I'm curious @SelfMadeDude. You quit your job to pursue this full-time. Would it not be possible to both trade and hold at least a part time job?
I know how I am. I have that personality where I need to throw myself 101% at something. It's hard to explain, but this is my calling....my true passion.....as in The Alchemist, my Personal Legend. Trading is the only thing I know that I can be the best in the world at....I'm almost there.... Thank you for the question, and empathy.
The problem here, from my perspective, is that you can be an excellent trader and still have a very high failure rate because of your circumstances, i.e., little to no trading capital.
You ain't kidding. I'm on a limited amount of funds right now...a few thousand.....I was unable to renew my $500 NYC apt. (the crappy living conditions for a months whilst here has given me huge motivation and has improved my trading strategy).....need to find an apt this weekend which will leave me with about $1K for spending money all next month. The pressure makes me a better trader.
You start to sound a lot like Padutrader here ... The best in the world, almost there, the same words he used. No offense but if you were anywhere near to the best in the world you wouldn't waste your time trading these hamster wheel funding programs. It's a thin line between passion and addiction. Nice performance so far, but keep it realistic, dreaming and hoping doesn't go well with trading.
Pressure can be a good motivator to work your ass off, but trying to "trade for a living" or to "pay rent" from a very limited account base is still not the right course of action and one that is only more likely to make you fail, IMO. "Wanting it more" is not going to help. Quitting the day job would only make sense if you have a ton of research to do or building a trading system where having a day job would make progress impossible or too slow. I've been in that situation and I can honestly say that I would not have have the market knowledge or system I currently have if I were to do it part-time. Assuming you have a good system/trading skills you could do very well in these markets just trading 1-3 hours per day where you're fully focused. So, if I were you, I would use your motivation or pressure to reach your goals and still work your ass off, but in a way where your success is more likely. Start by asking yourself a few questions: What are you currently lacking? Why aren't you successful yet? What if the right course of action would be to work your ass off holding two jobs or some other way where you would build up enough trading capital to at least have a chance? How long would it take you to save up $15K? Or maybe you still continue to trade with these get-funded programs, but hold at least a part-time job such that your living expenses are covered? Right now you're in a position where you need to be the world's best trader just to get by. And I'm afraid that will not work out for you... If you choose the other path which might be slower you have a much better chance at getting there. A wise man once said it's better to get rich slowly than to get poor quickly. Good luck either way.