It's been said profits from trading are simply a loan from the market. All you need is a few bad trades to collapse your capital. Hence, when do you plan to stop trading.
if/when i realize me edge is gone for good'n'can't adapt'n'find new ways to make money....very unlikely scenario for any1 but still a possibility.
If that's the case, then you are doing something wrong. Big swinging gamblers have high odds of going down in flames, but all the serious professionals I know take 1000's of small bites with minimal risk and pull back big time when things aren't working. I'm only 35 but can see the 'retirement goal' I had set for myself being achieved within a couple years. But as an independant trader who really likes what he does, I don't foresee ever truly retiring. My ultimate plan would be to have a couple trusted clerks/assistants run my systems during the day. I would oversee things and do longer time frame asset allocation/macro-view trades. Basically become a one hour a day manager of my current trading business.
What is an old man to do? Play golf, ok maybe once a month. Play cards? same thing when I am in Vegas and want to BS with the world traveller in the Mirage...so trading (actually managing ones finances) is a pastime for anyone who has a pot to piss in. No brainer, 'till I drop or get incapacitated. Actually many on this board have a skewed view on what trading is.... trading is not by the seat of your pants, starring at a computer 24/7. For some trading is being in the market. So you can do other stuff at the same time and enjoy life.
If someone is risking all their capital on 2 or 3 trades they are not 'trading' they are gambling. There is a major difference.