I'd like to concur with some of the posters in this thread.
5-10 years of grueling, constant study (with no guarantee you'll pan out).
I do 1-2 trades/day per instrument.
I am either done or orders are locked in by 10-11am EST.
At first I wanted to *trade*, I had a more work + more complexity = more $ complex.
Now, while I am still obsessed with trading, and finance in general, I've arrived at a less is more point. It makes sense really. As long as there is a 5-10 year learning curve, and only a few make it at that, I suspect things will remain approximately the same.
I now see the value of: Low commissions, Low required time consumption, Low stress.
I doubt it is the most profitable method, and blowups due to mismanaged risk or loss of control are possible, but it seems very robust and long-living in nature so far.
It was actually more enjoyable trying to "crack the code" than having a workable long-term approach. It's like slaving after a material item you have put on a pedestal, and the harder and longer you work to get it, the more satisfaction you realize you were getting before you obtained it. After you obtain it, things change drastically.
