Charles Harris’ Massive Trading Loss Recovery + Mindset With Special Guest Co-Host Shane Dorian
Charles Harris is a Portfolio Manager at O’Neil Global Advisors Inc. with over 20 years of experience in finance. Recently, he released a YouTube video of a 2019 presentation he made at the final IBD Level IV Master’s Program workshop in Santa Monica, CA entitled “A Trader’s Journey.” In it, he details his personal journey as a stock trader and shares his highs and lows, the many boom and bust cycles he’s experienced along the way, and the lessons he’s learned and continue to relearn. The video went viral — it currently has over 34K views. Legions of traders have been blown away by his vulnerability and the wisdom he has gained as a result of staggering losses and hard-earned lessons — including legendary big wave surfer and trader Shane Dorian, who joins Kim as a guest co-host for today’s episode.
Not familiar with Shane? He’s been on the pod before — don’t miss his episode here. As a refresher, Shane spent 11 years touring on the World Championship Tour as a pro surfer before quitting the pro circuit to focus on big waves. Now, he’s one of the best-known big wave surfers in the world. But that’s not all — he’s also an accomplished trader, with years of experience. Following the CANSLIM system, created by William O’Neil, Shane identifies as a swing/position trader and has seen massive upside in his trading for over a decade.
What To Expect in This Episode
In this unique two-part episode, Kim and Shane start by interviewing Charles about his exceptional trading journey. Then, Kim and Charles head over to a live Twitter Space q+a session. Here’s what to expect:
Not only will you learn about Charles’ recovery from a staggering drawdown that deleted about 85% of his net worth, but so much more, including:
The incredible reaction to “A Trader’s Journey.” There’s a perception that certain traders are successful and just make money but it’s not the case. The fact that Charles was willing to speak openly about his frailties makes his story exceptional — and it has clearly resonated with viewers.
How Brené Brown’s famed talks on vulnerability and shame inspired Charles to share his story and helped get him get to the root of why he had such a big drawdown. As he describes it, “I knew that I was out of control but I just could not get out of my way.”
When your vision of yourself doesn’t match reality and you feel unworthy, it’s a problem for your trading. As Charles notes, there are two potential outcomes: either you fix your psychology or you sabotage your success to bring it in line with how you really feel inside. Ultimately, the difference between people who have a sense of worthiness and those who don’t boils down to believing that they deserve it, that they are entitled to it.
How Charles came to grips with a massive drawdown that blew out 85% of his net worth. He explains what helped him recover and how much of a break he needed to get his mindset back.
The right thing to do when you’re on a losing streak is to take a step back, stop trading altogether, and figure out what’s going on. When you come back to the market, go really slow.
Charles talks about how he thought it would be 5 or 10 years to come back from his big losses but it actually took less than 2 years. A big part of that was his biggest winner — Tesla. Charles talks strategy — learn why he treats this stock differently, and why its performance reminds him of Apple.
Nathan Michaud on Overtrading, Community, and Why Process Beats Constant Action
Nathan Michaud on Overtrading, Community, and Why Process Beats Constant Action
Nathan Michaud joins Kim to talk about the mindset behind building both a trading career and a trading community. Best known as the founder of Investors Underground, Nathan speaks directly to one of the problems that catches countless traders early: confusing activity with progress. His own journey began with overtrading, and the systems he later built were shaped by the need to create structure, accountability, and a cleaner process.
The conversation is especially strong on what traders misunderstand about growth. Nathan talks about why being lost can be useful, why having a plan matters more than just showing up, and how community can sharpen both accountability and purpose. For traders who know they are doing too much but not necessarily doing the right things, this is a high-signal episode.
The Trader Positioning Index (TPI) is a 15-minute clinical-grade assessment that measures 70+ indicators of your decision-making under pressure – and delivers a 35+ page personalised report with a custom action roadmap. Learn more about the TPI ->
Nathan Michaud started trading while in college and later built Investors Underground into one of the most recognizable trading communities online. His work has always centered on helping traders become more self-sufficient, more accountable, and less dependent on noise. In this episode, he talks through the mindset foundations underneath that mission.
Key insights from this episode
Overtrading is often the visible symptom, not the whole problem. Nathan’s work started as an attempt to create accountability around his own excess activity.
Being “lost” is not always bad. It can be the period where traders stop pretending and begin figuring out what actually fits them.
You cannot just show up and expect to perform. A real process requires planning, context, and a bigger-picture view before you act.
Traders need a good team and good community, not because they should copy others, but because growth is faster when you are challenged and supported at the same time.
Learning from wins matters too. Traders often replay losses endlessly but ignore what their best decisions are teaching them.
Episode chapters
3:20 – The importance of developing your own process
Work on this with Kim:Book a free intro call – explore whether 1-on-1 coaching is right for you.
