Viewers,
I want to thank you for your recent comments, they appear to be more interesting and thought-provoking than the attacks earlier in the forum.
To contribute to this discussion. In my opinion, there is a clear difference between:
1. Having a positive passion (aka obsession or 'calling') for an endeavour - for example, a person with artistic personality characteristics would be more passionate about creative activities.
2. Having an endeavour that 'pays the bills.' In other words, society/the economy values the person enough to pay him well. Or to put it another way, you provide a service/product which 'the market' values enough to pay you well for it.
3. Ideally, somebody would pursue an endeavour that is both 1 & 2.
I think too many people on this thread have their minds confused/infected by the 'follow your passion' psychobabble out there and this has affected their decisions about their trading. I agree that a passion for something can motivate you through grinding boredom and set-backs. However, unless number 2 above takes place you are, unfortunately, misguided in the direction of your work. The ultimate goal is to make a profit or achieve quantifiable success.
Here is an example of 'passion psychobabble'. Jeff Bezos tells everyone to 'follow their passion'. However, in the next video you will see people who work for him in his fulfillment warehouses (some of whom are driven to suicide by exhaustion and the horrendous conditions).
I spoke to an English literature graduate (who told me he followed his passion when he chose his degree) who worked in such a warehouse. He had an appalling story.
Similar contrast with Steve Jobs and Chinese workers throwing themselves out of windows to commit suicide.
In other words, I would suggest combining your passion with a skill that has value to society/the economy enough that you will be ultimately paid for it. Perhaps measured by a positive risk-adjusted P&L? Of course, if you refer to the title of my thread, the evidence suggests trading itself might not be the best 'trade' for this (except for a tiny minority).
Of course, Bezos follows his passion and gets paid for it (1&2). His mistress, private jets, multiple homes, skin care program and great tan are a testament to this. The English literature graduate I met had to urinate in a bottle in one of his warehouses (1) to hit his targets and avoid getting fired.
Both followed their passions. One of them drinks expensive wine from his bottles.
