I'm interested in a conducting a bit of a poll.
What motivates you as a trader? Is it the challenge of solving the puzzle the markets represent, the profits, or some combination?
I've personally always been fascinated by the puzzle aspect of trading. Sure, the profits are a motive, but if the puzzle can be solved, or a least tamed a bit, the profits will take care of themselves, I thought.
When I get excited about this, it's the puzzle challenge that has the greater lure vs strictly the dollars. (there are, of course, other aspects such as independence, freedom, self-employment, etc..)
How do the reast of you feel?
Dave
The puzzle, the profits, or both?
-
- Senior Member
- Posts: 41
- Joined: Thu Apr 17, 2003 11:34 am
- Location: Palo Alto, California
-
- Roundtable Knight
- Posts: 344
- Joined: Sun Apr 20, 2003 2:42 pm
- Location: Silicon Valley / San Jose, CA USA
- Contact:
Hi Dave,
I would have to say it's something else for me. I started doing charting at a really young age: my father taught me basic technical analysis when I was five years old, and I was watching the gold futures market. It's really weird when I think about it now, because I don't think any of the other kids were doing things like that.
Maybe because I started at a really young age, trading feels really "natural" and it has no conscious "reason" for me: there is no puzzle per se, there is no "driving desire for profit". It's not like I wake up every day and say, "I gotta figure out this puzzle" or "Let's make lots of money". I just like and enjoy it, and the puzzle and profit are things that are naturally part of the process.
I noticed that the way I view things that I have started very early in life (charting, trading, languages) is very different than the things I started later in life (software programming, golf). I always think about every reason and rule and swing position for golf, and it handicaps my handicap.
Maybe I should have posted in the Trader Psychology forum instead.
Edward
I would have to say it's something else for me. I started doing charting at a really young age: my father taught me basic technical analysis when I was five years old, and I was watching the gold futures market. It's really weird when I think about it now, because I don't think any of the other kids were doing things like that.
Maybe because I started at a really young age, trading feels really "natural" and it has no conscious "reason" for me: there is no puzzle per se, there is no "driving desire for profit". It's not like I wake up every day and say, "I gotta figure out this puzzle" or "Let's make lots of money". I just like and enjoy it, and the puzzle and profit are things that are naturally part of the process.
I noticed that the way I view things that I have started very early in life (charting, trading, languages) is very different than the things I started later in life (software programming, golf). I always think about every reason and rule and swing position for golf, and it handicaps my handicap.
Maybe I should have posted in the Trader Psychology forum instead.
Edward