Where I've been... where I'm headed...

They say persistence is a critical quality found in master traders. I can definitely attest to this. It has been over 10 years now since I first took interest in anything financial. But that's ok, because I'm still here. My account has gone bust a few times, but that's ok too -- I see that as part of my required trader tuition.

Back in the day, I thought I was a hotshot because I understood and traded stock options -- the wild and frenetic game that mixed a little math with a little more risk and was sure to payout big. And it did for me... although it was a bit of a roller coaster at times. When the internet bubble popped, I realized that anyone with even a basic understanding of markets could have made a buck. In other words, I was on the bandwagon with most other traders riding the coaster up the big mountain and rolling it hand-over-fist. Trading seemed very easy and I couldn't understand why everyone wasn't doing this.

But at some point, reality set in and I realized that I didn't have a solid plan anymore. Market dynamics changed dramatically after the bubble burst. Nothing worked consistently and trading became "difficult" to me. Was it beginners luck? I couldn't believe that -- after all that theory has about as much merit as the Super Bowl Indicator. I became disenchanted with the markets, and with constantly defending the ever-declining account balance with my better half.

After some time off to let my brain percolate, I began to venture out into the jungle again. Through various research and new friend connections, I began to study the markets from a different perspective. I came to the realization that the US Markets are like a tiny pinpoint of highly-regulated activity. The broader universe of trading markets was becoming visible on my radar, and it was scary, exhilarating and overwhelming all at the same time. Since that realization, I have spent 100% of my trading research focused on finding my niche in the global trading marketplace. I believe there are millions of opportunities in this marketplace, and I will only need a handful in my toolbox to succeed.

Fast forward to 2001. All that fun in the bedroom has given me the most wonderful and life-changing experience -- we call her "Caroline." She's made of sugar + spice + everything nice. Not sure what I was supposed to do, and didn't even know who I could ask directions of if I wanted to. Thankfully, my better half had this all figured out (apparently) and she also had a plan. Her plan has worked so far, and in fact today I have two munchkins, both very female. Caty was born in 2007 and brought her own attitude to boot. Gotta love family dynamics -- I bet God sits up in the clouds and watches our lives play out like an entertaining sitcom.

Now that baby-making is on hold for the time being... I'm trying to refocus on trading. But this time the objectives are different because now I'm a daddy. I can no longer take the wild and uncalculated risks of a newlywed haphazardly gambling away his precious bachelor-stake. I've become a warrior, and my objectives are now to slay dragons and save my Princesses. We men are cutout to do this stuff instinctively, but it definitely isn't "easy" as I once thought.

There is another dynamic at play here as well. In most of the trading magazines I read, I've noticed that many (most?) professional traders seem to be NOT family men (sidenote: not trying to be a chauvinist, but to my knowledge hardly ANY women are pro-traders). In other words, the survival mode that we men have is now strongly invested in developing and protecting my family. This means I must hold down a steady job, be a good father, and hopefully a great husband. Somehow in that mix I need to also find the energy to develop myself into a trading warrior. I must learn how to fight smarter and optimize if I plan to get ahead.

The purpose of this blog is twofold. Firstly, I plan to document my learning methods and hold myself accountable through this public forum. I'm not sure why this is true, but men seem to have a very difficult time admitting when they are wrong. I need to fix that because unwillingness to admit and identify faults could impair my ability to become an expert trader. Secondly, I need to give back to the community in order to fully realize my own potential. This is part of my personal being, and I believe it is critical for growth.