2025.10.04 2025.10.05

The Hidden “Monster” in Koshien and the Market

tk2253

Table of contents

The True Identity of the “Monster”: The Distortion Born from Human Psychology

Every summer, Japan’s National High School Baseball Championship — known simply as Koshien — captures the nation’s attention.
It’s more than just a tournament; it’s a cultural event.

**【日本語で読みたい方へ】本記事の日本語版はこちらをご覧ください。

For many players, especially third-year students, this is their final chance to play organized baseball before graduation.
A single loss means the end of their high school baseball life.
Because baseball, unlike soccer or basketball, makes individual responsibility for wins and losses very visible,
one error or one missed swing can change everything.
Conversely, a single hit or a single play can change everything, too.

Fans often say, “There’s a monster lurking in Koshien.”
It’s a poetic way of describing how pressure, heat, and emotion can twist even the most prepared player’s performance —
turning heroes into victims of their own minds.

Likewise, in the financial markets, we traders face an invisible “monster” of our own.
It has nothing to do with news or economic data.
Instead, it appears through sudden spikes and plunges that shake our discipline and drive us to self-destructive decisions.

In Market Wizards by Jack D. Schwager, top traders are called “wizards.”
They don’t manipulate the market itself; rather,
they observe it calmly and never let the monster control them.
That’s why they are called “wizards,” not warriors or heroes.

The “monster” in both Koshien and the market is not an external being —
it’s the psychological distortion created within us:
the anxiety to win, the fear of losing, and the endless desire for more.
When those emotions overpower reason, the monster awakens.

Why the Monster Appears Most in Summer

The “monster” of Koshien is most often mentioned during the summer tournament — not spring.
The reason lies in the extreme heat, exhaustion, and pressure.
Players face the reality that a single defeat means the end.
Their subconscious fear of disappointing teammates or ending shared memories makes even simple actions feel heavy.
Spectators hold their breath as players battle not only their opponents but also themselves.

Traders experience the same battle.
After long trading sessions or while holding large positions,
mental fatigue and stress blur rational judgment.
The monster manifests when physical exhaustion and emotional fragility overlap.

The difference is that traders have no audience.
Unlike the cheering crowds of Koshien,
we face our own monsters alone —
isolated behind monitors, fighting an internal war of discipline and emotion.

Two “Talismans” Against the Monster: Training and Discipline

For the Players: Training and Reflex

The strength of Koshien players comes from relentless training.
Through repetition, they elevate their skills until they react by reflex — not hesitation.
It’s a form of unconscious discipline.
Even when the monster whispers “Hurry,”
their bodies, shaped by countless drills, respond calmly and correctly.

That foundation of trust in their own preparation
becomes the spiritual armor that protects them from the pressure.

For Traders: Discipline and the Protective Boundary

For traders, the talisman is discipline.
Our battlefield is digital — the glowing screens of our monitors.
Building trading rules, managing risk, and following them strictly
are our forms of professional training.

The monster tempts us with whispers:
“Take more profit,” or “Recover your loss right now.”
To resist these voices, we create a protective boundary — our own trading rules.
Breaking them destroys that barrier and invites the monster inside,
often ending in forced exits from the market.

Self-Awareness: Preventing Fear from Turning Into a Monster

Fear is universal in the market.
It’s not the enemy — it’s a natural instinct that helps us detect risk.
The danger comes when we let fear take control:
panic selling, ignoring stop-loss limits, or holding on to massive unrealized losses.

True mastery isn’t about erasing fear;
it’s about recognizing it objectively and filtering it through discipline.
That self-awareness is the trader’s most advanced weapon.

Those Who Enjoy the Battle Survive

As for me, a trader who once worked in banking and securities,
I remind myself of this daily:
I chose this path because I love it.
I will continue to enjoy the journey,
armed with discipline and self-awareness —
and never let the monster take control.