Becoming a profitable futures trader is a very long & expensive road, very few have what it takes. Nearly all that finally do well blew through a boat load of cash during their learning curve. I mean $30k-$1M is not uncommon. The type of trader that posts their gains is nearly guaranteed to give it all back and than some - it's like the universe rewards the humble traders & terrorizes the arrogant. Hey, you asked for realistic.
I got into trading way different reason than most, challenge myself, forced me back then to be with people, might as well be learning something interesting. Yea, above very real. Thank goodness for that.
Mathematically, there is no limit. Practically, there will be a limit where slippage due to market impact will eat up your gains. You can't trade a $1 million account in all the ways you can trade a $10k account, nor can you trade $100 millions in all the ways you can trade $1 million. The reason beginners aren't making millions per year is because they're usually not putting up sufficient capital to scale up percentage gains. Even if they did, they would probably lose it.
All traders do not start with a dream to get rich. Most (not all) start with hoping to make extra cash on the side or trying to generate some income with the illusion they can quit their jobs that their not satisfy with for whatever reasons. Thus, very few traders become traders to get rich...not in today's market environment. In contrast, back in the 90's and early 2000's...it was a different story. It was very common to see traders highlighting those that became rich. Today, those same names mentioned are less mentioned and usually mentioned by someone that didn't trade back in those days. Also, strongly disagree with your theory that traders that posts their gains is nearly guaranteed to give it all back and than some. Seriously, how many posts are you talking about ? One post, a week's worth of posts, month worth of message posts, a year's worth of message posts on social media about their gains. What exactly do you mean by post their gains ? You talking about audit statements, redacted screenshots or just someone writes a forum message post where someone shouts out or shows a tiny picture PnL blotter that they made a few hundred today. What verification do you have that they gave it all back after doing the above types of message posts (post their gains) ? I saw Baron (Elitetrader.com owner) state down in the feedback thread a few times that when a trader makes claims about profitability that if they suddenly stop posting...it implies they most likely blew up their account. He didn't realize it just may be the trader either was sick, on vacation, moved to another forum / social media format (e.g. twitter, stocktwits, tradingview), changed user names, they died or just didn't like the censorship environment at this forum. In fact, we have had many well known ET members here that use to consistently post their trades, statements or blotter that suddenly stopped or request their membership account be deleted... They stopped because they decided they didn't like the environment here and it was best for them to post their trade journal, PnL statements, broker statements or whatever at another social media location instead of ET (e.g. destriero is the latest example...not because he blew up his account). Reality, most that talk about trading even most here at this forum...most will lose at trading...it has nothing to do with if you post your gains. Recently, I had a life threatening surgery back in October 2019. Had it not gone well and I died on the surgery table. I would have then never returned back to this discussion forum...never to post again. Based upon Baron and your theory...I must have gave back all my gains and blew up. P.S. Last year we had a few members that couldn't log into ET via their user name although they were not banned. They were being targeted...one forced to change user name, another decided it was best to go elsewhere and another eventually just quit this forum. They did not blow up...they were outspoken about a sponsor. wrbtrader
Your making way to much of this. My post was in response to the curious onlooker asking what is realistic having looked at a U-Tube clip 'how much I made today'. I was suggesting that people like that typically give it all back - it shows a lack of maturity as a trader to brag about a trade.
Maybe so but I zoned in on the image that was posted with the base caption of "All traders Start With The Dream To Get Rich"...which is factually not true. Also, I didn't see any bragging in the brief audio that was posted. In fact, there was no audio unless I have an audio problem with my computer. Thus, how the heck does that brief video show the trader has a lack of maturity ? Is it possible you know more about the trader and was there when other things (bragging) had occurred as in this thread is an extension of another thread I'm not familiar with ? Just in case I missed something...I followed the video to Youtube and the owner of the video is a username NewbieC @ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCr58KJnQop8IYiKHyPDVr0Q There's other similar videos...all without any audios plus there's no bragging. Actually, I initially thought the videos are recordings from Youtube Live but they've been edited and he writes as a reply for one particular video...something to do with him or her removing private info that was visible in the video. wrbtrader
The truth is the same pyramid graphic could be used for anyone who's bought a cheap electric guitar or a $100 surfboard at Costco. Most people who start playing the guitar, surfing or trading was because they were attracted to the fantasy of it, but how many actually go on to fulfill the fantasy? Not many. Yes- trading is hard. Very hard, and in so many unexpected ways. Like how can a trader feel bad when they make money? It happens. My personal journey has probably been typical: Big Money Dreams (BMDs) met with frustration, losses and long dark walks in the woods mumbling promises to myself to never do THAT again. That said, I have climbed the pyramid into the 7th percentile and I am fighting the good fight to go further. The reality is trading can be done, but it is going to require a lot of time (7 days a week for years), passionate dedication in the face of many failures, asking for help after you have earned it and some real creativity. And for those who get to the coveted position of being in the 1% its still a job that requires a lot of hard work, because within the 1% there are other larger scarier pyramids that must be climbed.