I know this may sound like a completely ridiculous question, but I do get asked this many times, more often than you’d expect. However, when you think about it and realise there is a great deal of ignorance of even the basics of professional trading, it comes as no real surprise that not many people do trade. Some of this comes from an impression amongst non-traders that trading is extremely risky, and that you need to be ex-tremely fortunate or extremely intellectual to trade successfully, otherwise you will lose the shirt off your back.
It’s true that trading without a plan, and trading without a mentor to as-sist, can take its toll on your bank account, and some people pay for their trading education in this way. But you have the advantage of happening upon this course, which cuts through that learning curve, and allows you to be able to trade effectively sooner.
Remember, investing money or trading is not the same as saving it. To save is to put your money aside without risk, usually with the benefit of interest (well, these used to exist…). In investing or trading, the risks are high and the returns are not guaranteed, but your money has the potential to grow much faster.
Why do we trade? Well of course to make a profit, that’s it, but it’s a little more subtle and a great deal harder than that. Yes, we do it to make a profit, otherwise there would be no point in taking the time and we should all go back to 9 to 5 slavery. I believe that we trade though, because on a deeper level we understand that we are re-sponsible for our own greater wealth and security and want to become responsible for our own futures.
It really angers me how apathetic the general population of the developed world is. Now I am not saying that to provoke – well, perhaps I am – but there is more than a grain of truth in this. The incredible thing is that in this day and age and with all the information and facilities at our command, we should be seeing a move away from apathy to more self reliance and a go-getting generation, but sadly, what I am seeing more of is greater apathy and almost an expectation of instant wealth and success.
For instance, take the example of Jade Goodie, here in the UK, who won Big Brother a few years ago and has managed to amass considerable wealth with her life-style. She has become a role model for the younger generation, despite being well, to put it kindly, if intelligence and grace were leaves on a tree, hers is most definitely bare. This is a resounding example of what some of the new generation look up to and hope to become. A case of wanting their cake, and the icing but not being bothered to even shop for the ingredients, let alone cook the damn thing! I am not saying this out of some holier-than-thou complex. I am not bigger or better than anyone, the only thing that sets me and you apart from some others is a thirst and a desire to search for something better for ourselves and those that we love.
We trade because we can see that to be successful we have to do things for ourselves. You never, ever get rich working for someone else, or paying someone to look after your ISA, IRA or investment fund, pension, retirement fund or what ever you want to call it wherever you live. The products may be different, the end results are the same. What amazes me and really makes me annoyed with the complete idiocy of it all, is that when pensions don’t perform, these very people scream blue murder that they have been hard done by. For crying out loud, can’t these people understand that they are tied to the markets and mostly run on autopilot by some mass trading algorithm! OK, they may not know that much about it, but it’s almost an expectation that the world owes them a living. I know, soap box time, but there are encouraging moves as trading becomes more popular, and I see it as all of our jobs to blow away the myths and bad mouthing that’s as-sociated with traders, trading and how we make money.
Back to the original question. We trade to gain control of our futures and be the only ones responsible for our success and failure. Not many people really want that power, although many feign to seek it, but see that it’s the road less travelled and that there are few out there that can help you along the way. It takes guts to trade, especially for the first time with money that we’ve worked hard at attaining. To many that start trading, it’s a leap of faith; hopefully for you reading this course, there is no need for faith, as you have ability and skill on your side.
