Oh! how I wish to be at that age again you are not the first or even the 100th there is a large population growing old every single day, anything that related to health care field will be in high demand, what I heard: Florida came to Virginia to recruit pharmacist, any one willing to relocate get a new BWM.
You got a good point batman, and he even said he feels bad that his friends have graduated and moved on. Either it's that he feels he hasn't lived up to his friends expectations, or infact he is lonely. Heck, my three best friends moved away, so I'm lonely anyways. I have to go out to VA Beach and hang out with some people though, I'd lose it if I didn't, that is why I'm always on ET chatting it up. Not only do I no have my best friends (they are all in the airforce) but I have almost no one in my family that respects what I'm doing. It's very tough. That is why I asked you all the questions before, is it because of your style or your way of trading, or maybe batman has a point and it might be because of personal issues. You lasted so long now........ why are you really giving up... because you lost your money? What is the reason?
Did you lose money for all 5 years ? How were you able to pay living expenses during this time ? What size account did you start with ? You have to love what you do. Trading reaches deep into your soul and makes you question a lot of things in life. But like an old girlfriend , If the passion is gone, then there is no need to stick around. The market will always be there if you decide to come back.
It is time to throw in the towel. That is not the end of the world; many people reinvent themselves several times over the years............ By the way you are turning 30 not 50 so quit acting like you are washed up. You are entering your prime my friend! Pick your chin up and move forward............... Look at the past 4 years as a fun, challenging, learning experience.......... and the next 5 as your time to excel. Find something that makes you want to get up in the morning and look forward to mondays and you will be ok. Good luck!
It's interesting to read these theories, but for me, it's not that complicated and it really comes down to trading and nothing else. I am fortunate to have good friends and family around, and I value their relationships. Just too bad that fortune didn't carry over to trading. So I know the feelings of lack of satisfation in life come from not lack of friends but from lack of accomplishment. When you do this for five years and still not achieve consistent results, I think it's really time to admit defeat and move on. 95% is no joke. We all want to believe it wouldn't be us, but we all don't want to believe in a lot of things that are real. Maybe I should not base my happiness so much on personal performance results? But it's inevitable when we do some kind of self-evaluation in life. Maybe I'll understand to emphasize on more meaningful things when I get older.
Well, trading profitable is likely the hardest yet potentially most rewarding of all careers, so don't feel to lonely if you fail. Read about Robert Rotella who failed, got a job clerking on the floor and had people spitting on him. Due to his great endurance, he is now running his own $1.5 billion hedge fund. He also wrote a good book, "Elements of Successful Trading" published by the New York Institute of Finance, which I recommend.
TAKE A BREAK! Breath, Relax, Exercise, Walk in the Park. There are many,many,many paths taken in life, and you're not required to take the same path as anyone else. You have your health, an education, you're not in prison, and bombs are not falling all around you. Genocide is not a real fear for you, and you can get a burger for $1 at Mcky Ds. YOUR LIFE IS 1,000,000 X better than most in human history. Novacaine is a recent invention. Imagine getting a gang-green leg sawed off with only alcohol to dull the pain. Count your blessings. There is only shame in not trying. Temporary Failure is a given, the term is up to you. It's not if you land in the rough, its how you get out of it that counts! I'm about to give it up too ... became mezmorized by the markets about 6 months ago ... probably need to get back in the work force also.
You seem to have really thought it out extensively. At some point you have to take a stand and analyze if the grind is worth it. Obviously the choice was made. You sound like a smart guy. Sorry to hear this, good luck with your career.
Even though you've already made your decision, I think you started trading for not quite the right reasons. It's no secret that this is the damn hardest business in the world to succeed in, simply because the profit potential is boundless and the barrier to entry is low. People get sucked into this game with dreams of riches and the markets spit them out at their breaking point, having crushed their souls and broken their hearts. Trading should be done for the love of trading in my eyes. I want the money of course, like all you guys out there, but along the way I discovered that there was one reason I keep coming back day after day, even when the market gives me severe beatings: the love of the game. I've already decided it's ok if all my accounts get blown out, as long as I'm pursing my dream of participating in the markets and letting the markets teach me everyday. (Not that I propose trading with abandon to the point of blowing out, of course). Whatever you do in life, do it because you love it. Everything else is B.S. and nobody needs the pressure. If we think we have to make $100k a day, 20 days a month, it's completely self-imposed and does not mean anything. Whatever and wherever you decided to move onto now, do it because you love it. RoughTrader
This is another one of those excellent posts that I get to print out. I have a poster on my wall to the right of me that says "PLAY THE GAME FOR THE LOVE OF THE GAME, OR THE GAME WILL PLAY YOU." It's purpose is mainly that of someone that plays sports, but in essence, it can mean the same for those that play the stock market. Great advice RoughTrader.