Episode 9 is heavy. Mike's 100k FTMO account that he rescued last week? Blown on Friday afternoon on gold. Then we go deep on identity, life purpose, and whether money actually matters when you're profitable but miserable.

Topics covered:
🔴 Mike blew his 100k account RIGHT AFTER we stopped recording (leverage addiction is real)
🔴 Mike's done trading until 2026 (hard stop for the year)
🔴 Live podcast episode plans for London (pub recordings, Guinness, chaos incoming)
🔴 Gold at all-time highs – is it a trap or the real move?
🔴 Should you trade futures instead of CFDs? (complexity vs. opportunity)
🔴 Steven Vickers funded AGAIN in one day (risk management vs. risk-taking)
🔴 The 9/21/50 EMA strategy that actually works on gold
🔴 Why EMAs work better than 100 indicators
🔴 Copy-trading: Making $67k with zero effort (but is it sustainable?)
🔴 The dark side: Profitable trader who hates his life (depression after success)
🔴 BRUTAL story: Dad lost everything trying to pay for son's medical bills, contemplating suicide
🔴 Trading addiction is REAL and often hidden
🔴 Identity shifts: Corporate ladder climber → pandemic father → trader (mental breakdown real)
🔴 Becoming a parent changes EVERYTHING (why Alex isn't ready yet)
🔴 Social media algorithm feeding you rage bait & negativity
🔴 Mental Wealth Trader curating positive content (Good News Movement, MD Motivator)
🔴 The $1.7M account retired at beach vs. suicidal profitable trader – same money, different outcomes
🔴 Tiny habits compound: CO2 levels, ashwagandha, daylight lamps, water intake
🔴 Never Have I Ever trading edition planned for Christmas pub episode
🔴 Why the UK isn't as bad as social media makes it seem
🔴 Buying his mum a house as a real goal from prop trading payouts
🔴 Relationships, attraction, and why Alex loves the chase

Raw, vulnerable, and honest about the cost of chasing money in markets.