It is a frequent source of frustration when the market triggers your stop-loss immediately before trending in your predicted direction. The reason for this is that liquidity tends to pool in the specific areas where the majority of traders position their stops. As a result, tight and predictable levels often become targets for price action just before the real move commences.

To minimize this risk, consider the following adjustments. Avoid utilizing obvious levels by ensuring you do not place stops directly beneath equal lows or highs. Instead, rely on structure-based stops, positioning them at the level where your trading thesis is technically invalidated. Additionally, modify your position size rather than your strategy; if you need a wider stop, simply reduce your position size to match. The issue is rarely the stop-loss itself but rather its placement. Intelligent traders focus on defending market structure instead of reacting to emotions.