I've considered a blotter, but know that realistically I'd probably stop posting for long periods and it wouldn't be of much interest to anyone else. To be honest I'm still learning my craft, although I make a modest living and have done since I went solo in 2008 (Prior to that I worked for a couple of IBanks but never mastered my emotions with the resulting typical yoyo results, customer business managing to disguise my efforts on the prop side). When I feel I've really mastered this trading lark I will open up, but there's a huge difference between profitable most months and being in the top 0.1-0.5% that I think you need to reach to really make the big bucks. Then I would be the first to start advising and being a mentor for others etc I'm getting there, although progress has been slower than I'd like at times.. I started with only £10,000 capital so I'm pleased to have survived for four years.
Mentoring and advising on survival sounds neat!!!!!! Being 1 in 200 to 1000 sounds like you must be really picky on the color(s) of your car. How many suits that you have fail this test?
Ed Breen Martinghoul Darkhorse piezoe Cutten and his Ghost and MR. MARKETTTTTTTT....bring back the squirrel please. Who has that pic.
-Silk -Lescor -Red_inc_ink -Dustin -Szeven -EricP I´m looking forward to find more TRUE winners on the ET to learn from !
I guess I could comment on survival. My #1 advice would be to join a gym with a jacuzzi/sauna. Then however much of a beating the market gives you, you have a vehicle to get away and see the big picture and put things in perspective. You need to immerse to yourself in the markets, of course, but it's not going to happen overnight. I don't believe there are shortcuts, although wasn't there some quote, "the easiest to way to get a million dollars is to start with ten", so obviously it helps the more capital you start with! Luck will inevitably play a part in the beginning (unless you have already backtested some strategy - I hadn't), and you kinda have to roll with the punches to get sufficient screentime. Cut your losses, duh! I think the inevitable ups and downs are something we all need to go through, but you have to live another day...so that is really the only rule that matters. You probably want to work the psychology side as much as anything, have a trading psychology book by your bedside. I usually fall asleep after reading a chapter, but that's a good thing, right?! You need SOME sleep!! Buying a car last year with some winnings was a good moment...
I guess on reflection the message might be confusing due to either:- (a) my substandard writing skills (possibly...admittedly, maths is my stronger suit) (b) Differences in language - my English (British) is different from yours (American English?), so a phrase like "roll with the punches" gets lost in translation (c) you're one of the "newby retards...with their hollow grandstanding" that themickey was referring to Whatever the reason, it's exactly why I don't bother with a jotter, it's a distraction from trading. But I'm grateful to others such as atticus and NoDoji that are so generous with their time.