Forex hasn't really changed my life in any way, other than the fact that now I sit at the computer more on deals or on studying materials. Everything else has remained the same.
Trading has radically altered my life... 1) Taught me how to think critically, which then showed me the cult I grew up in was wrong and from realization I left and over the next several years figured out how to live healthy 2) Other successful traders taught me to be grateful for what I have today. Having that skill set, helped me through a divorce, single parenting, and money challenges... and into the success I am today. 3) Helped me not accept everything at face value, and question things until I get both sides of the story. 4) BUT above everything else, trading really taught me who I was... the good, the bad, and the ugly... and then forced me to confront the fantasies, and change what I didn't want to have. 5) I learned what risk was, real risk... and I also learned to become comfortable with that risk, and step into the fray and be a speculator, and trader, and let the edge sort things out regardless of how uncomfortable I might feel. Good Trades, Yukoner
life would be much more boring without stock markets. is it a sign of addiction or passion? either way I like it very much! but I m just afraid of markets would be gone away in someday or diminished quite a lot [there're several factors pointing to that direction. that is not going to happen any time soon, but in the distant future I think.
It took a while to contemplate but this weekend decided to semi-retire, building a server side algo to trade 100ms and 1sc charts which allows me to drop in a out of the markets at my discretion, one high probability trade per hour a few hours per day a few days per week, means I decide when, where, how and what I trade. The funny part, even it goes wrong at those timeframes, because I only have to wait an hour or two for the next trade I can bring it back to neutral and have a good nights sleep. It's taken many years to perfect, all necessitated due to the stupidity of others, but it works incredibly well. Sure, had to use the same tech as JPMorgan but you get what you pay for, in life there are three core aspects, being humble (enjoying the simple things), being aristocratic (keeping a routine with the best tools), being a celebrity (doing things just for fun of it). When you balance all three exactly you see life from a vista, hence the semi-retiring, need to stay humble.
It is like treasure hunting from one's favourite armchair. No diving for gold under the ice etc. I see it as the eternal challenge. One can never probably achieve 100% perfection but there is a lot of interest and fun along the way. Meet new people etc. Just don't kill yourself with debt.