Wrong! who said I have to make hundreds of trades? nothing wrong with them making money we all have to eat!
No offence to the thread opener, but he has demonstrated ignorance as to what goes on in markets. One of the ways trading markets is looked at in big institutions, is profitability PER DAY. For the individual trader with limited capital the most efficient means to exploit markets is daytrading. If the opening statement for this thread just means that trading successfully is a pipedream, that is usually correct for amateurs attempting to come into this business. However daytrading from a professional stance is rich in profitability. Daytrading is the best option for amateurs despite the high 'fatality' rate for newbies. There appear to be daytraders at ET who are doing enough correctly to keep some sort of money flowing. I have always recommended targetting the maximum points a volatile and liquid futures market (eg CL) provides daily because it is done elsewhere as a professional daytrading activity. As I do it I don't see why amateurs should not learn how and then go on to do extremely well.
Not bragging but I've made a living for 14 years; since 1996 trading. Why do you guys post such drivel? Is it because you yourself failed? Or blew an account out? Or expected trading would be like an ATM machine? It takes work, effort and perseverance. And oh yeah -- some confidence and a positive perspective.
However for the beginner, they will have better luck taking their $25,000 account to Vegas, and letting it ride on one number on the roulette wheel. A lot faster and the odds may be better. Your risk-reduced and low-risk business statements are sheer fantasty.