The Solitary Trader-Life Hampers Personal Growth?

I highly recommend taking a free Myers-Briggs test (Jung's work) to determine your personality type. There are 16 basic personality types.

My wifes got a phd in psych. and finally wrestled me into taking one the other day. I've never been one to put a whole lot of weight in psych., but I'll tell you, it amazed me with the detail and accuracy of a description it was able to give of my personality, as well as my wife's.

One thing I find to be absolutely true is Introverts have their batteries worn down by by social situations, especially when around people they don't know; and Extroverts have their batteries recharged by other people. My mother is definitly the latter. She can't stand non social situations. She has to be talking on the phone or visiting with someone or around other people to be happy. Try to get her to sit down and read a book for an hour, it ain't gonna happen. I on the other hand am weighted to the other side. I can enjoy the company of others, but I can also enjoy many hours of fly fishing alone at a remote mountain lake, computer time, reading, etc..

I did some time in the corporate world and thats exactly what it seemed like for me.........doing time. But for you, maybe thats what your personality type demands. Do what fits.
 
interesting activities:

Join a local gym

Big brother/big sister/boy/girl scout leader

camera club, sierra club, hiking/biking clubs -

check out your local "what's happening in all the local magazines/newspapers.

Join networking organizations

Find out if there are any trading groups in your area (this site has a section on that)

start or develop a few hobbies - chess, collect stamps or one of the other 500 things people collect - there are always regional meetups for people with these interests. Antique car owners are one example.

Mentor someone in trading

etc. etc.

As someone said, the grass is greener. Many smart financial industry types find out the hard or annoying way that they know much more than their boss, and are trapped beneath their mediocrity. Your good ideas fall on deaf ears, and only the deadline seems to matter to them.

I remember too many times, when they had to have multiple meetings and assign 9-week long projects to come to a logical decision/conclusion that everyone knew was inevitable in the first place. Many office types would rather be at home.
 
Quote from gohstrader:

I started volunteering at a childrens hospital here once and sometimes twice a week. I't usually from 2 pm to early evening and so it works with my stay at home trading schedule, but the main thing is it brought me out of a shell so to speak and the reward of helping is unmeasurable ( to me anyway).

The first step to actually do it is prob the toughest as is anything that is unselfish and non-self benefiting, but that was the point to start with I guess.

Hope this helps.

-GT
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How is it working at a children's hospital? I've thought of helping children. I volunteered at the local Veteran's hospital but that was a bit too heavy at the time. I walked into a room and missed some serious warnings on the door about the diseases of the person in the room. The environment seemed more suited to professionals, but I was able to lend a hand. What do they ask you to do for the kids?
 
Quote from Kap:

good point, I traded for a while at home back in 03-04... was bored sh*tless after a while but earned a good chunk... went back to work on a trading floor for more social reasons than anything else... after a 1 year that was enough, walked out and am at home trading again. Those feelings are coming back again and am considering hiring a desk at a prop firm for more social contact.. need some banter and comaraderie.. and a beer after work would be nice. Its a difficult one for sure, if u can find voluntary work that suits that would be great, but you have to turn off the testosterone greed / shaft everyone thing completely. :eek:
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it always helps to be involved in social causes,,,

tutor students,,

teach at a college or other learning facility,

bag groceries,,

clean bathrooms,,,

on another thought, scratch that last trade....:D
 
I hired 2 coaches. Meet with them separately, once a week.

One is a self improvement coach. My current assignment is reading a Oprah Book club book called the New Earth. Each week, we discuss the book and go through various exercises.

The 2nd coach is definitely more extroverted. He has me taking yoga, doing a plethora of networking activity and travelling.

We have targets and they hold me accountable for my own development.

Quote from achilles28:

Lets face it.

Those of us who trade from home aren't immune to the dearth of social contact that defines the life of stay-at-home speculator.

I'm a young 30, but notice my friends in more traditional work enjoy far more opportunity to develop skills that also double for social competency - presentations (public speaking), work comradery (friendships), dealing with assholes (politics). IOW, "real world" experience.

