You are not saying you make 10x money any more. So it is your mate who is making money now ? This "mate" story is very common and I hear it in all forums. But unless these mates come and show they can make as much as you say they do, I remain unconvinced.
I MADE 10xs when trading well, 13xs at the high, sitting at 9xs currently, been sideways since August, market changed takes time to adapt to and lazy lol Have to take my word for it on my mate, a lot was saving tight git, zero life, no car, wont buy a smart phone cause there stupid money, wont go on facebook incase there is a hidden charge. When the old bull market stopped, he sold out bought 3 houses tripled his money, but refuses to sell them as he will have to pay tax on the gains lol Saving it for when he gets old, then he can have fun odd! People are funny!
Your mate sounds like someone who's got lucky and made some. He's tight because he knows money doesn't come easily and he is unlikely to repeat his luck. That's believable. I'd say your mate is quite intelligent. He knew the different between luck and skill. It is those who don't know the difference that are dumb. The dumb will go from 10x, 13x, 9x, 8x, ... 0x, -10x.
No STUPID, but he can still jump on a trend and ride it, doesn't take much intelligence to do that. And unless your psychic ( hint no such thing ) then how can you proclaim I will go to -10x's ?? wouldn't that be betting against the trend ??
It take great intelligence to ride a trend. This is why so few can do it. It takes no psychic powers to see where gamblers will end up. They are all going to the same place. The casino guarantees it.
It takes patience not intelligence. Got to stop classing everyone other than yourself as a gambler, a) it's ANNOYING and b) it's BS and c) your doing no different, worse so as you have no exit plan d) you've admitted to LucysP that your not profitable LOL Stupid people think money is about having it, but never spending it, clever people realise every day might be there last so they make it to spend it and enjoy it. And if I do blow it, hell I'm having fun trying, it's a challenge it's only money, I'll just go shoot ISIS and get paid for it if worst comes to worst, sounds fun actually.
My definition of profitability is to be able to make a living from it. This has nothing to do with making a few winning trades. I judge myself using my own standards. If people have a different view on it, I don't care. I am sure you know you are gambling. This is why you are convincing yourself it's just a bit of fun. But losing money is no fun, no matter how you make it out to be. One of the biggest differences between gambling and trading is the trend. The winning trader can tell where the trend is going and use it, while the gambler doesn't. The gambler believes the price is all random and they can bet any direction and win 50% of the time. He sees the price chart as a roulette table for playing red or black. A trader uses the chart to see what the supply and demand is, it's a different ball game - different to a roulette ball that is.
Interesting as you've admitted to not making a profit as yet! Where as I have done previously, as I'm also planning to make 50% of my wage from Trading as of end of Feb ( first withdraw ) then you can also assume I'm pretty serious and sure aswell. I understand nothing is guaranteed, I might get bored and do something else, when trading stops becoming fun which is already pretty much the case, then I may very well do. I understand trends, better than most on here, different trends all at the same time over lapping, math's and mass pyschology is really very pretty. Random, I believe candles are random which they are, price is far from random.
It's boring when you are losing. So I know where your are at. You understand neither the candles nor the trend. Hence you lose. Further you have no understanding of capital. This will ensure you will lose 100% of it when you try to make 50% of your income from gambling. Lastly your money keep disappearing and you have no idea who took it and why they did.
Give it a rest now. We are all big boys here and don't need daddy doom's stern warnings all day all night. Unless you are on the 17 step program? http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Stress-related_Disorders/Defenses