Whenever I hear someone tell me that they have figured out the markets, that's when I completely tune them out. Almost all profitable traders never even understand the market, they have figured out some little trick that they can use repeatedly to get some $$$ off the market. Let me make a simple analogy. Most good traders are all just waiting for the gopher to come out of its hole so they can smack it with a hammer (like the kids game). We don't know when and if it will come out, but we are just waiting and reacting if it does. That's how most successful traders operate. No one has figured out the market. And if they did, they wouldn't be on ET or writing a book about it. They would be on some private island on their yacht banging supermodels. WAKE UP! AND GO GET A JOB!
Making it as a Trader.... I am just amazed at the lack of definiteness in defining how, or when one becomes a Successful Trader. The first hinderance is the % return part where different people have different sized accounts due to the leverage factor. The second is the learning curve of a particular trader. Let's equalize the trading pursuit into generating as much money as possible every year, regardless of experience or the leverage. Thus, would you be a Successful Trader if you make $50,000 per year or $100,000 per year? DO understand that you are sometimes getting advice around these boards from Successful Traders whose goal is to iron out $25,000 per year Successes..
I think that to call yourself successful/professional trader the minimum yearly income from trading should be 300K-500K. My reasoning for this, that there are a lot of professions, which require much less mental capital and effort, that will give you an income in a range of 100K-300K. JMHO.
imo, saying that loudly to oneself three times a day everyday in the morning, noon and night would be helpful.
The Secret I searched the endless abyss for the secret... day and night, night and day, I worked oh so hard for so long... till I stumbled onto something that dark August day. The Secret to $$$ fast....& it isn't LUCK, it isn't barely accidental, it isn't probabilities.. It was all blood, sweat and tears. Thats what it all was. It was within me all along, I just had to clear the way to find it in me. What is even more fascinating is that, my thinking was always in line with what I am.. and I just finally figured myself out & what kind of trader I am supposed to be. I think that is The Secret, FINDING YOURSELF... what your inner YOU really want to be. It is about chiseling away your roughness to find a new inner you, the ONE you always were.
Ripley, please start a journal - consolidate all your thoughts. It'd be interesting. You have many years experience now, you've read everything there is on trading, you've blown out a few times - you seem 'due' for success yet it still eludes you. So what have you learned from all this? What's your plan. Please be careful though if your getting back in with OPM.
Jan is over, you must be up close to $84,000,000 so far if you be on pace for 1 billion. so, how you finish up jan? -Harry