Trading: Emotionally and Spiritually sapping?

[trendie]

I have been trading over 2 years full-time.
Looking back on it, there have been highs and lows.
The money is good. (my target was to replace my old income, plus 50%, at the very least)

However, looking back, I cant help it has been a wasted journey.
I can buy things. Pay bills.
But I havent produced anything of any meaningful value.
Or provided a service another person has benefitted from.
(in comparison to my previous role in IT systems development)

I feel that trading is spiritually sapping, and dont feel that I have achieved anything worthwhile, in the sense others have not benefitted or gained from my trading.
Its totally selfish.

Am I having a crisis of conscience?

EDIT: AAHH! or maybe, I am not making enough money!?! maybe??

 

[Masquerade]

Nothing stops you contributing to society and trading. A lot of jobs have little value.

 

[Paul71]

I have been trading over 2 years full-time.
Looking back on it, there have been highs and lows.
The money is good. (my target was to replace my old income, plus 50%, at the very least)

However, looking back, I cant help it has been a wasted journey.
I can buy things. Pay bills.
But I havent produced anything of any meaningful value.
Or provided a service another person has benefitted from.
(in comparison to my previous role in IT systems development)

I feel that trading is spiritually sapping, and dont feel that I have achieved anything worthwhile, in the sense others have not benefitted or gained from my trading.
Its totally selfish.

Am I having a crisis of conscience?

EDIT: AAHH! or maybe, I am not making enough money!?! maybe??

What you need is a yacht, a great big yacht...with a heli-pad...and some deck shoes...and a mermaid...and some anchor tattoos on your arms...and an old style diving suit...and a stuffed shark...get as much maritime memorabilia as you can...it saved me...it can save you...AHOY THERE!

 

[dealer911]

trading does grind your emotions thats for sure.. but as far as contributing to society I would disagree.
Even a small trader adds to market liquidity which oils the wheels of capitalism which distributes money to businesses and therefore communities... just because capitalism has had a bad name of late it doesnt mean the system doesnt work.. needs to be regulated by an authority with some teeth thats all.Buying things,paying bills etc means you are contributing by creating jobs.. providing the demand side of the equation! I understand why you question the value of what we actually do but there are many ways you can address these issues.. how about doing some voluntary work ? I signed up to act as a mentor to disadvantaged kids about 5 years ago and it has been more rewarding than a good days trading! But I do try to pass on some of the lessons you get from the markets to the kids I have worked with.. risk/reward, how to deal with fear... sounds cheesy i know but if you have the flexible lifestyle of a trader I would give something like this a go.. you'll feel great.

 

[theSheik]

please send spare cash to me to do some good with

money won't necessarily make you happy, but it really does make things a heck of a lot easier!

 

[timsk]

Hi trendie,
I've agonised over this in the past too. However, as others have commented already, there are all kinds of things you can do to get around the issue, starting off with changing your mindset. Beyond putting a roof over our heads, food on the table and tending the sick, most jobs are either non essential or even down right spurious.When did you last see anyone from the weapons industry or the tobacco industry having a 'crisis of confidence'! Now, you do your bit for the environment by not going to work in your car each day and you generously gave someone else the opportunity of employment when you left your old IT job. You help support market liquidity and help remunerate your underpaid and overworked broker, data provider and ISP provider etc. Tehe! As dealer 911 says, if that's not enough for you, voluntary work and / or giving some of your profits to charity (that you couldn't afford to give when you were an IT man) would surely make you feel better about yourself. If you were a brilliant surgeon and you knew that patients would probably die if you resigned to pursue a career in trading - then you might have more to worry about. As it is . . .

Tim.

 

[zigglewigler]

Nothing stops you contributing to society and trading. A lot of jobs have little value.

MOST jobs have little value.

Who the hell needs a nail bar? How many shoes does my girlfriend really need? People keep trying to sell me a better cell phone, but my old one still seems to allow me to talk.

All these people employed in peddling non-essentials.

Trading the markets is pure capitalism, without the shop front, the staff, the suit you sir, please come again, the stock that moves around on polluting ships and lorries, etc etc.

Be content that you make your money in the digital realm, with no commuting and little infrastructure weighing you and society down.

You are one of the greenest and meanest workers on earth.

trendie, go fill a glass half way up and contemplate....

 

[shadowninja]

I have been trading over 2 years full-time.
Looking back on it, there have been highs and lows.
The money is good. (my target was to replace my old income, plus 50%, at the very least)

However, looking back, I cant help it has been a wasted journey.
I can buy things. Pay bills.
But I havent produced anything of any meaningful value.
Or provided a service another person has benefitted from.
(in comparison to my previous role in IT systems development)

I feel that trading is spiritually sapping, and dont feel that I have achieved anything worthwhile, in the sense others have not benefitted or gained from my trading.
Its totally selfish.

Am I having a crisis of conscience?

EDIT: AAHH! or maybe, I am not making enough money!?! maybe??

Don't take this the wrong way, but that is a pretty stupid post.

Do I really have to tell you why?

