as important to recognise as anger or frustrationThe difference between long-term investing and shorter-term trading psychologyHow portfolio concentration can amplify emotional swingsWhy position sizing and risk limits matter when conviction is highHow to decide whether adding to a losing position is rational or emotionalWhy a revenge trade often begins when the facts change but your view does notChapters 00:00 – Introduction: Loss, Anxiety and the Revenge Trade 01:38 – Meet Andy: From Equities to Options 02:21 – Recognising the Emotional Impact of a Loss 05:03 – Position Sizing, Risk and Concentration 06:20 – The Emotional Rush of Short-Term Trading 08:13 – The Pull of Always-Open Markets 11:06 – How a Loss Influences the Next Decision 11:46 – Doubling Down: Conviction or Emotion? 15:46 – What Is a Revenge Trade? 17:04 – When the Facts Change but Your Mind Does Not Enjoyed the episode? Subscribe to Markets and Mindsets for more conversations exploring the psychology behind better investing. If you enjoyed this episode, leave a rating or share it with someone looking to become a more thoughtful investor. Capital at risk. The value of investments can go down as well as up, and you may get back less than you originally invested. This podcast is for educational purposes only and should not be considered investment advice.

    How to Avoid Taking the Market Personally?

  6. 10 Aug ·  Video

    Is Doing Nothing a Skill?

    Want to be on the show? Send us a question, a voice note or a quick video to marketsandmindsets@ig.co Does stepping away from the buy button feel unproductive, even when there is no good trade to make? In Episode 9 of Markets and Mindsets, the team respond to a question from Andrew, an experienced trader who struggles with the urge to stay occupied, chase the buzz of execution and keep placing trades. The conversation challenges the idea that trading is the only productive part of being a trader. Using examples from golf, theatre and elite sport, the team explain why research, rehearsal, journaling and self-analysis are all part of building a process you can trust when it is time to execute. They also explore how to redirect the need for action into smaller, constructive tasks, why improving away from the screen can strengthen future decisions, and when the most productive choice may simply be to walk away and look after your wellbeing. In this episode: Why the urge to stay busy can lead traders into unnecessary decisionsHow overtrading affects experienced traders as well as beginnersWhy not placing a trade is still an active decisionHow golf practice provides a useful analogy for trading preparationWhy research, journaling and reflection are productive trading activitiesHow rehearsing away from the market can improve executionWhy breaking a large skill into smaller components supports masteryHow to create “little victories” when the market offers no clear opportunityWhy you can influence your process even when you cannot influence the marketWhy exercise, rest and time away from the screen can improve performanceChapters 00:00 – Introduction: The Overtrading Trap 01:15 – Andrew’s Question: Chasing the Buzz of Trading 02:11 – What Golf Can Teach Traders About Practice 04:14 – The Illusion of Productivity 04:52 – Why Not Trading Does Not Mean Doing Nothing 05:09 – Research, Journaling and Reflection 06:09 – Rehearsal vs Execution 07:21 – Breaking Skills Down Through Mastery-Based Learning 08:18 – Finding Little Victories During Difficult Periods 10:00 – Productive Ways to Step Away from the Trade Enjoyed the episode? Subscribe to Markets and Mindsets for more conversations exploring the psychology behind better investing. If you enjoyed this episode, leave a rating or share it with someone looking to become a more thoughtful investor. Capital at risk. The value of investments can go down as well as up, and you may get back less than you originally invested. This podcast is for educational purposes only and should not be considered investment advice.

    Is Doing Nothing a Skill?

  7. 5 Aug ·  Video

    Can Trading Less Make You Better?

