How much did you lose on the journey to becoming profitable?

Why does trading talk devolve into gambling discussion? TRADING IS NOT GAMBLING, FOR FUCK'S SAKE!

I did not censor that curse because I am lividly adamant about that issue! If the mods want to put me in a time-out, then so be it, but, kids, please look away...Trading is NOT GAMBLING, GOD DAMN IT!
 
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So to the OP's question, I would say I lost close to 60k before I scared the crap out of myself and stopped doing some seriously crazy shit-- like throwing on 300 contracts (per side) JITM strangles on SPY thinking I only had to get 4 cents positive to get my $1000 a day after commissions. I didn't even know what Theta, I.V. or Delta was. Those days are three years behind me. But when I think back on what a reckless fool I was I just whisper to myself...fuuuuuuuuck you dude. After being such a kook I rarely if ever make fun of others questions or mistakes. How can I right? Shit, I'm getting a fever just thinking about how dumb I was. Carry on.
 
about 30k aud
2 years of no income from work(taken me over 6+ years to be profitable and understand the charts)
lots of friends because they thought I was crazy and depressed (literally 6 years, I was locked in my bedroom trying to understand trading)
the only person that believed me was myself.
 
TKOSTA74 said:
about 30k aud
2 years of no income from work(taken me over 6+ years to be profitable and understand the charts)
lots of friends because they thought I was crazy and depressed (literally 6 years, I was locked in my bedroom trying to understand trading)
the only person that believed me was myself.
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Hmm, that sounds a bit like me. Kudos man. Except, I'm still losing my mind on trading. hahah..AHHAHhaha....

 
Overnight said:
Why does trading talk devolve into gambling discussion? TRADING IS NOT GAMBLING, FOR FUCK'S SAKE!

I did not censor that curse because I am lividly adamant about that issue! If the mods want to put me in a time-out, then so be it, but, kids, please look away...Trading is NOT GAMBLING, GOD DAMN IT!
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Hmmm, ok, that's your opinion, everyone has a different opinion.
I've been in this game 30+ years, I'm with gaussian, trading is gambling.
Currently I have several hundred grand of real money in real time currently in play in the markets.
From one day to the next I have no clue which way my balance will swing, I sit on tenterhooks watching and waiting, my positions are only a calculation of my experience, but experience cannot be contained in a black and white formula or algo, there is no right and wrong, no black and white answer or result.
I gamble my money.
Where I am at the moment, market is running and up 0.2%, I'm up 0.33% today, another 60 minutes to go before close of day.
 
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And fine is fine. If you and gauss want to be on the same page about it, so be it. But I am sorry man...

themickey said:
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I gamble my money.
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No, you know how to trade your money with limited risk. YOU ARE NOT GAMBLING! Ug, throttle you!

(This is why I have Cramer in my own avatar pic, making that motion. Because that is me slamming the table. And I am slamming the table at you guys! Trading is not gambling. (and the Fed is asleep, too, again, hehe.))
 
Overnight said:
Hmm, that sounds a bit like me. Kudos man. Except, I'm still losing my mind on trading. hahah..AHHAHhaha....

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I thought that hes a madman as well, the first time i saw. Great reference scene :)

1:10 i have seen that look on every single one in my family and my friends. Most recently with my grandfather. Except they don't say in public that i am a madman, they give that little, akward smile isntead, you know, when you mention stocks etc.
 
People want to call any endeavor that does not make money every single moment predictably, gambling. Who cares.

Trading is seeing the hidden opportunity in the long term, where it looks like random chance in the short term. In the short term, it looks like gambling. When friends hear about trading, they say "Oh, so you're basically gambling."

They don't understand risk reward, identifying trends, letting go of fear, pullback percentages, price cycles, win rates and positive expectancy. Trading is a damn science. And the market is a gold mine for those who apply it.

Is something gambling if at the end of every 14 day period you always make money? It's a money making business, like anything else.

Each individual trade is indeed a gamble. But trading isn't judged by single trades.
 
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