I agree 100%, but the topic of "dumb luck" is a really, really good one. So let's share dumb luck stories, and mock brokers as well...
A friend of mine wanted to starting investing in the beginning of 2000. Because I had some experience, I wanted to trade for him. He didn't listen but took the advice of his broker and bought all the internet stocks, almost right at the top. He still has them and tells me each time we see each other at the football : "I'm fuc..."
If your trading decisions are based on someone's opinion or you trade your friend's opinion that means you're not a trader. Most probably you are investor and the chance for you to become succesful trader so far is minimum. You broker friend gave you splendid present - so take it and close all your positions and do not enter market until you can generate your OWN opinion about it.
I don't know what kind of bad experiences you guys have had with brokers, but I generally have had only good ones. Charles Schwab is great for starters. My broker friend is pretty savy. He uses fundamentals and what he calls "market internals" plus he has connections so he knows about some big order flow. I've asked him about why he doesn't just invest his own money, but he likes the steady income he gets as a broker, and he likes helping people. His days of cold calling are long gone, he has so many clients calling him, because he's actually good. So far, I only bought cheaper penny stocks or OTC's as u might call them. And they have almost always worked out well. So I had quite a bit of faith in him before this trade. I also have a house, a car, and a job. I did take a bit of risk throwing my savings at this opportunity, but it's paid off tremendously, and I can retire and even use some of the money to continue investing or take the leap into daytrading.
wow. I've found on my brief visits to ET that most traders are cynics. I wonder if becoming a cynic is the result of being a loser or a winner.
Permabull, Change the word "cynic" into "critical", that's a good attitude for a trader.... Maybe this broker known's what he is saying......(is an exception on the rule)
You gotta be a GREAT BIG LOSER before you can be a WINNER. Just remember, cheaters never win, and winners don't use drugs.
"market internals" LOL!!! the only thing your broker (and any broker) is an "expert" in, is selling securities! lol, i love his line about liking the steady income of being a broker! of course he does! he probably knows he'd go broke actually trading off his own advice... as I said...keep it up, you deserve everything you get..
Congrats Permabull, you have found the Holy Grail. Since no one else on Elite doubled thier accounts last month they are all jealous. When you double it again, start another thread, so we can do this again.