no such thing. there is no such thing as a false goal. if he wants a nice TV--- cool. material goals are good things. some people want a big house, nice cars, etc. others don't, some people want an HDTV others don't. if this goal motivates one to earn the money to achieve it, it is a positive goal. if you want to be a monk trader with a big account and nothing more, nothing wrong with that either. best, surfer
ctrader, I'd love you to stick around at IB but I can't resist giving you this advice... You're getting married - Get your toys now while you still don't need permission to buy them Seriously, if 2K is all you have, use it to learn the markets and forget about trying to double your money in such a short time frame. Since you state that you can't trade full time, I think in order to achieve your short term goal, you'd have to be willing to risk losing everything by taking excessive leverage (futures, options, etc) or by hitting a home run on a cheap stock. Thus if trading is what you really like to do/learn, forget about the TV. Work hard and save your money for it or better yet a 42in LCD. Frankly, if you only have 2K to trade/spend, you're probably best off holding off on the purchase, start saving up your money and trade conservatively until you have more cash to spare.
Thanks for the words of advice. Thanks to IBs awesome commission structure, I believe that I have enough money to grow my account while managing risk. I actually don't care about the TV that much... what I want is to be a successful trader, and if I can double my account, while not risking more then 2% of my capital on any trade, even if it takes years, I will reward myself with a new TV. Perhaps this will become the longest running thread timewise in ET history? I really owe this opportunity to test myself as a trader to IB. Even with $10 commissions to trade conservatively I'd need $20K or more I think to do it right. Thanks for coming to Canada! Now if only my HMY would breakout.
Consider a Projector. My TV is a 13 inch Sony Vega, good enuf for my daytime needs. If I want to watch a movie,,,,,,I turn on my projector, ( plugged in to the TV ) With a white wall, I have an instant "Home Theater". As....BIG....as I want. Also, with the push of a button, I can project a "Screen" off my computer onto the wall. ( Candles are real Purty when they are 1 foot tall ). Gives a whole new meaning to "Multiple Monitors". http://www.ProjectorPeople.com This used to be a good place to shop - owner is very knowledgeable...... Some Projectors that are Large & Heavy may cost Less for the $$$ than the more lightweight and portable models. Good Resolution can be had for reasonable money. Downside to projectors, #1....They require a darkened room... #2.....When the Lamps burn out ....they are expensive. Upside.......they have a small footprint and are real easy to move.
Hi ctrader, Here's a psychological tip...for what it's worth. When you make enough money for your HDTV that you want now, don't get greedy and try to make the market pay for the next model up! If you lose money after reaching that goal and can no longer afford to pay for your HDTV, you'll be kicking yourself in the ass for the rest of your life. Just know when to be happy with what you've earned and not ask for too much from the market. Just my $0.02
Guys are always bragging about "theirs being bigger"... (unless, of course, were talking about cell phones)