I just want to say that I don't find Gary's book depressing at all. I guess if you dream about making millions in a few years yeah it might be a bit depressing. Actually I think it's a great motivational book. I like to read it whenever I feel depressed about my results. Like him sometimes I have felt as though I was going nowhere and when I read he went through the same things it helps keep things in perspective. Unlike some of the market wizards he didn't have the opportunity to be hired right out of Harvard by Niederhoffer, Dennis, Seykota or given a seat and a stake by some acquaintance. He's the average guy who made it.
Kicking, I guess depressing is too strong a word. I just meant that when I read how long it took him to be successful I was down a bit, but it helped me change my planning for the long run. Just like you, its helped me when I go through rough spells to stick it out.
Gary I just read your post. It's nice to see your humility and I welcome you to this forum. Your book was decent in my opinion and I did enjoy it. As previously stated I just found it to be very market environmentally specific. Once more sorry for being so hard on you as your original post on the other forum came off as being very negative... thanks for the clarification and welcome.
Let me add to the cogent comments of AAAintheBeltway & WarEagle to also thank Mr Smith for his inspirational writings and his wonderful way with words while describing not only his trading style but also his trials and tribulations dealing with the market. It's a mind game and a mine field out there and any help we get along the way should be appreciated and welcomed, especially by someone who is successful and humble. I have saved an article by Gary from the Dec 2000 active trader mag pgs 69-76 entitled: Inside the mind of a trader; and I would recommend it to all here no matter how successful. It is one of the few articles by 'noted' traders that I have saved and constantly reread. I'm just one of those average joe traders, trading obscurely for the past 34 years, and I could say alot but don't have the gift of words and realize how much 'guts ' it takes to publish your life's work. Congratulations, Gary!!
The folks that are truly successful at daytrading are the dummies that buy TASR at extremes and make the smarter shorts pay with thier blood to cover. Better beleive it.
It's funny "most" guys use "hope", "believe", or agree to these hopes and believe... Funny how some dumbass ET wanna-be successful traders use ironic linguistics...
Well Sampson, it's one of the few trading books that seemed believable. He may have gotten lucky, too. Have you published your results? ges