Able to trade small accounts successfully but fail when account size is large

[Scataphagos]

your subconscious mind (which AUTOMATICALLY generate fear when you handle too large a position)
is causing havoc.

You cannot bash / smash your brain to fix it.

Ditto!

The "market" is one set of parameters. "You personally" is separate. To be successful, a trader needs to conquer both!

 

[notagain]

Automate a portfolio of micros to reduce drawdowns (Audi Q7 smooth ride).

 

[2rosy]

What % of ET'ers do you think are able to automate and do well?

What % of ET'ers do you think have a strategy?

 

[zghorner]

I've traded a few small accounts successfully in the past, then I scale up into 5 figure accounts, which always turns bad.

I know psychology is affecting me, for e.g. when I lose a few trades on large accounts, I would think what I could have bought or what if I just went out and didn't trade, I could have bought XXX or saved $X by doing so.

However, after always losing my large account, i would take a break and come back trading a small account, and I am always successful.

What advice could you give? Slowly scale up bit by bit instead of switching immediately?

Could you be subconsciously feeling like with the small account you had better be on your toes with losses or it will blow up quick...but with the larger account maybe you feel like "I have plenty of wiggle/cushion room to let this position play out for a bit before cutting it"?

Which almost always ends in more pain and losses down the line...

obvious solution: trade big account same as you trade small account lol.

 

[Scataphagos]

What % of ET'ers do you think have a strategy?

I think we all have a strategy... some better than others. Those with "Price TA" as their strategy are in as good a shape as they could hope to be. Others... I dunno about.

 

[easymon1]

I've traded a few small accounts successfully in

Are you a methodical trader or more of an intuitive artistic trader?

 

[Damanuelman]

I've traded a few small accounts successfully in the past, then I scale up into 5 figure accounts, which always turns bad.

I know psychology is affecting me, for e.g. when I lose a few trades on large accounts, I would think what I could have bought or what if I just went out and didn't trade, I could have bought XXX or saved $X by doing so.

However, after always losing my large account, i would take a break and come back trading a small account, and I am always successful.

What advice could you give? Slowly scale up bit by bit instead of switching immediately?

It will never be easy. It will never feel good. Get use to it, and yes it has to do with your relationship with money. It's hard to not have any emotions. We are human after all.

 

[Concinnity]

I've traded a few small accounts successfully in the past, then I scale up into 5 figure accounts, which always turns bad.

I know psychology is affecting me, for e.g. when I lose a few trades on large accounts, I would think what I could have bought or what if I just went out and didn't trade, I could have bought XXX or saved $X by doing so.

However, after always losing my large account, i would take a break and come back trading a small account, and I am always successful.

What advice could you give? Slowly scale up bit by bit instead of switching immediately?

You need a real solution in my opinion and action. Reading a book or listening to quotes isn't a high probability way to fix your issue, just my opinion.

I'd recommend trading copying if possible. Essentially(again if possible maybe it isn't) Trade multiple small accounts, with low size and have the trade's copy over. This way you're seeing small size, but in reality 2x 3x 5x 10x your results without it directly being in front of you and triggering emotions.

This may be a solution you can try. Just my two cents.

 

[nooby_mcnoob]

What % of ET'ers do you think have a strategy?

I laughed.

 

[smallfil]

I've traded a few small accounts successfully in the past, then I scale up into 5 figure accounts, which always turns bad.

I know psychology is affecting me, for e.g. when I lose a few trades on large accounts, I would think what I could have bought or what if I just went out and didn't trade, I could have bought XXX or saved $X by doing so.

However, after always losing my large account, i would take a break and come back trading a small account, and I am always successful.

What advice could you give? Slowly scale up bit by bit instead of switching immediately?

If you are using proper risk management, say risking 2% per trade, it should not matter if you are trading 200 shares vs 10,000 shares. Your risk whether the trade works out is the same.