Quote from kxvid: I managed to turn 16k into 60k papertrading during the commodities boom. So did everyone else who moved in to commodities as an asset Also Ive done backtesting, using wealthlab software. I coded a few systems, and learned alot. Ultimately, I gave up on it but glad for what I learned. you gave up, you did a few systems, you backtested. This is not proper sim/papertrading. As for not having a plan, your right. I expected to leave the trade on for a few days, but when I was up $72 I felt like just getting out. It was my first trade, okay? I didnt know how I was going to react to profits/losses. In hindsight I should've gotten out then since gold continued to tank and that was the only moment the trade was profitable. As for being smarter than everybody else, EVERYBODY who trades zero sum games thinks they are smarter than the other guy. Yeah Im 18 years old. Ive been watching the markets for a looong time. There is a bit of a transition from watching the markets to participation. Some draw downs will occur. The markets have no direction now. This is a hard time to be trading for anyone. Again, 95% of traders lose their money. You need to achieve REGULAR paper/sim success, with the trades you are making NOW, for at least 6 months before you risk real money. I will not repeat this. I suspect you dabbled and dallied on simulator, and did not really treat it with the seriousness it deserves. You need to INTERNALIZE it. As if it were real. Pour your emotions and energy into it. Because, this is what you will have with real money trading.