How long did it take for you to be profitable in daytrading?

[Adobian]

Quote from porgie:

......... 5 years is average learning curve for normal guys.....smart guys take 10 .........

Amen

 

[nevadan]

quote from batman
i actually try my best not to be totally negative, but i think it's important for at least 1 person to say a little of the other side of the story.. read about the guy who's given up trading after 7 yrs and feels like shit in the other thread..

Theodore Roosevelt said it best:
“It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust, and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes short again and again, who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who, at the best, knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.”

It is bitter indeed to come to the forced awareness that trading is not one's forte but there is no shame in it. At least he had balls enough to try and the fortitude to endure for long enough to understand what he was attempting.

 

[phillyflipper]

Quote from sdtrader:

took me 5 months trading at .0125.

Most of the traders I know it took no more than 6 months.

You will get a lot of people sayins BS and that it takes years and yada yada.

Guess it just depends on your style, your training and your aptitude for trading.

WOW, you must know the best of the best traders in the world,
because no trader I know took 6 mos. to become profitable unless everyone is telling each other lies

 

[sdtrader]

Quote from phillyflipper:

WOW, you must know the best of the best traders in the world,
because no trader I know took 6 mos. to become profitable unless everyone is telling each other lies

Well, if YOU don't know anyone--- it must not be true.


Why ANYONE would feel the need to come on an anonymous BBS and "lie" about anything is beyond me.

 

[porgie]

when u r talking futures trading daytrading u r talking under and way under 1% of inidividuals who make it.....and that is being very kind..........

 

[crystalballs]

Is time such an issue? It's a lazy question, Take as much time as it takes. Does it matter?

We are all different.

 

[patoo]

Quote from crystalballs:

...Take as much time as it takes...

Hongos,

We need to put that up on the wall!!

 

[billp]

I stumbled on this thread by accident. Only read a few posts but it reminds me of myself.

Hmm...how long did it take for me to be profitable in daytrading?Answer: Right from the 1st trade I was profitable


More complete answer: However, gave all the profits and much much more back to the market

Hmms....so I wouldn't be lying exactly if I answer the vote as 1 month

 

[midlifeguy]

I can be successful day trading. Maybe not 250k a year but decent enough.

Quote from Batman28:

i tel you something and go write it on your wall.

there is no such a thing as a successful 'day trader'. don't waste your time. it don't exist. and don't waste your life.

no day trader is ever successful. maybe just for the day. if u want to trade ask yourself for how long do u want to be a winner.

day trading = losing. it's like gambling. and those that think they're making money they're addicted and drunk. in the long run they don't have a cent. people here who vote they are, have a perception.

and yes, ofcourse if u put 100 monkey in a room 1 might call ur name. but thats how arnold is a US senator. shit happens. call it luck. but it don't necessarily mean success. and don't live ur life on the hope of such a rare event that doesnt even last.

the only successful day traders i know r market makers. but that's a whole different thing.

ooo. day trade. make easy money. sounds good to ur ear huh?

trust me on this, for once, don't believe u can success at day trading. ye believe u can become rich trading. but not at day trading. sometimes it's very important u recognise something that cannot be done.

write it on the wall.

 

[JMowery1987]

Yeah, but these results are almost worthless.

How do we know that the people that took awhile to learn are those that had jobs and were learning trading while on the job, vs. someone who went proprietary right off the bat and started out of college or HS.

I took about a year. But if I had a job and was then learning to day-trade for a living, undoubtably it would have taken me much longer, maybe even 5 years.

The question would be better if it was targeted at a specific group because I'm sure ET has a diversified group of how each trader got his or her start in this biz.

So, just some thoughts on that.