Just a comment that I've made a few times before (and, yes, I guess I'm bias, and I guess my comments can be discounted as marketing, etc., but I think valid nonetheless).
Traders do not "fail" per se' - those who attempt trading for a living do fail, and in pretty high numbers.... just as every other business venture fails to the same extent. Traders have to make money or they are simply not traders any longer, they are forced to back and look for jobs in whatever field they can find. Face it, 90% of all business ventures fail.
What I tell new people, is that good traders will have a lifelong career (and point to some of our long term people). There are fewer and fewer jobs (getting worse as we know), and, yes, going it on your own is risky. Risk with reward is fine, risk without reward is foolish, as we all know.
From my website;
Quoted from the WSJ: John Canale, a former Morgan Stanley broker, has been trying to give brokers an alternative. In recent months, he has brought several former brokers over to his proprietary trading business. "This is a recession-proof job compared to being a broker," says Mr. Canale, who executes his trades through Bright Trading LLC. "When you're a retail broker, you just have to sit and wait for a bull market." Becoming a trader has allowed him to be more "nimble," he says. (Excerpt WSJ)
"While Wall Street is laying off, Bright Trading remains strong. Traders, brokers, analysts transition to trading for their own profits. Exceptional business model thriving. Click here for full article.
The way I look at it, if you're wanting to go it on your own, and make it in the securities industry, you can attempt it with a small retail account, or go about with: Lower risk (your deposit), unlimited upside (not blue sky, not rose colored glasses, but you can make a lot of money), No franchise fee and, where else can you borrow a $million every day for nothing?
To each is own, I bring this up not for controversy, just for conversation.
All the best,
Don