With all the posts in this thread, it's clear why most traders fail. If you don't believe it to be possible, it won't be. I think I knew at some level I'd always be a great trader when I started, but didn't fully know why until recently. I will never stop knowing I can make 7+ figures a year trading. No one will change my mind.
The one main trait successful people have in common is they don't give up. Trading is not "hard work," it just takes time to get good at it (same as any profession). It is this way for many reasons. In a capitalist society, in order for there to be rich, there has to be middle/lower class! Most people do not become rich overnight (there is of course inherited wealth, if you want to count that).
I have made money 5 consecutive weeks, day trading RLM, nearly every day. The days I don't make money it's either because I screwed up or I stopped taking trades. My personal journey has been documented here. I have been a part time trader for 5 years. It's up to me to keep this up, and if I fail to adapt it could stop. However, I use simple lines to trade (probably won't need them eventually), and people have written about my techniques almost 100 years ago. I don't think I'll ever have a losing week again.
From what I see the markets are mechanical, yet everyone complains about robots!
If you consider a variety of factors, trading is the ideal business to be in. You are your own boss. You don't have to deal with drama/politics (rampant in military nursing). You can make far above an average living with a strong edge. And most importantly you make your own work schedule (time is the most valuable commodity anyway..)