I did not say I can't make money. Making money is not a fuction of the market but many times the trading conditions of the market determine how successful and how much one can make in the market. You see that point proved all the time. For all those who love to look to Jesse Livermore -- he even explained a trader does not have to trade all the time to be successful in the market and that is even detrimental to the success of a trader. You are right at this point there are things I am way more interested in then sitting around staring at numbers all day and everyday clicking up and down on a computer screen. Moving on by expanding my horizons and opportunity is definitely the right decision for me. I used to be different but explained that in my post above. You are right the best traders I know never considered quitting. However that goes hand in hand with traders I know who have lost the most opportunitiy wise, savings wise, and family wise who also never considered quitting. That characteristic in a person is a double edge sword. It is great for those that prosper and terrible for those that can't hit their stop loss and move on. For those that are traders I thought it would be pretty easy for someone to apply trading principles to real life by weighing risk to reward, learning to go where the opportunity is, ect. There are many trading principles that can be applied to how one approaches life beyond sitting at a computer trying to make a few cents or ticks a day. The one thing most have over looked in my posts is that I will still be trading longer term and will have plenty of time in the morning to trade stocks if I wanted to or trade currency and bonds during other hours. I think it is the best of both worlds
There are many ways to trade. You can make a lot more than 100-200K a year and you don't have to watch ticks; but, I agree with you, you seem to want to move on and no longer have passion for trading which takes an intelligent person to realize.
I agree with you about the trading and making way more then that without watching ticks. I will continue trading, just not on a full time, short term, sit at a computer 8 hrs a day, intraday trading basis . However I will have other interesting things going on too which I will be focusing more time on as I have some other goals in life that I am shooting for at the moment that will take priority.
Downtick, I agree with the earlier poster whom suggested you find out what you love and start a business. Having worked from yourself, I believe it will be difficult, not impossible, to work for someone else. I am doing the opposite, I have wanted to trade for a living for several years, so I saved my money from sales job and now I am going to go for it. If you really want to be an employee, spend some time and look at the growing sectors, find out what the average and high income earner in that industry makes and decide if you can live with it. Be prepared for standard corporate BS though. Suggestion, if you find a job you think you want, consider working their as an intern or get the company to agree to let you sit in and spend time with your counterparts before taking a position, this saved me from taking some really lame jobs. You could still trade part time to support yourself. Good luck to you.
I agree with other posters it would be hard to fit into the corporate world after being independent for so long. Po Bronson wrote several books about working in high tech during the boom. He wrote a book called 'What should I do with my life?" that had many interviews of people who had to reorder their lives after the market/high tech blow out. Many people asking the same questions like 'What do I do next?' http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/03...103-5141056-4541459?n=507846&s=books&v=glance The greatest career advice I have heard is from Joseph Campbell: If you have not read Campbell's work on the 'journey of the hero' and the 'power of myth' you might find it helpful. If you haven't looked at Dante's comedy you might take a look. He was also 30 years old when he started his work. He describes being 'lost in a dark wood' which sounds a lot like where you are at.... It is easy to trade one spot in hell for another if one is not careful.... If trading is not your 'bliss' then time to move on.... Sorry for not being able to help you to 'package' yourself better. Godspeed on your trip!
the markets are always trying to take you out one way or the other. if you are making 500k-1 mil consistently ( I assumed that is a level you would consider it worthwhile), do u think your passion for trading would wane? if you look deep down and find that you would still quit, then may be you really have enough of trading. if not, then I would really think that what you are experiencing is just a bad period which might have lead you to conclude that trading is really not your calling. The markets loves to play trick with our mind, twisting our psychology to take us out of the game, giving up is easy, having the conviction in yourself to stay with the cause is much more difficult....
Exactly. Many companies really dont have any committment to their employees - they view them as cattle. These types of firms basically become the refuge of vultures and scumbags. To them people are discardable. They will offer no training, no employee development and no decent salary, all the while encouraging a culture of cut throat politics and kill or be killed mentality. People that agree to work for these firms and these types of people basically have deep seated personality problems to begin with .... So my advice: dont go to work for this persons firm ... look through their posts and see if their remarks would make their offer of employment have any value. My opinion ... a firm to avoid whoever they are.
downtickboy--Have u ever thought about opening a shop or a restaurant or something similar; the state can help u getting started, giving u an incentive package that should cover your initial costs if you are going to provide employment.
I don't think anyone has been reading too carefully. DTB doesn't have sufficient funds to do anything. He's tired of making money one year and then being broke the next year. Average it all, he feels he's making McDonald's wages. So I don't know why some of you are suggesting he opens a restaurant..... when all he wants is a steady income.