elit - I understand where you are coming from. While I have never been in IT, many of the other reasons you stated hit home. Here's my suggestion - if this is what you WANT to do, then do it. I don't care for 'negative gas' and steer clear of those people. If you are determined to do something, there's not much that can get in your way. Now, if you decide to make the jump, a few other suggestions: > Make sure you have plenty of capital to work with - whether that's yours or a prop firm. "Plenty" is pretty vague and I know that. Someone said $400k and then someone said you don't need anywhere close to that. It's hard to say what is a good starting point, but for very general purposes I would say in the $50k ballpark. > Focus on a couple things and learn them inside and out. There are many indicators, systems, etc. out there and it's overwhelming at first as you look for the holy grail. The grail does not exist but you will try to find it. There's actually a couple good threads on ET right now about simple trading systems. > Paper trade. Start paper trading now. You can paper trade stocks anywhere - yahoo for example. To paper trade futures you'll need a futures platform and there are some simple ones out there that you can play with. Don't worry about the paper trading results right now, just start placing trades and see how it goes - whether it's b/c your gut said to or stochastics crossed. Good luck!
You will always reap what you sow. Put in your time like everyone else. Make sure you can take a loss. It's part of your tuition.
Ok you need to realize that you do not exactly "make your own hours" as a trader. The market makes your most important hours, while the rest are a bit flexible. If you are a purely automated system trader, then you have more flexibility but still, you need to at least maintain your system during market hours. Trading turns into a "job" just like any other. If you think it's not possible to lose the passion for it, think again. Just like in poker, if you are having too much doing it, you're doing it wrong. You're best off keeping your current job. Trade on the side, part time or swing trade. Keep it as more of a hobby and side income.
Hydro, I'm not targeting you when I say this. Posters on this thread are very hypocritical when they say things like this, because every single trader on ET took a chance to trade. Part time or full time, we trade because we want something a normal job cant deliver, and he wants the same. Dont push him and other wannabe traders away from their dream. Experiance is the best teacher and they'll learn quickly on their own if trading is for them.
$400K? One could make $3500/month on much less than that. I started this year with my usual $100K and am averaging almost $5000/month.
Took a chance? Well yes, but after they understood what fulltime trading entails. You shouldn't jump head first into the shallow pool that is fulltime trading without knowledge. Take your time, put your feet in first, heck even use the retard railing for kids and old people to slowly lower yourself into the pool.
I say go for it. You don't regret the things you do, only the things you didn't have the courage to try. Grinding away in some miserable job is an awful way to live. Time is short in life...