Why do people say trading is the hardest way to make money, when it's just not true?

Discussion in 'Psychology' started by Coin Flip, Sep 23, 2024.

  1. newwurldmn

    newwurldmn

    it’s so profitable, market makers pay for the right to trade against them!
     
    #31     Sep 24, 2024
    beginner66 likes this.
  2. Coin Flip

    Coin Flip

    Not sure, but the tough part is to figure out how many actually try to live off trading. As in, actually quit your full time job and go trading full time.

    Without that figure, we can't calculate a success rate.
     
    #32     Sep 24, 2024
  3. Coin Flip

    Coin Flip

    Just search on YouTube "trading is the hardest"

    I think it is a pretty common sentiment out there.

    I also hear a similar sentiment in the poker community, hence the saying: "Poker is the toughest way to make an easy living."
     
    #33     Sep 24, 2024
  4. tomkat22

    tomkat22

    Just trying to get a rough estimate. If there are 100k guys trading retail and 5% are successful after several years of trading that would be 5000 (actually that 5% is probably too generous). So on average 100 guys per state,more for Cali,less for Montana of course.
     
    #34     Sep 24, 2024
  5. newwurldmn

    newwurldmn

    your numbers are way off. FCM’s have to post this type of state. 5percent are profitable in any given month but not the same five percent each month.
     
    #35     Sep 24, 2024
    zdreg likes this.
  6. tomkat22

    tomkat22

    Yea I dont think that's what I'm looking for. I'm talking about guys who trade from home,probably in their pajamas,or maybe even as a side hustle. Trading for at least 10 years. Pulling an absolute minimum of 40k per year from the market. A person could live on that(albeit not very well).
     
    #36     Sep 24, 2024
  7. newwurldmn

    newwurldmn

    thats who the FCM's cater to.

    you can find the study online as one of them, maybe FXCM, published it per UK law.

    10 years is a long time to be just earning 40k/year. By then you have either failed or built some wealth.
     
    #37     Sep 24, 2024
  8. Handle123

    Handle123

    One thing to open an account an
    I disagree, inexperienced traders would stay 3 to 9 months with me, few made it but most didn't. I use to stake them with 25k. The good ones would pay the losses of failing students. After 3 years, didn't do it any more, too time draining on my part.

    Most will never get it, the ones who did well make 7 figures a year and quit after few years. Really drains mind and body.
     
    #38     Sep 24, 2024
    beginner66 and SimpleMeLike like this.
  9. tomkat22

    tomkat22

    More like at the 10 year mark they finally start making 40k. I'll tip my cap to those FCMs if they can accurately track every small-time retail trader in America,seems like a daunting task. So you think 5000 in the whole US is too generous?
     
    #39     Sep 24, 2024
    Haywood likes this.
  10. newwurldmn

    newwurldmn

    I think the number is closer to 50,000 or higher. Maybe 100,000. It’s a large enough number that brokers cater
    to the market.

    there are a lot of caveats: people who are independently wealthy, people who are semi retired, people who have prior institutional experience.

    I don’t think it’s hard for an FCM or broker to pull those stats.
     
    #40     Sep 24, 2024
    zghorner likes this.