I'm so disappointed in myself, I have a 27000 dollar account. I've been working on my strategy for about a year full time and when it came down to it I couldn't pull the trigger with real money. On average I'm risking less than 10 dollars a trade.. Every time I haven't pulled the trigger when I know the outcome, I would have made at least 30-80 dollars. After blowing up last year It changed me though. It's not even that I lost that much at all. My account is bigger now but it's not my money, it's my dads. He doesn't even really care if I lose money as long as I'm trading with real money but I can't even pull the trigger with 100 shares on a 3 dollar stock. He even tries to convince me to use 1000 shares. How can I get over this? I'm convinced it's an issue with my first couple of trades, If I could hit a decent trade or couple trades I'll be on my way. But I feel like I'm waiting for a perfect trade that probably won't come very often. Should I be betting with 50 shares instead? I don't want everybody to think I'm flaking out of my trading. I also remember being very cautious starting out with paper, but now I'm even more cautious. Also, commissions with my new broker are only 1 dollar a trade, so small size isn't a problem really
I would look at your past relationship with your father. (childhood). For all of us, success and approval is a key survival mechanism of young humans. They are helpless without love (can't physically survive on their own in nature) and approval gets linked to love.
You didn't have an issue losing your own money. Losing someone else's money is different.
IF you are consistently making money on paper trading
AND IF your trades can be made at a time convenient for your father,
Then you could set up a deal with your dad that you work as an adviser and get paid a fee.
So you recommend a buy of ABC at $20 and if it goes to $30 you receive 50% advisory fee.
So if 1000 shares you get $5,000 and your dad gets $5,000.
In this way you are not trading his money he is. Depending upon your relationship you can discuss the proposed trade with him. The review process can help in getting a second opinion. Also allowing your father input can make him feel necessary and involved. If he doesn't like the trade he could step aside but still put on a 1/2 position for you (where you keep all the profit, or loss, instead of 1/2).
Assuming what you said is true - that you are consistently profitable, you will quickly build up a substantial account of YOUR OWN money. Also your confidence will build.
Let's say you build $25,000 of your own money.
After this first phase you can trade some shares of your own money - earned from advising your father on subsequent trades for yourself in your account.
You both benefit from your skill and your dad can brag about how good and an adviser his son is. This builds your pride and confidence.
I hope it helps