Evolution. 1978, Like most, dreaming how to spend the wheelbarrows, then you find out truly how hard it was, then computers were flying off the shelves in 1986, "hey how bout I buy as much that I can of IBM" which I did. Always found stocks easier to trade then anything else cause everything else is like buying air, an illusion that has worth. Trading is often buying an illusion and selling reality. The horrible years of depression and suicidal thoughts of failure from 1985-91 learning to trade commodities and learning day trading, go from 5k to 105k in six months and lose it all in 3 limit down days, just made me more determined to learn even more. Had to "see and acknowledge" how truly fucked up I was as a person and nothing or nobody could help. Study more of thyself, but have turned into more of all around man who laughs at nearly everything, even losses. 1992 it just came together for me in long term and day trading in early 1993, learned how to program, cut down the 80 hours a week so I could be awake working 40 hours for government. 2008 got hugely ill from number of diseases at one time, often wonder if it came from staying in man cave too much, first time in my life where I had to many money to support myself whereas before all went into 401k LLC. Have done well past 9 years and 401k extremely happy, working hard on Roth. So easy to slip into "hey this not hard at all" but forget briefly this is so fucking hard to get here, right now. And then the inevitable, oh crap how comes losses always bigger than winning days. Much fewer than years ago. Trade like you don't need it, look within instead of outward at others, the game is all about learning where others are going to get screwed and they laugh at you. "Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds." Albert Einstein Love the game too much to ever retire, never been me against whoever, it is me against me.
easy to explain how someone could get scammed in this business by fake mentors falsifying their trades and trade reports etc.
-It made me an illiterate after 10 years at watching ladders. I used to write well( in my native language, not in english ), nowadays I write like a 10 years old. I need to reread every message for missing words...LOL -It made me nicer than I used to be. This one is weird. The fact that I don't have to deal with humans in my job makes me appreciate when I actually see friends, brokers, other traders...My girl friend even tell me I worry too much for other people ,which is interesting considering how selfish I was growing up. -It taught me to go somewhat deeper in the details. -It gave me a cool life with no boss and a lot of freedom for the last 10 years.
Like everything in life...only 1% of the players or participants will basically succeed, or succeed fruitfully. Also like everything in life...I believe trading (or whatever you do) is a double-edged sword. Trading is awfully boring and lonely. -- But if you're good, and are able to make money, then enjoying the fruits of your labor with nice toys more than makes up for it, Money can buy happiness. as far as i'm concerned. Ever since I've started trading though, I must admit...I've become a cynical, dark, hermit of a man. I would be way more normal/good, if I had a normal job with a formal time structure and driving and a boss.
"Drove me nuts. Lost money Made loads which was nice Spent loads thankfully Lost ALL Drove me more nuts. It's a hobby I'm always so close to retiring from, but that last missing bit of the puzzle, is kinda tricky lol" Really, really love and deeply understand this quote. I have made and lost small fortunes, but I continue to stay at it with high hopes. Trade well!
For me this has been an education road. As a child my parents didn't believe in owning a TV so I spent my days as a street type kid. Throwing stones, making catapults and bow&arrows, stealing fruit or whatever (opportunistic pest) shooting birds with air guns. For a short time became a petty criminal, but that was after my parents kicked me out of the house as a late teenager. At home at night would read story books and comics. Never did very well at school except the last year which was a repeat year as I had failed the leaving certificate. That last year I came 2nd in class for maths. I love maths (now). After I started employment, my life picked up as I was free from my overbearing religous parents and I started working my way up. I started trading when about 30yo. Now over 65yo. In my early years had no interest in reading the financial pages of a newspaper. Hardly ever bothered reading non fiction books. Had no interest in politics. No interest in money matters, eg saving, investing, Superannuation. My first several years of trading was trading speculative stocks and lost money consistently. Thought there must be a better way, so began studying fundamental analysis. Lost more money - more so than my speccy trading era. Spent years trading with no clue, groping around in the dark. Then tried futures auto trading and the light bulb began to flicker. Gave up on futures but became a more systematic stock trader. What trading has done for me.... Read and study and plan extensively more so than I ever would normally. Given me a very interesting hobby. I call it a hobby as I'm no professional. Made me understand myself better as a fallible person. Given me more confidence and a purpose in life for living, trading drives me continually to wanting to succeed. Made me aware that humans are very capable at the smoke and mirrors game so I'm not as gullible as when younger. Now that I'm retired from the workforce, I have hope that my future income will meet my needs to support myself and my wife, so there is reassurance there instead of fear. And probably best of all, my brain never stops working, planning, calculating. Its a great space to be in. As for trading being a lonely life, it hasn't been for me. I've always been a loner type person, in real life am not surrounded by people or friends, in actual fact too much interaction with humans annoys me. I tend to observe people and prefer to have small interactions rather than too much. My wife is from Singapore and she is sociable but also likes her own space, most days either in kitchen or garden doing her own thing. It's a very good life
It has allowed me to financially help others in family and close relatives. I've paid for the college education of a close friend (his daughter)...Ohio State University. She eventually earned a scholarship for her graduate program. It's allowed me to purchase properties (2) and was the sole reason why another property (grandparents home in France) was given to me when they died. Simply, they thought I was better with money than my siblings although I do share the home with my siblings as a vacation home. Overall, its been positive but always stressful. More stressful than most things I've ever done (e.g. military, elite level in sports) except late last year. Dealing with a serious illness was extremely stressful but it was trading that motivated me to get better and my renewed faith in god. I use to hear people say there's nothing good that comes from being a trader. My personal experience...they are wrong. Good can come from it but that depends on what kind'uv of person the trader is. I've seen some successful folks use their income to hurt people they didn't like or didn't agree with. Reality, trading can destroy the lives of people too if they aren't properly prepared to deal with trading. I've also seen wealthy investors do similar like good but more on a larger scale. These types of people we often label them with the word "philanthropists". Simply, having money can be good too.
I didn't. I do it because its so f'ing hard beat. Chess bores me now. Trading is where its at. And wrbtrader.... kudos on you. Giving it away is half the fun Hell its all the fun.