The ITPM Blueprint: Why Strategy Comes First, Psychology Second

The ITPM Blueprint: Why mastering a systematic trading strategy comes before psychology in achieving risk-adjusted returns

Introduction

Let’s cut through the noise.

👉 Psychology doesn’t matter if you don’t have a system.

👉 Most traders don’t need mindset tips — they need a plan.

👉 The first problem isn’t emotions. It’s chaos.

This is exactly why the Institute of Trading and Portfolio Management (ITPM) — founded by former Goldman Sachs trader Anton Kreil — teaches that professional-level trading begins with structure, not self-help.

If you’re not executing a strategy with consistent rules, psychology won’t help. You’re trying to control emotions that are reacting to randomness.

But once your process is in place? That’s when psychology becomes your multiplier.

Let’s walk through the ITPM blueprint to elite trading performance — and why Anton Kreil’s trading philosophy is built on strategy first, psychology second.

Step 1: Build a Real Trading System — ITPM Style

Too many traders focus on psychology as a shortcut for discipline — but ITPM makes it clear: No system = no edge. No edge = no point.

At the core of the ITPM methodology is a top-down/bottom-up trading system — the same institutional process used by hedge funds and asset managers.

🔍 Top-Down / Bottom-Up Explained

Top-Down Analysis

Start by understanding the macro environment:

• Central bank policy, interest rates, and inflation trends

• Sector rotation and capital flows

• Global economic and geopolitical factors

This gives you context for your trades — you're not just reacting to charts, you're making decisions based on the broader market regime.

Bottom-Up Analysis

Once you understand the landscape, drill down into individual equities:

• Fundamental analysis: earnings, valuation, balance sheet strength

• Catalyst research: news flow, earnings calls, analyst revisions

• Technical analysis: confirmation through price action and structure

This is where Anton Kreil and ITPM mentors guide students to develop a quantifiable scoring system for trade ideas — so everything becomes objective, not emotional.

Step 2: Construct a Long/Short Portfolio

One of the most powerful risk management tools taught by ITPM is long/short portfolio construction — and it’s something 90% of retail traders never consider.

Turn options into a structured strategy — long/short portfolios deliver risk-adjusted returns in a diligent format

What is a Long/Short Portfolio?

• Long positions: Stocks with upside catalysts, strong fundamentals, and macro tailwinds.

• Short positions: Stocks likely to underperform due to weak fundamentals, poor macro alignment, or downside catalysts.

  
  

Why it works:

• You’re not relying on the overall market going up

• You reduce your net exposure

• You hedge against macro volatility

• You create diversified alpha streams

  

  The long/short portfolio framework allows you to balance risk and refine bias in pursuit of alpha.

This institutional framework is core to Anton Kreil’s ITPM curriculum — it pushes you to think like a portfolio manager, not a gambler.

Step 3: Psychology — Only After You Have Structure

Here’s the truth:

Most traders think they have a psychology problem, but they actually have a strategy problem.

You can't manage your emotions if you don’t trust your process.

That’s why ITPM emphasizes building the structure first — because once you have a working system, then psychology becomes relevant. It’s what helps you execute consistently, especially under pressure.

Let’s look at how psychology enhances — not replaces — good trading.

How Performance Psychology Supports Execution

Once your strategy is tight, the mental game helps you stay in control.

🧠 Self-Awareness

You need to know when you’re:

• Trading tired

• Overconfident after a winning streak

• Distracted or emotionally charged

• Falling into FOMO or revenge mode

Catch it early. Correct it fast.

🔁 Focus and Refocus

Elite traders aren’t perfect — they’re resilient. They bounce back:

• After a losing trade

• After a missed setup

• After market noise shakes their conviction

They refocus. Immediately.

🔄 Habits of Excellence

This is where daily discipline lives:

• Pre-market routines: Scan, score, prep

• Execution checklists: Defined entry/exit/risk rules

• End-of-day journaling: Emotional, tactical, performance notes

• Weekly reviews: What’s working, what needs fixing

You build consistency through structure, not motivation.

Risk Management Keeps You Calm

The foundation of psychological stability is this: know your risk.

Anton Kreil and ITPM mentors teach students to manage risk like professionals:

• Position sizing based on volatility and conviction

• Avoiding correlated trades

• Defining maximum book exposure

• Planning exits before entering

When you know your downside is capped, you free your mind to trade with clarity — not fear.

Common Mental Mistakes (Even Systematic Traders Make)

⚠️ FOMO (Fear of Missing Out)

• Chasing breakouts without analysis

• Trading setups you didn’t plan for

• Jumping in because “everyone else is in it”

Fix: Stick to your scoring system. Process > impulse.

⚠️ Comparison Syndrome

• Watching other traders post huge P&L

• Feeling behind

• Scaling up too fast to “catch up”

Fix: Compare only to your past self. Growth is personal.

⚠️ Perfectionism

• Wanting every trade to win

• Freezing on entries because it's not "perfect"

• Beating yourself up after small losses

Fix: Focus on probabilities and process. Not outcomes.

Work-Life Balance: The Hidden Edge

You can’t sustain elite performance if your brain is fried.

ITPM encourages traders to develop a virtuous performance circle — where lifestyle supports trading, and trading supports lifestyle.

Build It Like This:

• Shut down your platform with a post-market ritual

• Get real sleep — 7 to 8 hours

• Make space for family, movement, and downtime

• Don’t try to trade every hour the market is open

Balance isn’t weakness. It’s a performance enhancer.

Final Thoughts: The ITPM Path to Professionalism

If you're looking to trade like a professional — not a hobbyist — you need a clear roadmap.

And here it is:

System first. Psychology second. Performance always.

That’s the ITPM blueprint, championed by Anton Kreil and his team of mentors.

So before asking, “How do I fix my mindset?”, ask this instead:

✅ Do I have a structured trading strategy?

✅ Am I analyzing the market from both top-down and bottom-up?

✅ Is my portfolio diversified across long/short exposures?

✅ Am I managing risk with defined rules?

If the answer is yes — now you’re ready to master your mind.

Quick FAQ

Q: What is ITPM’s trading approach?

A professional framework built on macro analysis, stock-level research, long/short portfolio construction, and performance psychology — taught by real institutional traders like Anton Kreil.

Q: When does psychology start to matter?

After your strategy is built. Mindset can’t save undisciplined trading.

Q: What makes ITPM different?

They train you like a professional money manager — not a chart-chasing retail trader.

Q: Should I focus on emotions or process?

Always process first. Emotions become manageable only when your system is solid.

Want More?

👉 Check out my in-depth video reviews of ITPM and Anton Kreil’s trading programs

👉 Visit ITPM.com for official mentoring, webinars, and trading resources