5% of traders make it?

I disagree completely with your original premise that "Trading profitably is easier than you’re led to believe".

Regardless of what the true percentage of profitable traders is there will always be people who believe they could be in that percentage regardless of what anyone tells them, even if it was as low as 0.001%. Conversely, there will always be people who are actually in the other group and find it extremely difficult, even if the true percentage of profitable traders is 90%. There is no way it is purely a mindset issue. I know this from practical experience, anecdotal and empirical data.

Stories of people trying and failing to make money from the markets are as old as the hills, don't you think the cat would be out of the bag by now if it was as simple as you make out? You can't pull the wool over peoples eyes for that long, especially if they see their neighbour, brother, sister, friend etc driving a fancy new car every couple of years.
 
I disagree completely with your original premise that "Trading profitably is easier than you’re led to believe".

Regardless of what the true percentage of profitable traders is there will always be people who believe they could be in that percentage regardless of what anyone tells them, even if it was as low as 0.001%. Conversely, there will always be people who are actually in the other group and find it extremely difficult, even if the true percentage of profitable traders is 90%. There is no way it is purely a mindset issue. I know this from practical experience, anecdotal and empirical data.

Stories of people trying and failing to make money from the markets are as old as the hills, don't you think the cat would be out of the bag by now if it was as simple as you make out? You can't pull the wool over peoples eyes for that long, especially if they see their neighbour, brother, sister, friend etc driving a fancy new car every couple of years.

Hi new_trader,

I don't state it is 'as simple as I make out', please direct me to where I have stated this if that be the case. You're missing the point entirely and instead putting words in my posts that clearly are not there.

I'm merely stating as I have done in all these posts that it is easier than we are told. Again that its not just a 95% fail scenario but in fact rates more like 24% win (on average over a time period of a year as per the huge amount of data compiled and verified by the sources I mention in the opening post).

Naturally there will always be people that cannot for whatever reason achieve the same success as others and of course it is no way just a mindset issue. But again, I'm not talking the exceptions here nor I am talking about individual experiences such as yours and how you describe them.

There is no 'cat out the bag' thing going on here. If one can trade, then trade, if not find some other vocation in life - unless of course its just for fun then that's totally different. Is it really a secret that you can open a business and be successful financially at it or is it purely down to luck, obviously bad luck has a part to play but in most cases its bad judgement, not luck that plays the vital part in failure - people will not want to hear that as they see it as a personal attack and is why only a few succeed out of the many. People see other people driving fancy new cars all the time but it seldom pushes them to change career or do something different. It rarely even prompts people to say, 'how do I get a job at your place mate' or ask the boss for a pay rise or more responsibility to enable such a rise. Instead I find the large majority of people use lines such as, they're lucky, they work hard etc but yet fail to do or recognise the same. In fact, they are probably working just as hard maybe? In fact some people simply don't want the extra responsibility or change of jobs, they're simply happy where they are and in that instance, its fine. I'm pointing at those that want more and are prepared to give more. Not the ones who want more but can't be bothered. And there are plenty of them around us.

I could work hard all day at painting pictures but I would not (necessarily) be as successful as a painter who could paint well. (I can't paint by the way). But yet I could easily look at the colleague and think it was luck as to why he sold more or that he works harder at it than me. In this scenario that would not be the case, its just simply that I am not as good as verified or described by the public at the time - I won't mention Van Gough here.

So I stand by my original comment that 'trading profitably is easier than we are led to believe'. But I respect that you disagree completely with this statement.

Lets also remember that percentages are a guideline and on average. They don't comply to individuals. Just like when we trade (as I assume you do but I may be wrong), we don't get 3 losses then 7 winners just because our stats say we get a 70% hit rate. A room full of people may produce all failing traders whereas another room may produce several winners. By default some will make it, those who work at it though have a higher chance to succeed.

