Quote from Bolimomo:
Thank you all kindly for your comments.
I know I have lots to improve on my trading methodology, risk management, and psychology. As do many traders. I know my approach to trading is far from perfect. And everyday, every trade is an opportunity to improve myself.
But to immediately say outright that I don't freak'ing know what I am doing IS NOT USEFUL. Rightly or wrongly, I have been consistently profitable for the past 4 years and I have been making a comfortable living off it, far better than any professional engineer (which is why I quit my "day job" a while ago). Trading is my sole source of income.
We traders all have drawdowns. It could be a one big red day or even if I use a day-down-limit a series of drawdowns to accumulate to $4000 (by the way this figure is just a made up for the purpose of this discussion). I am interested to know the psychological burden on the trader in getting back up and how it affects his/her next move.
Those pit traders in the S&P pit: aren't they discretionary traders? They stand in the pit all day, waving their hands in the air while thinking on their feet how to do the next move, watchingout for any hint of a market direction change. Do they have time to nicely draw a line on a chart (what chart?), pinpoint their entry/exit/stop and their "R" before jamming in front of the next guy trying to catch the next order? Are you saying these traders are all failed traders (or doomed to fail?)?
Nope, this is not what they do. They cross other people's trades, and quote prices favorably for them but not to their clients to make instant profits. You'll find the speculators are quickly weeded out. All arbitrage in that pit.