 

[jtc172]

Are you trading alone at home?
This is very boring and beats you even more, get involved with an active chat room, interact with traders on a daily basis, exchange views. I enrolled on a program where this is possible and it put a smile back on trading afetr beating myself up

 

[donaldduke]

I feel that trading is spiritually sapping, and dont feel that I have achieved anything worthwhile, in the sense others have not benefitted or gained from my trading.
Its totally selfish.

Up your size so can make more and then give it away, or spend less hours trading and do some thing else if you think that is more worthwhile.

For example if you are trading at £10 a point at the moment, then aim to double this every year so. In 3 years you could be at £80 a point and 10 years from now at £1000 a point.

Then you can give away to good causes most of the profits you make from trading..

 

[gfrost]

Trendie,
You bring up a really important point about how much value your job has. Many people think that just a job with lots of money is all they need, but this is not the case.
I had a period at work, I am in IT, where the work just disappeared and I went to work and didn't do anything all day but surf, and watch the markets of course, but I had a really empty feeling at the end of the day, knowing that I had not done anything "constructive".
I know exactly what you mean when you talk about achievement, but as other posters mention maybe you just need to look at it from another angle, not least of which, you are winning which puts you in a very exclusive club.

Good Luck

Graham

 

[oiltanker]

i feel i am doing god's work.

 

[oiltanker]

actually anything that brings money into the uk has to be good.

the privateers of old used to go after spanish galleons and bring the money back to the uk. They got knighthoods.

 

[shadowninja]

I think we'd get in trouble for attack French and Spanish fishing boats.

 

[mb325]

I don't really get it. I must have a prickish personality type cos I would feel no guilt whatsoever if no-one else gained from my trading. Obviously if i became consistently profitable I would take care of the nearest and dearest but I don't see why anyone else should benefit anymore than in the ways which Timsk and others have outlined.

 

[trendie]

I've thought about this a bit more. along with some excellent insights via PM. (references to narcotics notwithstanding :cheesy: )

I think its because in a normal career, you earn more because your peers give you a pay rise.
they have deemed you to be worthy of more money.
In trading, I effectively decide my own worth. and weirdly, my inability to trade above a certain size may mean I have issues about what I am "entitled" to from the market. This, in addition to the unproductive and selfish nature of the job.

I suppose its the lack of feedback from peers. This is a surprising thought from me, as I never thought I needed others to compliment me or acknowledge my abilities.
I wonder if this is what makes people have journals?

I do trade from home. and I think donalddukes advice makes most sense to me.
thanks for all replies so far.

 

[Trader333]

MOST jobs have little value.

Well we could always go for the solution that was given in "Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy" where they put all those involved in non essential work (or anyone classed as a "middleman"), on a spaceship and sent them off into the universe.

Those in this category were the likes of Hairdressers, Second Hand Car Salesmen, Stockbrokers, Bankers, Telephone Sanitation Engineers etc

Unfortunately those who were left all died from a disease caught when using a telephone


Paul

 

[CTC7]

Dear Trendie,
I sympathize with you entirely. Over the course of my 20 years as a trader, I would sometimes feel that all I have to show for my accomplishment is money in my account. I assure you that the feeling does not diminish with increased revenue. Even in the years when my trading income is in the 7 figures, there is sometimes a sense that I have nothing to physically see as the results of my labor.

We all like to feel a sense of accomplishment. Have you ever cleaned you garage or cut your lawn and then go back and look at it time and again? It’s a great feeling of accomplishment when your muscles ache a bit after doing these things and being able to see the tangible results of your labor.
In trading, we may not be able to go back and see our accomplishments like a carpenter who built a bookcase can. But we can use our trading profits to fund the building of physical structures, like schools, or to feed hungry children and dig clean water wells.

Jesus tells us in Matthew 25:35-41:
“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'
"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'
"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'

Set a goal to fund a particular building project or to provide enough food to feed a certain amount of children using your trading profits. I assure you, when you reach THAT goal, you will feel a renewed sense of achievement!

 

[donaldduke]

Oxford University academic pledges to give to charity all yearly earnings above £20,000 for the rest of his career.

"I was living very happily as a student and worked out what I'd need to continue living like that through my life - or a little bit better, to allow some room for improvement - and then I worked out how much I could do with that amount of money.

Dr Ord said said he was happy with his life and did not mind missing out on material wealth in the future.

He said he had a "wonderful wife", and enjoyed books and seeing places and people.

"I've got all of that and I just miss out on these various extras of having a bigger house or something like that. But that doesn't really bother me," he added.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8360098.stm

 

[Windowsill]

I have been trading over 2 years full-time.
Looking back on it, there have been highs and lows.
The money is good. (my target was to replace my old income, plus 50%, at the very least)

However, looking back, I cant help it has been a wasted journey.
I can buy things. Pay bills.
But I havent produced anything of any meaningful value.
Or provided a service another person has benefitted from.
(in comparison to my previous role in IT systems development)

I feel that trading is spiritually sapping, and dont feel that I have achieved anything worthwhile, in the sense others have not benefitted or gained from my trading.
Its totally selfish.

Am I having a crisis of conscience?

EDIT: AAHH! or maybe, I am not making enough money!?! maybe??

Redistribution of wealth.....think Robin Hood.
Spend it!