There isn't much of any "real world" (aka social) experience gained by sitting infront of a computer, day-in, day out, punching buttons - except money.

This might not offend or rattle some older traders who spent years in the Corporate trenches having learnt their social lessons.

But for the young guys, like me, who've only worked a few years in the 'real world', I fear my life as a trader will put me squarely behind my peers in terms of social development. I fear being left behind - socially.

How do those of you in a similar predicament address this?

I've seriously considered volunteer work outside market hours. Also, join toastmasters for public speaking.

After that, spend as much free time with friends and family in a social setting, as possible?

My concern is the extra curricular stuff won't be enough to fill the gap?

The goal is to become a well-rounded person.

Lets hear it. :D
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I do believe that people that gravitate towards trading independently, especially the ones who stick with it, are introverted people anyway. I am very introverted, I have to make an extra effort to call my friends and socialize. This solitary profession obviously has its drawbacks, but like anything else if you have the right frame of mind there wouldn't be anything to be worried about at all.


Quote from achilles28:

Lets face it.

Those of us who trade from home aren't immune to the dearth of social contact that defines the life of stay-at-home speculator.

I'm a young 30, but notice my friends in more traditional work enjoy far more opportunity to develop skills that also double for social competency - presentations (public speaking), work comradery (friendships), dealing with assholes (politics). IOW, "real world" experience.

There isn't much of any "real world" (aka social) experience gained by sitting infront of a computer, day-in, day out, punching buttons - except money.

This might not offend or rattle some older traders who spent years in the Corporate trenches having learnt their social lessons.

But for the young guys, like me, who've only worked a few years in the 'real world', I fear my life as a trader will put me squarely behind my peers in terms of social development. I fear being left behind - socially.

How do those of you in a similar predicament address this?

I've seriously considered volunteer work outside market hours. Also, join toastmasters for public speaking.

After that, spend as much free time with friends and family in a social setting, as possible?

My concern is the extra curricular stuff won't be enough to fill the gap?

The goal is to become a well-rounded person.

Lets hear it. :D
More...
 
I play pipes, ya know, Scottish Highland Bagpipes.
I volunteer my musical talent to the local PD and FD, but I've thought about volunteering with the local USMC honor guard based at their recruiting office.
Play funerals for free for the local Marines who gave all.
"The Marine Corps Hymn" on pipes is spooky good, if you can imagine.
 
Quote from IanMacQuaide:

I play pipes, ya know, Scottish Highland Bagpipes...
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I once saw a busker on a street corner with a set of bagpipes and a sign that read "Pay or I Play."
:D
 
Quote from achilles28:

Lets face it.

Those of us who trade from home aren't immune to the dearth of social contact that defines the life of stay-at-home speculator.

I'm a young 30, but notice my friends in more traditional work enjoy far more opportunity to develop skills that also double for social competency - presentations (public speaking), work comradery (friendships), dealing with assholes (politics). IOW, "real world" experience.

There isn't much of any "real world" (aka social) experience gained by sitting infront of a computer, day-in, day out, punching buttons - except money.

This might not offend or rattle some older traders who spent years in the Corporate trenches having learnt their social lessons.

But for the young guys, like me, who've only worked a few years in the 'real world', I fear my life as a trader will put me squarely behind my peers in terms of social development. I fear being left behind - socially.

How do those of you in a similar predicament address this?

I've seriously considered volunteer work outside market hours. Also, join toastmasters for public speaking.

After that, spend as much free time with friends and family in a social setting, as possible?

My concern is the extra curricular stuff won't be enough to fill the gap?

The goal is to become a well-rounded person.

Lets hear it. :D
More...


I long to abandon corporate culture, awkward and meaningless social relationships, corporate dick suckers, and get into intense isolation.

Our world frames everything in terms of skills. Social skills are developed at a young age. I really don't think people further develop their social skills into their 30s.
 
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