My old man was a Marine who flew fighters in WW2 and a DC-3 in Korea. He was also a Medic. Those pilots earned my admiration to forget about fear and conquer it with determination and application of the rules of flight. Against the Japanese zero pilot, whose goal late in WW2 was to die rather than dogfight, the Corsair fighter pilot had to reach and maintain a level of intensity so strict that they would be unrecognizable to anyone but other pilots, until they were back on deck or back to base in the South Pacific. Fighter pilots are my choice for guys to just hang around with. That is one reason a hobby of mine is to fly into small airports, to eat in those little airport cafes and talk with the old timers about their experiences. Sure, you can watch the History channel and get some of that, but you can't ask them questions. There is no interaction to learn how they developed their flying style, how they psyched themselves out for the hour-long flights into a state of concentration, some simply getting so mad at their enemy they would cuss them out while killing them with bullets. There was a defined enemy they could both collectively and individually want to blow out of the sky. The goal was #1 to return and #2 to return with kills to show for any damage your plane sustained while you were doing the killing. The innovative trader of 2008 is one who has the operating manual for their trading platform, charts and all the tools at their disposal, and one who knows how to adapt their systems to the times and conditions of the current market. Most cannot. Some buy or rent someone else's systems, and then croak when they break due to market changes. Some follow a guru in a chat room, eternally following someone else for their own success, only to also croak when that guru disappears or simply proves to be unreliable. But it is the innovative trader who can take the basic tools and make themselves a system to expolit the current market. Having hunger for money is not enough for this type of trader. They are entrepreneurs, hungry for success and not willing to settle for a 9-5 job until they die. They are skilled at applying those tools to get what they want. They can see patterns in any market, and also see a lack of patterns with opportunity. These people have my respect above all traders, because they have learned from error and are now stronger. They still don't have a perfect record, but they are hardened to loss and apply their craft with cunning and the determination of a fighter pilot. They have to. If not, they will be forever defeated, sitting in that 9-5 job until they die. One primary difference between that fighter pilot and today's trader, is that any fool with a few dollars can sign up to be blown up. The market is full of them. And so, on this Sunday morning, I look at you who have achieved success above other traders. You have been shot up and continued trading. You have been lied about and proved the liars wrong with profits. You are quietly a member of the elite trader group that 99% of ET posters either loathe or respect. We know you're there, and we salute you, expecting nothing back. Keep leading the pack, even if they don't heed your wisdom. It remains wisdom, regardless of posters without the vision to recognize it in their own little papertrading mentality. In leadership, as in trading, never allow emotions to cloud your judgement in priorities. As elite traders, you have a responsibility to share with those who want what you have but need a little help. There is no responsibility to those who are so busy with their own knowledge that they would never seek yours, in earnest. Thanks for your examples. Don't get soft with time. We need stedfast examples to follow. Yes, even leaders have heroes. My dad is mine, and a few of you aren't far behind. Success.
You sure your old man wasn't flying a BF 109 for the Nazis in WW II? If he was flying for the Americans as you say, then change your fucking handle.
Thank you for volunteering as a prime example, and a newbie at that, of one who deserves ignorance instead of help from the successful. Welcome to the pit, and please enjoy your stay. Back to profit.
you call yourself a leader. Leaders dont crush leaders build and have people follow out of respect not fear or insults....now get back in front of the mirror before you miss yourself.... you wanna lead....stop posting how good you are and start posting on the p&l thread and keep ya mouth shut.......