What is ATSM - From the journey of a Trader's trading

What is ATSM? If you have ever been a trader, you will surely understand that it is the phenomenon of “Illusion of Power” — when initial successes lead you to overconfidence in your abilities. This is a dangerous mindset that not all traders are fortunate enough to recognize and overcome. The story below is the clearest proof of that.

When Overconfidence Leads to Wrong Decisions

About 6-7 years ago, gold was still around $1,600–$1,800, and Bitcoin had never surpassed $10,000. At that time, I mainly traded gold and currencies, but from 2020 onward, I focused more on cryptocurrencies. In the beginning, when I first started, I had days where I “pumped” up to 1,000–2,000 orders daily, with volumes around 2–300 lots. Those numbers sound impressive, but they were the first warning signs of ATSM.

With early results, I quickly ranked among the top traders in the region and continuously received awards. All of this only fueled my arrogance. Every day I lived by trading, every night I stayed up late waiting. The number of times I lit incense praying for luck was more than the number of times I drank water. Placing orders recklessly, pumping orders more than a spider’s web — this is a typical sign of ATSM when it completely controls your psychology.

From Crazy Scalping Days to Enlightenment

During this period, I truly felt like an addict. I would wake up startled, trading while hoping for luck. Day after day, year after year… until I looked at my account and had nothing left, not even enough to deposit more. At that moment, ATSM finally shattered under the weight of reality.

Looking back, all those achievements, those top awards — they were just empty fame and illusions. My wallet was completely drained. That’s when I realized a bitter but necessary truth: ATSM is the greatest enemy of a trader, and it arises from excessive self-confidence in one’s abilities.

The Solution to Overcoming ATSM — Invest Instead of Trading

From that failure, I finally understood the true importance: it’s not about continuous trading, but about having a strategy of “Investing,” “Accumulating,” and managing the “Cash Flow” well. That is a valuable lesson only those who have been bitten by ATSM can truly understand.

If you are in the stage I once was, warn yourself about ATSM right now. Because the truth is: any trader can fall into this trap, but not everyone is lucky enough to find a way out.