Quote from my7tvette:
All of that studying is great and should give you a leg up, especially if you can spend some time with a successful trader.
Unfortunately, all the study, backtesting, and paper trading won't fully prepare you for the emotional impact of having real dollars on the line.
Part of your education is earned by putting real $$ at risk. It doesn't, and shouldn't, be a lot of money at first, but there is no way around it.
I completely agree. That's a comment I've heard over and over again so I take it very seriously. I should note that when all this studying is over, the first step I'll take is to trade a very small account very conservatively so I can get that feel you're talking about. The more success I have, the larger the account I'll trade. If I ever feel outmatched, I plan to scale back. But I understand it's a different story when money's on the line.