Not ready for a call? Take the Trader Positioning Index – a 15-minute clinical assessment that benchmarks your decision-making under pressure.
Grant Williams on Bear Markets, Humility, and Why Caution is a Competitive Advantage
Grant Williams on Bear Markets, Humility, and Why Caution is a Competitive Advantage
Grant Williams joins Kim for a two-part conversation about markets, mindset, and the importance of intellectual flexibility when conditions change. With decades of experience across global markets, Grant brings a perspective that is especially valuable during difficult cycles: surviving well matters more than looking smart, and avoiding major damage is often the first duty of any serious investor or trader.
This episode stands out because Grant is unusually direct about caution. He talks through the emotional traps of waiting to get back to even, the importance of humility, and why each market year has to be approached on its own terms. For anyone trying to stay clear-headed during a real bear market instead of repeating the habits of easy-money periods, this is one of the stronger archive conversations.
The Trader Positioning Index (TPI) is a 15-minute clinical-grade assessment that measures 70+ indicators of your decision-making under pressure – and delivers a 35+ page personalised report with a custom action roadmap. Learn more about the TPI ->
Grant Williams has spent decades in global finance and is known for his interviews, newsletters, and market commentary. Across those different roles, one constant stands out: curiosity paired with caution. In this episode, he brings both to a conversation about what traders and investors need to do when the market environment becomes genuinely difficult again.
Key insights from this episode
The first duty is not to suffer catastrophic losses. Grant emphasizes that survival is not defensive weakness; it is the foundation of future opportunity.
Bear markets challenge even experienced participants. Easy-money instincts often do not transfer well into harder regimes.
Humility matters more than certainty. Grant argues that trying to be less wrong is often more useful than trying to prove you were right.
Each year has to be earned again. Experience matters, but every cycle asks different questions and punishes stale assumptions.
Caution is not the absence of opportunity. It is often what preserves the ability to act when the real setup finally appears.
Work on this with Kim:Book a free intro call – explore whether 1-on-1 coaching is right for you.
Not ready for a call? Take the Trader Positioning Index – a 15-minute clinical assessment that benchmarks your decision-making under pressure.
Tom Canfield on Mindset, Recovery, and the Village of Idiots in Every Trader’s Head
Tom Canfield on Mindset, Recovery, and the “Village of Idiots” in Every Trader’s Head
Tom Canfield joins Kim for one of the clearest conversations on what actually makes trading hard. He is direct about the fact that learning charts and setups is only part of the work. The deeper challenge is what trading exposes: ego, fear, the need to be right, emotional baggage carried in from life outside the market, and the quiet ways traders ask P&L to make them feel better about themselves.
What makes this episode so useful is Tom’s honesty. He does not describe trading as a clean progression toward mastery. He describes it as an ongoing practice of self-awareness, recovery, and managing the emotional patterns that never fully disappear. If you want a realistic conversation about mindset instead of trading mythology, this is one of the strongest episodes in the archive.
The Trader Positioning Index (TPI) is a 15-minute clinical-grade assessment that measures 70+ indicators of your decision-making under pressure – and delivers a 35+ page personalised report with a custom action roadmap. Learn more about the TPI ->
Tom Canfield, also known as Canny, has a background in mathematics, an MBA from Vanderbilt, early Wall Street experience, and decades of trading behind him. He later expanded into trading education through BeDumbFollowPrice.com. What stands out most in this conversation, though, is not biography – it is the rare depth of self-awareness he brings to the emotional side of trading.
Key insights from this episode
Trading acts like a mirror. Tom argues that it reveals dysfunction, ego needs, and emotional triggers traders often do not even realize they carry.
Most people are not failing because they cannot read a chart. They are failing because they cannot manage the emotional pressure that comes with being wrong, losing money, and needing recovery.
The “village of idiots” in a trader’s head never fully disappears. Progress comes from identifying those voices faster and letting them affect decisions less.
Recovery is a real skill. Tom treats losses not just as financial setbacks but as moments that require emotional reset, perspective, and self-forgiveness.
Honesty is a form of encouragement. Traders need realistic expectations, not fantasy timelines about becoming consistently profitable in six months.
0:30 – Kim’s FREE ebook “Discipline and Finding Your Edge”
0:59 – Introducing Andres Armienta 2:40 – Getting comfortable with discomfort 4:18 – From pre-med to pro trader 6:55 – Andres’ non-negotiables in trading 9:20 – Navigating resistance with family and friends 12:23 – Networking to speed up your learning curve 16:39 – Making the most of available resources 18:00 – Andres’ biggest challenges when getting started — and now 21:40 – When is it time to adapt? 23:55 – The problem with “no days off” in trading 27:55 – Curiosity and noticing: elements of trading success 31:46 – What does trading have to do with surfing? 33:50 – Advice to traders in the volatile 2022 market 37:49 – Trading as a long-term commitment
38:55 – What do sports and discipline have to do with trading? 42:35 – Andres’ final words and a message to traders 44:08 – Work with Kim!
