Tradinglife 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

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 commodit

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-refle

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

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.