Great point. I've learned more from bad traders than good traders because it's easier to see what not to do. By contrast, some good traders may not benefit you because you can't trade the way they trade anyway.
One other thing I'd like to point out -- I would have never been good with a mentor. I'm very independent in a lot of ways and I tend to "rebel" against people telling me what to do. Accordingly, as a result it has taken me longer to get a handle on trading, but at the same time, I think I will benefit in the long run because I created my own methodology and my own guidelines through trial and error -- not someone just telling me that I should do it this way or that way. Therefore, I have more confidence in the way I trade and I believe I have better set-ups and instincts than most traders I know. Just a thought. Make sure whatever you do that you stay true to yourself.
- for companionship - to verify that the method can be taugh successfully - because it is higher calling - because it is better to teach than to learn - because teaching has its own reward - because it is a type of payback since you learn the method from someone else
You bring up a good point. That is, only people who WANT to be mentored will actually learn and benefit from it. Likewise, successful traders like yourself who learned the hard way and want to be fully independent and DO NOT WANT to teach will probably make a poor mentor. That is because they are seeking education from others' experience while you would "teach" them by a sink or swim method. Different strokes for different folks.