I look at some people who want to be traders and they put in part time hours or/and half a5sed efforts expecting to 'beat the big boys'. Lets face it, its unlikely its going to happen. (over time of course). But we can understand that the odds are not as stacked against us as we are led to believe. Further info on this will be released through the summer with the recent ESMA rulings on transparency. Although if anyone has any early releases from their brokers, throw them across.
 
Lee, you're right, I am missing your point.

..24% win instead of only 5%...even if 'win' means having 1 penny more in your account after 12 months of trading. That's great news for everyone who currently thinks they are in the 95% group.
 
Lee, you're right, I am missing your point.

..24% win instead of only 5%...even if 'win' means having 1 penny more in your account after 12 months of trading. That's great news for everyone who currently thinks they are in the 95% group.

Hi mate,

You could be right. It could be as much as a penny. :LOL:

You know that’s unlikely though right?

Although the statement is that for the year 2017 and over 380,000 European accounts, 24% of those were profitable. I don’t know any more detail than that but I doubt it’s by pennies.

If someone is struggling and someone comes along and says it’s easier than they imagine to be profitable, I understand completely that the person would see it as a personal attack on their ability. But again, I’m not addressing any individual, just the general public. That’s why they publish these figures to ESMA in the first place. But yet we still see bounced around 95% fail.
 
Lee, you're right, I am missing your point.

..24% win instead of only 5%...even if 'win' means having 1 penny more in your account after 12 months of trading. That's great news for everyone who currently thinks they are in the 95% group.

Hi NT

That’s why I suggested it was personal - for someone who had a goal to break-even for the year 1 penny profit is a triumph, for someone relying on their trading as their sole source of income it’s a disaster.
 
The stats dont really matter because they are comprised of varying approaches to the market. Seems to me that this question is always asked in context to the likelihood of being in the winning group. The problem is even in this winning group the strategies are different so it comes back to the strategy being used instead of a win loss bucketing categorisation. Of course this is a rather simplistic assessment because in reality its also down to the execution of the method which additionally has a success loss factor based on individuality.

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk
 
I think trading is like any other profession, you have to put the work to succeed, it is not harder or easier than let's say becoming a doctor or a lawyer or an engineer for example...
 
I think trading is like any other profession, you have to put the work to succeed, it is not harder or easier than let's say becoming a doctor or a lawyer or an engineer for example...

I think the heart pumps blood around the body, what is your opinion?

People should always trade with a stop.

Technical analysis is better than Fundamental analysis.

A 1 minute timeframe is better than a 5 minute timeframe.

Indicators are useful.

What's your opinion on these? ( Let the arguments begin :LOL: )
 
I think the heart pumps blood around the body, what is your opinion?

People should always trade with a stop.

Technical analysis is better than Fundamental analysis.

A 1 minute timeframe is better than a 5 minute timeframe.

Indicators are useful.

What's your opinion on these? ( Let the arguments begin :LOL: )


Yes
Yes
No
No
No
Here you go :)
 
I am more scared now that I was at any point since I began trading, because I recognize how ephemeral success can be in this business. I know that to be successful, I have to be frightened. My biggest hits have always come after I have had a great period and I started to think that I knew something.
Paul Tudor Jones
 
I think the heart pumps blood around the body, what is your opinion?

People should always trade with a stop.

Technical analysis is better than Fundamental analysis.

A 1 minute timeframe is better than a 5 minute timeframe.

Indicators are useful.

What's your opinion on these? ( Let the arguments begin :LOL: )

Now you’re just taking the p1ss. You know technical analysis is just gobbledygook. Now there’s a word for ya.

The derailment has begun. :LOL:
 
Everything is hindsight in trading, EVERYTHING.imo.

With TA we look at the hard right edge the new CANDLE with respect to what's behind it.

With FUNDIES always looking at last quarter as though that portends the future too.

Can't get around trading in HINDSIGHT. That's only "sight" we have!
 
I am more scared now that I was at any point since I began trading, because I recognize how ephemeral success can be in this business. I know that to be successful, I have to be frightened. My biggest hits have always come after I have had a great period and I started to think that I knew something.
Paul Tudor Jones

Hi piphoe,

This is a good statement. I often echo similar words myself.

