How has the pursuit of trading impacted your life? Until the day comes when I fire myself, trading for a living has given me the job security that I wouldn't have had, especially if I worked in the White House!!
Some will understand, but most won't or say it is bullsh*t. I actually enjoyed trading a great deal more when I was losing all the time, cause I had hope that when I finally found the "secrets", I would become happy man. I suppose I will never be truly happy, just way I grew up. Whether I been struggling to make ends meet early in life or my life now, Money doesn't give me any kick of Yahoo, just a way to keep score and let's make more. And at some point the total which is more than many, you feel like it not much at all. When I finally found how to make it, DAMN this is like very boring ass life, OMG watching fly specs on charts, it became like if I had fifty pairs of shoes with gum on the bottoms and had to get that off without using freezer(best to stick shoe in a bag and toss into freezer to take gum off-it will break right off shoe when frozen), very very few secrets, but learning price action and learning when not to take signals is just knowledge to memorize or program. Stopped long ago telling people what I do for a living, they get rather funny and always say you need to teach me how, yeah right, when your $250k check clears be happy to teach you. I have zero desire to teach anyone, someone else to compete against for better pricings. And no one can understand what the hell I am talking about anyway, yea I trade Live Cattle futures, "oh, is that a penny stock?, I have a brother who made a killing on it, would you like me to see if he can help you?" HUH? "Oh you are a broker, any hot tips"? Just say now am in "Importer/Exporter". People have that blank stare, or they come up to me at Starbucks and ask if I am retired-Hell yes am retired from looking at fly specs, now I spend my time spinning "Wheel of Fortune" and learning about derivatives and time.
Trading is a multidimensional skill. Trading with or without "real passion for trading" makes the difference in personal experience that consequently reflects in life. If a trader wish to blame anything he has to blame himself. If a trader wish to appreciate he has to appreciate his love for the profession.
I love it! I couldn't be much happier. The morning commute to the kitchen for coffee is very easy. I can't think of a nicer lifestyle. I totally get to pick who I associate with. I can take a vacation any time I choose. My wife loves it. If I want to knock off early on Friday afternoon, I can do that (like yesterday). I can live anywhere there is fast internet access. But success did not come overnight for me. There were years of utter misery. Luckily I have a very supportive wife with patience of Job. But MDs don't just get their rewards until they pay a heavy price also - in terms of time, effort, stress and money. It is so for many highly rewarding vocations.
No other professions provide this kind of flexibility. It is very rewarding but really hard work often a 24/7 endeavor.
if and when you have the skills to become the house you are no longer a gambler but a successful businessman.
The Pursuit has and is eating up most hours of my life for the past 7 years. When I began, a friend became angry when I couldn't ("wouldn't") share my secrets (I wish I had any!). Most people, at least those not "rich" even in good families, often have utterly piss-poor attitudes towards money and their lives. It's also these expectations that great accomplishments arrive by themselves, almost unasked for, which I find perplexing. Some talents you're born with, but truly making use of your abilities, very rarely come effortlessly. Shouldn't be too much pain and grind, but for someone who don't enjoy the work, it'd be beyond mindboggling how much effort is put into nothing and for no guarantees or pay. I've been all I can be in my previous life, and there's nowhere I need to go or anyone I need to meet. Even if I had the urge and need, the Pursuit is there stronger than ever, but still, there's a job and life balance as well, which is crucial. So it's made me sort of a recluse, but something I need to be out of necessity anyway.