When I first found short-term trading, before the internet and before the term day-trader was invented, I was hooked. I was on my way to a PhD and said “skip that”. So… I have no room to talk when I ask the question with maybe a hint of perjorativeness…. but then again maybe I do.

Back then, in 1993 – 1994, it wasn’t easy to be a short-term trader. I mean very few people had access to quotes or commission rates that would make it remotely possible. Hardly anyone outside of the neighborhood of LaSalle and VanBuren in Chicago even remotely knew what I was talking about. Almost everyone I was trading with had been on the floor of the exchange. In fact, that was really the only way into any kind of short term trading for a living. It was a small and relatively privileged group.

Enter the internet and brokers and traders who want to make some money off of teaching other people supposedly how to trade and now way too many people say “All I want to be is a day-trader”.

It isn’t for the money. The vast majority lose. So what is it?

I believe I know the answer – and it isn’t the lip-service ideas about gambling or thrill. It might be not having a boss or employees but I think it goes deeper than that… What do you think?

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