In the last 20 years, I always love asking this one question.
“Why do you want to trade?”
Have you ever written down the reasons why you want to become a trader and what your true motivations are?
When you answer this question, only then you’ll become more clear with the goals you wish to achieve and how to achieve them.
Here’s one clichéd answer, I don’t want you to write down…
“I want to make money”.
This answer is lazy, impersonal and it tells you and me nothing about who you are truly, deeply and emotionally.
If you think trading only teaches you one aspect of your life… I believe your eyes are still yet to be opened with the incredible possibilities that trading will bring you.
And so, in this article I’m going to share a few reasons for why people want to trade.
And then, I’ll share a few reasons why I trade…
Here are 5 reasons why people want to trade…
Reason #1: Diversification
“I want to diverse my portfolio with different asset classes. This way I can produce a stream of income through long-term investing via stocks and property, short term trading with Premium MATI Trader and medium term investing through index ETFs.”
Reason #2: Hobby
“I have spare time and money. And what better way than to spend my time trading and making an extra income while doing something I love?”
Reason #3: Monetizing my ‘down-time’
“I’ve earned the same income for the last seven years and now I want to earn an extra income during my off-hours too. For the first time in my life, trading has helped me make money while I’m watching Netflix and spending time with my wife”.
Reason #4: Invest for my family and kids
“Most people depend on portfolio managers and hedge funds to invest their money for their family. I’ve decided to trade the funds I have for my kids instead and take control of the growth of their inheritance through trading.”
Reason #5: Keeps me sharp and well-informed
“Trading might not be making me super rich yet, but I got to tell you this. It is keeping my brain sharp, well-informed and helps with my skills with decision making.”
These are some of the reasons I’ve heard, which have stuck.
Now I want to share with you five extra reasons why I trade…
5 Reasons why I trade!
My reason #1: FREEDOM – Earn your own income when you want
I want the freedom to trade and build an income stream on my own terms, times and conditions.
My reason #2: Independence – Be your own boss
Trading gives me the platform where I am responsible for my own trading results. This gives me full independence where I take pride with my own financial decisions.
It gives me the place where I can grow my portfolio in a way that suits my personality and risk profile to a T.
My reason #3: Extremely fun – New career
Trading is not a job… This means, you don’t have to do it… But rather it’s an extremely productive and fun hobby to make your free time work for you.
This hobby is not like sports or gym where your reward is more on the physical side.
Trading is where you gain many different mental skills and bank a consistent income once you get it right.
My reason #4: Mind control – Control your emotions
Trading well means you have to lose at times. and when you do, you need to be able to cut out the ego and ‘baby tantrum throwing side’ away.
You learn to grow up, develop a thicker skin and become a mature trader.
This is one of the greatest benefits to learning to trade. It gets to the point where, after you’ve taken hundreds of trades, whether you take a loss or bank a profit, you’ll stay content.
You embrace failure with open arms, because you know that it’s one step towards winning.
My reason #5: Life skills – You learn risk, rewards and probabilities
Once you have mastered the four elements to trading success (Markets, Methods, Money and Mind) you develop a very strong understanding of concepts like:
Risk & reward management and probabilities.
This won’t only apply to trading but to almost every aspect in your life. You start taking accountability of events into your life.
Predictions turn into probabilities.
Risk evolves into calculated acceptance. And you start to see things as they are, rather than what you want them to be…
Trade Well,
Timon Rossolimos
Founder, MATI Trader
(Pro trader since 2003)
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