Why do truly experienced traders go through a period of silence

Recently, the market has not been calm. Overseas, they are repeatedly digesting the uncertainty of the rate cut path; ETF capital flows are pulling back and forth; geopolitical and political games constantly create noise; domestically, the most discussed topic is no longer where to double your money, but how much longer this cycle will last. The density of information is increasing, but the sense of direction is becoming more and more blurred.

It is during this stage that I notice a clear change: truly experienced traders are starting to become quiet. They are not rushing to interpret every piece of news, nor are they eager to take sides on opinions, and they are not rushing to prove to others that they are still in the game. Silence is not because they lack judgment, but because at this stage, making judgments is more important than expressing them.

When the market loses a single narrative, with good news and bad news offsetting each other, and any conclusion can be quickly refuted, the cycle is actually doing a very cruel but necessary thing—pushing people back onto themselves. You have to re-verify: what kind of money are you really making? Is your advantage in trends, oscillations, or waiting? Are you trading the market, or being driven by emotions? These questions cannot be answered by any quick news update.

Zhuangzi said, “Its stillness is the earth; its movement is heaven.” In trading, this phrase is extremely fitting. Many truly important changes do not happen during frequent operations, but during the phase when you choose to do nothing. You might think it’s a lull, but in fact, it’s stripping away ineffective judgments, layer by layer, removing impulses about whether to move or whether you might miss something.

Many people misunderstand silence, thinking that not speaking means having no ideas, that not acting means missing opportunities, and that not participating in discussions means being eliminated by the market. But those who have gone through cycles understand that those who can truly go far almost always experience a period of not explaining their positions, not engaging in disputes, and not rushing to draw conclusions. It’s not because they don’t know anything, but because they understand that at this stage, maintaining inner stability is more important than chasing any fluctuation.

Before a major trend unfolds, the market will first let some people speak their minds, then let others endure the wait. The silent period is precisely the watershed from being led by the market to starting to choose your own rhythm. It’s unobtrusive but impossible to skip.

If you’ve recently found that the more news you read, the less you want to express an opinion; that group chats are still lively but you prefer independent judgment; that your operations have decreased but you feel more stable inside—that may not mean you’ve become more conservative. More likely, you are entering a phase that is only effective in the long term. Silence is not withdrawal; it’s shifting your focus from the market’s noise back to what you can truly rely on for judgment.

When you speak again, or take action again, it’s often not to participate in discussion, but because you already know when it’s time to move.

This is almost a journey all true traders will go through.