Andres Armienta’s Journey From Pre-Med to Pro Trader
When Andres Armienta started trading about four years ago, he was a was a pre-med student at UC Davis. Eventually, he thought he’d become a surgeon. But he couldn’t ignore his passion for the market — and despite being on a solid path, he decided to give his all to trading.
Now, at just 26, his hard work has paid off. He’s found success in the market, mainly as a short seller who focuses on small-cap intraday runners, gappers, and multi-day runs. He’ll go long occasionally, but short-selling is where he got started and initially found success, and that’s the craft he continues to hone.
Andres may be young in years, but he’s an old soul. Traders at every level can learn a thing or two from him! Here’s what you’ll learn in the episode:
What’s Non-Negotiable
A lot of people get into trading because they see other traders having success. But those who stay are constantly growing, adapting, and learning and committed to becoming better. Andres speaks to why “You can’t get through this game without giving it your all.”
Finding Your Community
Andres left a pre-med program to pursue full-time trading. To some, it seemed like he was “giving it all up” to trade — there was a lot of pushback. It was a very difficult decision. Learn how self-belief and support from the trading community helped him make the move. Andres also offers tips for finding your own “band of brothers” in the trading world and the right way to network.
His Biggest Challenges
In trading, you don’t need to be right to be successful. Instead, it’s all about letting your winners run and cutting losses quickly. That’s simple, but not easy! Your ego will be smashed over and over — Andres talks about key moments that helped him stay in the game and how he’s adapted to the 2022 market, which is way different from the past few years!
Emotions and Trading
It’s not about controlling your emotions — it’s about noticing them. As Andres observes, simply noticing allows you to act instead of react. Plus, learn how literal surfing has helped him surf his emotions while trading!
For Andres, trading is a long-tail commitment. It isn’t a drive-by. He wants to be here for 20-30 years or even longer. This informs his perspective — listen and learn from all the gems he drops in this episode!
Episode 56: Lance Breitstein on Becoming an Elite Trader
Lance Breitstein on Becoming an Elite Trader
Lance Breitstein rose through the ranks at Trillium to become one of the most respected prop traders in the game. In this deep conversation, he breaks down the growth mindset, self-awareness practices, and review processes behind his edge — and explains why becoming a great trader is less about secrets and more about committed, deliberate work on the nuances most traders ignore.
Is your trading psychology holding you back?
The Trader Positioning Index (TPI) is a 15-minute clinical-grade assessment that measures 70+ indicators of your decision-making under pressure — and delivers a 35+ page personalised report with a custom action roadmap. Learn more about the TPI →
1:10 – Introducing Lance Breitstein
4:15 – Stepping away from prop trading
6:10 – Combining hard work with smart work
13:25 – Growth mindset, playing to your strengths, and removing limiting beliefs
20:05 – The importance of self-awareness and introspection
29:40 – The advantage of maintaining a long-term perspective
36:10 – The paradox of struggle and adversity
41:35 – Reviewing “the most important moments” in your trading
43:18 – Identifying the nuances of what works for you
48:05 – Breaking down discretionary trades through thought experiments
51:55 – Game planning the realm of possibilities
54:48 – The best trades have every trader on one side — TSLA and CVNA examples
1:00:20 – Emotional intelligence in trading and life
1:05:30 – The value of working with a performance coach
1:08:10 – Combatting scarcity mindset and greed with personal values
1:15:25 – How the Impact Competition creates large-scale impact
1:25:10 – Advice to the average trader
About Lance Breitstein
Lance Breitstein is a former prop trader at Trillium and one of the most thoughtful voices in the trading community on the subject of elite performance. His approach combines rigorous trade review, deliberate practice, and EQ development — what he describes as the roadmap from competent to exceptional.
Disclaimer: All information provided is for educational purposes only and does not constitute investment, legal, or tax advice, or an offer to buy or sell any security. For full disclosures: www.thewallstreetcoach.com
0:25 – Kim’s FREE ebook ‘Discipline and Finding Your Edge’
0:45 – Introducing Brice Foose 3:50 – Conversations with the average person informs emotions in the market
6:00 – How curiosity and neutrality serves as an edge 7:55 – Brice’s main focuses and style of trading 10:45 – How Brice got into trading 12:00 – How having a second income as a pharmacist has helped Brice
18:30 – Being a patience and self-awareness to trading 21:55 – Digging into Brice’s instinct in trading
26:50 – How mentors can actually help your career 32:15 – What Brice wishes he would have learned early in his career 33:45 – Advice for experienced traders – keep surviving 38:15 – What propelled Brice’s career the most
Brice Foose on Part-Time Work and Full Time Profits
Brice Foose joins The Wall Street Coach Podcast to discuss the importance of balance and how he benefits from from part-time as a pharmacist and sees big profits as a full time trader.
