Phenomenal post fickletrader; thank you for sharing your experience. I had a couple thoughts as I read your post... I played basketball in high school, and during the summer months our coach would always push us to go to the pick-up courts where we could play against college players. I did this a couple of times and it was a humbling experience. I wish I would have done it more though, I fully concur that to get better at any game you have to play against competitors who are on a higher level than you. One of the interesting things about trading is (unlike poker or video games) there are no kiddie pools, you're always competing against black belts, be they in the form of humans or algos. This makes trading all the more difficult when you first get started, and is something most traders don't fully appreciate until the drawdown starts. This reminds me of the Brett Steenbarger books I've read. He strongly emphasizes the importance of drills and practice in honing your trading techniques. This is something I did a lot when I was first trying to get the hang of trading (or when refining a new setup), but is something I haven't done in a while, and should (maybe I should be doing that instead of playing video games lol). This is remarkable, and consistent with my limited observations of truly exceptional competitors. Its a good reminder of the drive, lifestyle, and persistence required to become great at any endeavor.