Most traders come back from vacation ready to trade everything. That’s exactly how you blow up your year in the first month.

I hardly looked at the markets over the last couple of weeks. I haven’t sat at my computer or looked at charts at all.

It’s been a nice break, but I’m happy to be back in the saddle. And here’s what I realized during that break: Less is More, More is Less.

I know that sounds backwards in a world where everyone’s telling you to hustle harder, trade more setups, capture every move.

But here’s the thing – I’ve been guilty of the “more is less” trap myself. Spending less time analyzing and planning more trades instead of spending more time analyzing and planning fewer trades.

That approach? It’s a profit killer.

The Vacation Comeback Trap

After a break like this, every trader has the same instinct: come in swinging. Trade everything that moves. Make up for lost time. Hell, I feel it too – that urge to immediately start firing on all cylinders.

But think about it. You just gave your brain a reset. You’re fresh, clear-headed, probably seeing the markets with new eyes. Why would you immediately clutter that clarity with noise?

Most traders treat January like they’re behind already. Like they need to catch up to some imaginary profit schedule. So they overtrade. They chase. They force setups that aren’t there.

Here’s what actually happens: You break a leg right at the starting line.

Less Trading, More Preparation

Now don’t get me wrong – “Less is More” doesn’t mean being lazy or checked out. I’m still putting in the work. I’m watching what’s working and what isn’t.

Looking for early themes developing in the market. Studying sector rotations. Building my watchlists.

But I’m not pulling the trigger on everything I see. There’s a massive difference between preparation and execution, and most traders blur that line when they come back from breaks.

Your Action Plan

I came back with one position: LMND call debit spread for 1/16. One trade. Not ten. Not five. One.

That’s intentional.

When you focus on fewer trades, you actually analyze what you’re getting into instead of spreading capital thin and juggling chaos. I’d rather nail three high-conviction plays this month than scatter-shot fifteen mediocre ones.

Think of this like a long race, and we’re just about to get the starting gun.

I can’t win the race on day one, but I can certainly break a leg at the start and put myself way behind for the rest of the race.

YOU ARE NOT GOING TO MAKE YOUR PROFITS FOR THE YEAR THIS WEEK OR EVEN THIS MONTH.

I know that hits different when you’re staring at charts on January 6th, feeling like you need to immediately start crushing it.

But there are going to be tons of great opportunities this year. We aren’t going to hit them all right away, so relax and settle in.

The traders who make real money this year? They’ll be the ones who started slow and let their edge compound over time.

The traders who blow up? They’ll be the ones who tried to win the first week.

Less really is more. And in 2026, more discipline in January means more profit in December.

Let’s build this right from the foundation up.