I'm one of those who has been a "beginner for years." I guess my case may differ from many here at ET who have long harbored hopes of trading for a living some day. During my nearly nine years as a beginner, I never considered "trading for a living ." I can only imagine how miserable I might have become had I been trying and failing to achieve that goal for nine years.
For the last several months, since finding the straight line threads, and admittedly having been inspired by reading and watching fortydraws's progress and the diligence that game, in his journal, has applied to the process of learning to how the markets work and how to trade them, I have come to consider that "trading for a living" may not be all that far-fetched of a possibility for me. So I have set to work, embraced "the whole trading plan nonsense" and I am ready to start trading, for the first time since I first funded an account specifically for active trading in May 2005, with a plan and an objective.
I would add that I hope also to retain the necessary humility to put my plan in action, to stick to it, and not to second guess it. Toward that end, I have added a morning viewing of Mark Douglas's WizeTV video to my routine, as per nodoji's instructions to another trader here at ET.
As you have noted in other threads, dbphoenix, there is "Gold" here at ET for those who wish to learn how to develop and trade a consistently profitable trading plan. For many, however, it would seem so much damage has been done that they lack the ability to see the gold, much less to distinguish it from the vast amount of fool's gold laying about, and some are so far gone as to even doubt that gold exists.
I am taking the time to post this because I want people such nodoji and yourself, those like you who do share their knowledge and experience here at ET, to know that while many may disparage you, there are at likely just as many, if not more, who silently appreciate your efforts. And as you yourself know, as a result of what you and nodoji offer here for free, a few actually do raise themselves to the task and succeed. I do intend to start a journal here at ET. A lot of the work that the journal helps one accomplish has been done. But I will do so, both as a way of "paying it forward" by being an example of what you teach as a necessary part of the process (hopefully a good example), and also as a way of giving me some sense of "accountability" to someone, anyone beyond myself, I will journal here at ET as I ready to put my trading plan into action.
