True "Edge" in trading exists only in the technical infrastructure arena...where you are almost guaranteed scalping tiny profits. or a fraction of a second speedier orders. But on a profit margin %...doing that only makes you a very, very small return on your money. For everyone else, you either have the trading skill -- or you don't People like to use the terms: Edge and Skill interchangeably, but I think there's a difference. Edge kind of implies it's a supernatural Holy Grail you have in your possession; but everyone can gain skill and wisdom and understanding of the market...given enough time, and if they have their eyes and mind open
Let's agree to disagree, there is a current thread running on what an edge actually is. https://www.elitetrader.com/et/thre...ng-the-bond-market.307565/page-4#post-4423129
I easy spend over 8000 hours .On the job at free moment i was thinking about trading strategies.I remember standing on a side street in Rockefeller Center and looking at women leaving work and thinking some trading idea in my head.One of them said "Hi" and i did not answer her.My coworker says "why didn't you answer her?".I was concentrated on something abstract going in my head. Never took any course,not into that,i think alone. You have big curiosity in your personality and determination to find the gemstone.Learner or student has to be stubborn but at the same time open to new ideas Thanks for sharing this story and one from a link. At the time of learning I used to have this printed and kept this in my wallet in place where i before put high nomination banknotes.I moved them with small notes and put this there.Sometimes i would pull this out and read to myself so to have a refresher. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.” ― Theodore Roosevelt
I often think about weird parts of my life, added it up once, I have taken over 100,000 trades, spent over 80,000 hours doing something regarding trading, 30,000 hours min hours of screen time, I wonder only if I tossed in mutual fund and did something else. Never considered trading to be anything other than an investment and hobby. Spent more time doing this that any jobs I have had. I am a Sagittarius, I notice others of my Astro sign to be very much the same, we explore even when we end up at a wall, a WTF moment, but if you don't stay positive in life, you become like sheep and just follow other people, so many on this site are sheep regardless if they are profitable or not. I prefer to listen to most and I might not agree to what they say, but am waiting for them to say something that might give me an idea. Great quote by President Roosevelt. In my wallet I have this: “Failure is only the opportunity more intelligently to begin again.”- Henry Ford
I'm a Sagittarius too ...great, wise traders seem to have this trait. Sagittarius people are typically viewed as the weird/moody and maybe lonely/loners people of all the astrological signs. I guess these features helps alot in the lonesome adventure that is of the retail trader trying to succeed and see the light, (while many others will fail or quit or give in to the pressures of trading)
I am Aquarius, Astro of "thinking outside the box" and originality. I came to US as a teenager and really liked when you see school kids dress the same and image of varsity team.This helped me to understand the concept of trying to fit in and just be one of the lads.Bad idea to be eccentric. Yes lonesome adventure. I have this theory that people who post something interesting so other can learn from it don't do it to help.They are just looking to see if anybody else spotted same idea.They look to connect and carefully put just enough words together,like a signal. To grasp new and not easy give up on what learned so far is a very personal path. A lot of this depends on personality.