Would you give up a steady job to Trade?

I am in the same dilema. I just need to make sure I have enough to weather the learning curve...

No one knew the QQQ's were going to rally 35%...I do not believe that is a valid point.

 

No pain, no gain. I can't think of a single person who achieved a high level of success without taking risk.

-FastTrader

 

You are thinking of leaving a trading postion at a hedge fund to work for a prop shop???

 

Fasttrader when are YOU going to bite the bullet.

 

Just want to throw some common sense in this. Some of the year's biggest winners were people who just used IBD and swingtraded. Volatility isn't fantastic but we've had a nice steady run up. You can do swingtrading from home. You can do IBD from home. I think Marty Schwartz, the legendary S&P trader, spent two years refining his craft before he went full time and quit his job. (Read Pit Bull for his blow by blow account).

These days anybody can trade from home and use a chatroom for support and trades. Prop firm salaries are not to be trusted! At the very least learn to trade before you go or make sure you've got great training and a mentor lined up at the prop firm. Good luck. Whatever you do...remember to take the risk on smartly. The markets are always here.

 

As soon as I start averaging at least $1K in the first hour of market open

-FastTrader

 

true enough but no one knows if you will make any money trading either.

 

Look...

Risk should be taken when you have can accept the maximum risk.

Can you take all the losses...

"What if" your trading style loses edge...
"What if" you blow off all of your account...

Markets usually gives you the worst of the "What if"s...

and shouldn't be taken lightly...

 

I once read that if you look at trading analytically - it is not that difficult a proposition. And your goal of $800 per day is simple.

But add a %&^%$#% human being into the mix, with his/her baggage of emotions, fears, ego, bravado and it is a whole different story

I agree that if you have a skill or live in a area where you can replace your $45 thou job - then get a good mentor and run with it.

Remember to work on yourself as well as your trading skills. See how you deal with different situations and learn how to overcome your weaknesses or at least recognize them (another thread made a great point of this - props to Ramatour).

Good luck.

 

OK, you know what...lets lower the goal to $400/day which is $100K per year. Now, the daily goal is to make 1 ES pt on a 10-lot. Is it still impossible to do?

-FastTrader