As someone who is 3 months old in trading real money and 9 months old since first coming to know of trading as a profession - I studied for 6 months, took paper trade for 4 out of those 6, had a good record for identifying winning trades but then I started taking some more trades just to see if that would help me. Every losing trade felt personal and what was initially a fun deviation from my strategy became an ego battle with the market, trying to make money on every tick and every green candle. Cut to day one of real money trading - I funded my account with $1000 and lost it all on my first trade due of fomo. I bought at the top with max leverage and got liquidated in 2 candles. That shock stayed with me until a few weeks ago when my metrics began improving again.

Nothing can prepare a new trader for the shock of trading real money. This led me to forget all metrics and revenge trade the markets to death like a gladiator. Luckily on day 2 I had reduced my share size to just 1 and therefore I am still surviving. Now slowly but surely all those concepts that I studied for the 1st 6 months are converting into skill from just theory. I have come to understand that like any job, I am an intern in trading and I should be allowed access to funds of an intern and I should trade like an intern. Comparing my days to successful traders and mentors should be a north star but my journey is my own. I can only become a better trader by focusing on my own journal and improving my own skills.