    Want to be on the show? Send us a question, a voice note or a quick video to marketsandmindsets@ig.co Can placing fewer trades actually help you learn more and become a more disciplined trader? In Episode 8 of Markets and Mindsets, Paul and Isar are joined by Aoife, an experienced investor preparing to move into active trading. After noticing how easily she overtrades on a demo account, Aoife asks how to build better habits before real money is on the line. The conversation explores why demo trading cannot fully recreate the emotional weight of a live position, how the urge to stay busy can create an illusion of productivity, and why making fewer, smaller trades may actually help you learn faster. The team also explain the difference between open-loop and closed-loop learning, and how structured reflection can turn each trade into useful feedback. From journaling and voice notes to alarms, quarterly letters and clearer time horizons, the episode shares practical ways to reduce impulsive decisions and build a repeatable process before pressing the button. In this episode: Why demo accounts are useful for mechanics but limited for understanding emotionHow using very small amounts of real money can make decisions feel more meaningfulWhy traders often mistake activity for productivityHow boredom and a bias toward action can lead to unnecessary tradesThe difference between open-loop and closed-loop learningWhy trading less can sometimes help you learn fasterHow time horizons should shape the way you manage investments and tradesHow journaling before and after a trade builds self-awarenessHow alarms and written reminders can create a pause before actingHow smaller positions can provide realistic experience without creating major consequencesChapters: 00:00 – Introduction: The Overtrading Trap 00:14 – Meet Aoife: Moving from Investing into Trading 01:01 – Why Demo Accounts Can Encourage Overtrading 03:23 – Starting Small with Real Money 03:53 – The Illusion of Productivity 04:50 – Open-Loop vs Closed-Loop Learning 06:28 – Why Trading Less Can Help You Learn Faster 06:51 – Time Horizons and the Urge to Meddle 10:31 – Journaling Before and After a Trade 13:06 – Using Alarms and Simple Systems to Pause Enjoyed the episode? Subscribe to Markets and Mindsets for more conversations exploring the psychology behind better investing. If you enjoyed this episode, leave a rating or share it with someone looking to become a more thoughtful investor. Capital at risk. The value of investments can go down as well as up, and you may get back less than you originally invested. This podcast is for educational purposes only and should not be considered investment advice.

    Can Trading Less Make You Better?

  8. 3 Aug ·  Video

    Was It a Bad Trade, or Just Bad Luck?

    Want to be on the show? Send us a question, a voice note or a quick video to marketsandmindsets@ig.co How do you know whether a losing trade came from a bad decision, or simply a good process with a bad outcome? In Episode 7 of Markets and Mindsets, Paul and Emma are joined by Tony, a newer trader focused mainly on gold and EUR/USD, to explore one of the easiest habits for traders to fall into: overtrading. The conversation examines “resulting” - judging the quality of a decision purely by its outcome - and why one winning or losing trade is rarely enough to tell you whether your process is working. The team share practical ways to slow down decision-making, build a repeatable routine and judge trades over a meaningful sample rather than reacting to one result. They also discuss position sizing, acceptance, backtesting and why both full-time and part-time traders benefit from having a clear process before pressing the buy button. In this episode: Why overtrading can affect traders at every stage of their journeyWhat “resulting” means and why outcomes can distort your judgementThe difference between a good process with a bad outcome and a bad process with a good outcomeWhy one trade is not enough evidence to judge a strategyHow writing down your reasons for entering a trade improves disciplineWhy a repeatable process is essential for consistent resultsHow routines can help both full-time and part-time traders slow down emotional decisionsWhy position sizing should reflect your tolerance for losses and uncertaintyHow smaller trades can help rebuild confidence while testing a strategyWhy acceptance often comes with time, perspective and distance from the tradeChapters: 00:00 – Introduction: The Overtrading Trap 01:15 – Meet Tony: Trading Gold and EUR/USD 01:57 – When a Bad Outcome Doesn’t Mean a Bad Trade 02:21 – Understanding “Resulting” 04:10 – Why Your Trading Process Should Be Written Down 05:21 – Following the Plan and Accepting the Outcome 07:20 – Building Confidence Through a Repeatable Process 09:42 – Trading Plans, Routines and Atomic Habits 10:40 – Judge the Process Over a Series of Trades 13:05 – Position Sizing and Emotional Tolerance Enjoyed the episode? Subscribe to Markets and Mindsets for more conversations exploring the psychology behind better investing. If you enjoyed this episode, leave a rating or share it with someone looking to become a more thoughtful investor. Capital at risk. The value of investments can go down as well as up, and you may get back less than you originally invested. This podcast is for educational purposes only and should not be considered investment advice.

    Was It a Bad Trade, or Just Bad Luck?
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About

Markets & Mindsets. Most trading content is about charts and setups. Markets & Mindsets is about something more important: you. Hosted by Isar Bhattacharjee, Paul Cooper & Emma Binns: this is the podcast that flips the lens from the trade to the trader. Each week, real traders and investors join as guests, send voice notes, or call in to unpack the psychological side of the markets: the confidence, discipline, and mindset that actually separate consistent performers from everyone else. Boredom trades. Revenge trading. FOMO. Overtrading. Sticking to a plan when everything in you wants to break it. These are the conversations most trading content skips and the ones that make the biggest difference to long-term success. No jargon. No shame. Just honest, direct conversation about the mental game of trading and investing. The hosts share practical ways to trade smarter, safer, and with a better relationship to the markets. New episodes every Monday and Wednesday.

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