Wanted to ski every day AND make a decent income. Ski instruction failed on both accounts (they actually don't ski much, they teach and do clinics). Also hated having a boss. Had a deep econ background in academics, so what the hell....
Money and watching weak hands suffer I'd like to add that this is the best job in the world although i miss being a fry cook at a 2 star restaurant.
A friend of mine built up $10,000 into a little over $100,000 back in the fabled '90s bull run. He used to tell me about his stock successes all the time. Friend has since blown out a large portion of his account and quit trading. Turns out he was riding the bull wave but didn't know much about the technicals or even the fundamentals at all. Just got real lucky. I used to teach high school kids (if you can believe it with my potty mouth and all) but decided to change careers. I still love teaching but the salary is a total joke and i'd rather not deal with office politics. So trading is where it's at. After an initial and painful learning curve it's been rewarding.
I started investing a little in stocks while starting out working as a computer consultant, a few years later I made more than US$ 230,000 in one day from stocks - and I was hooked. The company I got stocks in rose more than 400% and has risen more than 1000% since I sold my company to them in 1999 - doubling their development department. But trading was the ultimate freedom of work... top of the world and fast money, but I am a better business owner than trader. Less risk.
Trading IS NOT WORK !!! Excuse me for using crude language, but on a good trade or good idea l actually get a tingling sensation an the tip of my pen!s. Last idea that gave me such a sensation has shorting stocks popular with hedge funds