I'm sure this poll's probably been done before, but I wanted to find out how successful people really are trading. Right now, because I don't want to drain my account, I'm just livin' on borrowed time (i.e., credit cards). But, if this don't work in a few months, I'll be back on the job market (I've noticed it's damn hard doin' both!).
I haven't started trading full time yet, but I will begin doing so this june. So there are definitely people out there doing this. I've been successful trading these past couple of years and even so, I had some real serious doubts before committing to this path. Its a hard decision to make, but if there is a significant chance of success, then you have to go for it. The rewards are too great to pass up.
For the part-time traders who have been successfully making regular profits (big or small), what would be the obstacles you haven't decided to trade full-time for living? For the full-time traders, what would be your experience (painful or joyful) and advice (any regrets?) to others for making decisions to trade full-time, after trading part-time? It would be nice to hear from you all.
a majority of ppl are unsuccessful at trading/investing in stocks... messageboards appeal to the masses so i do not believe this is an accurate barometer on the ability to be successful at trading/investing...
I trade parttime since 1990 and since 1999 I trade fulltime. I'am not going to tell you that you need money, somebody else will tell you that. What I'am going to tell you is maybe strange to you: My biggest challenge trading fulltime is boredom.
That's what gaming sites are for. Get a second monitor, and play games or do other things while you're trading
Same as Fibo post kind of question I could write a book so I won't answer will just be short to avoid that: the problem is not to make a living today the problem is to make a living tomorrow within the actual context. If you have already a secure employment or business it is not sure that trading will give you the same compensation at long term but only at short term. And it depends on the past life style of the person. Even when having a super system, which is my case, I will hesitate to put all the eggs in the same basket knowing at long term that the financial system will be broken down after such an unprecedenting excess in history except perhaps for Tulips. I know some french businessmen that have sold their enterprise for stock market they were happy during the boom but now they have less assets than before and when you have given up a field it can be difficult to come back. Many people thinks they just have to earn the same money than their actual employment, they are wrong they have to earn two, three times what they earn today to compensate volatility. So if you win 200000 $ / year you have to win 400000 or 600000 and if you win 1 million at present you have to get 2 or 3 millions from the market. And not speaking about long term uncertainty. I only talk of people who only trade and don't have anything else. 20 years ago I would abandon other business for only trading not now. You have to think globally about efficiency and asymetry of markets. It is a hiearchy : first the mass public win then lose and some speculators are enriched, then when it will be their turn so that statiscal studies show that over many years there are not many short speculators that survive the game only a few big ones. The market is using speculators as money collectors (same job as IRS employee ) when the purse of the collectors are pretty full what does it do hihi !
Yes, it seemed like it would be really exciting, but once I got really serious it became quite dull. Now what I enjoy is system design. Watching the markets closely all day is mind-dumbing, but necessary. g
Been on this site for 4 weeks and have seen this poll done at least that many times....what a bore. Who cares what everbody else is making/losing...you either believe in your heart of hearts that you can make a living trading or you dont. Dont look to others for confirmation look within yourself.