Most traders dream of the day that they can quit their day job and focus solely on mastering their craft as a trader – that’s not quite the case for Brice Foose.
In this interview we dive into how Brice got his start in trading over a decade ago – fittingly so, while he was in school to become a pharmacist. With more market experience than many traders out there, Brice has a humble demeanor, an incredible passion for trading, and a healthy curiosity.
Brice’s primary focuses are small cap biotech companies – an area that he uniquely understands better than most. Brice understands his edge and capitalizes on it.
Brice’s approach to trading is refreshing and unlike many traders that feel the need to give up their day job as soon as they are profitable in that he has kept his part-time job as a pharmacist, even though he is a full time prop trader at Seven Points Capital.
As he puts it in this interview, “I don’t know if you’ve ever really made it in trading…I’m a big believer in multiple revenue streams, even if trading is 99.9% of it.”
Beyond just having the financial benefit a part-time job allows him to fall back on, Brice points out the psychological benefits a lot of traders overlook, saying, “It helps my mindset a lot, even if it’s a small amount of money…it gives me a good sense of balance, regardless of the paycheck, I’m still able to help people with my knowledge and it’s something totally different. It gets me out of the house and [gives me] interaction with people.”
Zach Schellhaas on Making an Impact with Traders4ACause
Zach Schellhaas joins the Wall Street Coach Podcast to discuss how traders can find community, be a contribution, and make an impact with Traders4ACause.
With his dynamic background, ranging from marketing and advertising to trading and account management, Zach has flourished in his role as Executive Director at Traders4ACause.
In this episode Zach dives into what makes Traders4ACause so unique, including creating a community for traders that often work in isolation and encourages these same traders to be a contribution to society. As Zach describes, some of the most profound benefits he has seen in traders is their shift from a “scarcity mindset” to a “mindset of abundance.” As Zach points out, this mindset shift is invaluable for traders and making the shift is often what allows traders to take the next step and become more successful than they could have imagined.
Traders4ACause supports numerous charities, including charities on the local, national, and international level. If you’re a trader looking to give back, consider making an impact with Traders4ACause.
30:30 – Anthony’s lesson from being fired from The White House
Anthony Scaramucci and The Sweet Life with Bitcoin
Anthony Scaramucci joins The Wall Street Coach Podcast to discuss his book The Sweet Life with Bitcoin and ways to capitalize on Bitcoin, cryptocurrencies, NFTs, and other blockchain technology by holding a longterm perspective.
In this conversation Kim and Anthony both reminisce about their first introduction to Bitcoin. Kim’s first real impression being in 2008 as she was coaching for free on the street outside the New York Stock Exchange and Anthony’s being when the Winklevoss twins brought it it his attention.
The Mooch discusses his new book, The Sweet Life with Bitcoin, and shares how resistant he was to even consider Bitcoin when he first learned of it and how his attitude toward Bitcoin has changed from skepticism to opportunity when he saw the cryptocurrency begin to be adopted by the masses. Anthony makes it clear that he and SkyBridge Capital believe that Bitcoin is still in its infancy and discusses how they began building a position just a few years ago. With a longterm outlook on Bitcoin, Anthony makes it clear that SkyBridge doesn’t plan on just doubling their money with their Bitcoin investment but are in it for the long-haul.
Scaramucci’s attitude toward intellectual curiosity and challenging his own beliefs and preconceived notions is something we could all learn to practice more – it’s one of the things that has separated him from the pack in every endeavor he has pursued. Anthony touches on neuroplasticity and the importance of consciously forcing himself to get out of his comfort zone and think about things differently. This is undoubtedly influenced his ability to quickly pivot with new information and is something we can all practice more.
Ellen Rogin on Your Relationship with Money and Prosperity
Ellen Rogin joins The Wall Street Coach Podcast to discuss how to evaluate and nurture your relationship with money, wealth, and prosperity. Ellen’s career began as a financial and investment advisor nearly three decades ago and has been helping her clients achieve abundance and prosperity ever since.
As an experienced financial advisor, Ellen says that she can speak to someone and be able to tell within a few minutes if they will be on track financially. Beyond this, she has developed an intuition with money and is able to use this intuition to help clients shift their relationship with money from scarcity to abundance.
Ellen is the author of Great with Money and Picture Your Prosperity and in this conversation we touch on topics covered in her books, including creating a Prosperity Picture, noticing your beliefs about money, and how generosity proceeds prosperity.