I’m more scared of when on a winning streak as I know it won’t last, however, always after a big loss I have an even bigger win and therefore feel a lot more relaxed after write downs. Even my friends notice I party like no tomorrow after a big loss. I lost £16.5k the other week in one day, I was out like ‘hey, I’ve just won a million dollars’. :LOL:

I think Paul Tudor Jones said it better though.
 
Everything is hindsight in trading, EVERYTHING.imo.

With TA we look at the hard right edge the new CANDLE with respect to what's behind it.

With FUNDIES always looking at last quarter as though that portends the future too.

Can't get around trading in HINDSIGHT. That's only "sight" we have!

Right now I gotcha. Fundamentals should work in foresight (similar to TA) and is a big misconception.

Let me give you an example:

In TA you look at the left hand side and draw a conclusion or estimate to what will be printed on the right side.

With FA you look at future reports and expectations to gauge what will happen next.

Let me elaborate further on that:

You check the weather forecast to determine if you will have a barbecue. This is also how supermarkets plan their deliveries of fresh foods. Of course it doesn’t always play out and there is typically always some waste (like a traders loss).
 
In simple terms technical analysis is like driving a car while staring at the rear view mirror. You can see where you've been but haven't a hope in hell judging where you are going next.

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This is the thing i take exception with:

"With FA you look at future reports and expectations to gauge what will happen next. "

Can't read read future reports because they are in the future, just like the next candle IS beyond the current one that's still forming. You can read the report that just past, and act on it but that's hindsight. Like trading the LAST CANDLE.
 
This is the thing i take exception with:

"With FA you look at future reports and expectations to gauge what will happen next. "

Can't read read future reports because they are in the future, just like the next candle IS beyond the current one that's still forming. You can read the report that just past, and act on it but that's hindsight. Like trading the LAST CANDLE.

What he means is you read reports that provide context to where things are and how those things are affecting future plans. It's like reading the latest central bank statement and deriving a tone that points to the future direction of policy. The expectations of future moves then drive price.

There is another element to this actually and that is immediate information that has short term implications on price. Inflation data for example comes out with a deviation of expectations.

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk
 
"What he means is you read reports that provide context to where things are and how those things are affecting future plans.The expectations of future moves then drive price."

Like last 5 mins or 4hrs or whatever of candles provide expectations of future moves in TA?

Nothing is for sure, but you argue FA is reliable??
 
"What he means is you read reports that provide context to where things are and how those things are affecting future plans.The expectations of future moves then drive price."

Like last 5 mins or 4hrs or whatever of candles provide expectations of future moves in TA?

Nothing is for sure, but you argue FA is reliable??

Nothing like candles over whatever time period. They are just a print of price nothing more. How do you know if price poking through support is going to have legs using only candles? With FA you will have insight at least as to any factors that may be affecting price and this provides a more reliable signal. Ask yourself this, if TA was all you needed then why doesn't the institutions save billions on news terminals and analysts. Why does bloomberg or cnbc even exist if all that's needed is candle analysis?

If price pokes through support in fx do you take the trade?

I would only take it if there is news driving the move and the currency pair involved have deviating sentiment. So maybe the losing currency posted soft employment numbers and the winning currency posted better than expected inflation data. If none of that happens then I would just sit on my hands while you are hoping price to move when there is zero underlying reason for it.

So yes FA is more reliable by a long stretch.



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FXX you’re bang on the money.

Piphoe, think of TA like this: regarding looking at a chart

I see a guy with a stack of money in his pocket walking down the road, he’s stopped in several hardware shops but not bought anything yet, where is his next stop?

Now he could be hungry and stop off at an eatery or quit and go home, that’s traders loss for you. But more than likely he willl go to the next hardware store.

This is predictive behaviour. Businesses use it all the time, hence when you look at your you tube recommendations, it’s most likely different to your mates. They’re not always right but more right than wrong. And this is how you make money.
 
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