Why I Started My Trading Journey
From pandemic desperation to discovering a passion for markets - my honest story of what really motivated me to learn trading.
The "Aha" Moment That Wasn't
I first stumbled into trading back in 2015. It started with an ebook on how to open a CDS account and flashy ads claiming I could “make $500 a day from my phone in just 10 minutes!” I got curious. So I jumped in, buying and selling stocks with barely any knowledge. I followed hype, bought IPOs based on rumors, and hoped for the best. Needless to say, it didn’t go well. I was consistently losing, and eventually, I gave up. Around the same time, I started building my honey business instead. It felt more stable, more real.
Fast forward to 2020. When Covid hit, my business was struggling. Supply chains were disrupted, delivery delays everywhere, and I felt stuck. That’s when the temptation of quick money came back,stronger than ever. The idea of making income online, from home, felt like the perfect solution. So yeah, I fell for it. Hard.
I bought a few courses that promised "secret strategies" and "low-risk high-reward setups". I was all in emotionally and financially. Within two weeks, my entire $300 emergency fund was gone.
But here's the strange part,despite the losses, I couldn’t walk away. It wasn’t the dream of fast money that kept me hooked this time. It was the market itself. The way price moved. The emotions behind every candle.The push and pull of fear and greed playing out on a chart in real time.
That’s when I discovered futures trading and this time, I stuck around. Not because I thought I’d get rich overnight. But because something clicked. I wanted to understand this game for real.And that’s how my real trading journey began.
The Real Reason I Stuck Around
After that initial disaster, I almost walked away from trading for good.But something unexpected kept pulling me back. While I was running my honey business during the pandemic, I started noticing patterns , not on charts, but in real life.
At first, Covid-19 disrupted everything. Stock ran low, deliveries slowed down, and I had to make tough calls to keep things going. Then, something shifted. Demand for natural remedies like honey surged. People were desperate for anything that could help with coughs and fevers. My products, especially the more rare ones, started flying off the shelves. Prices went up, and stock became harder to get.
It was basic supply and demand, but seeing it play out in real life made me realize that markets weren't just random numbers on a screen. They reflected real human behavior and economic forces.
The Slow Burn Approach
Instead of jumping back into trading immediately, I spent about six months just learning. And I mean really learning, not just watching YouTube videos titled "How I Made $1000 in One Day."
Setting Realistic Goals (Finally)
When I finally decided to try trading again, I set very different goals:
The Reality of Starting Small
Let me be honest about what those early days looked like. It wasn't glamorous at all.
I was making trades with 10-20 shares of stock at a time. My profits and losses were measured in single digits. Some days I'd make $3, other days I'd lose $7. My friends thought I was crazy for spending so much time and energy on such small amounts.
But those small trades taught me invaluable lessons about managing emotions, following my plan, and dealing with both winning and losing. When you're only risking $20 on a trade, you can think more clearly than when your rent money is on the line.
I also discovered that I genuinely enjoyed the analytical side of trading. I liked studying charts, reading about economic indicators, and trying to understand market psychology. Even on days when I lost money, I often felt like I was learning something valuable.
The Motivation That Kept Me Going
Beyond the potential financial benefits, I found that trading was teaching me skills that applied to other areas of my life:
Looking Back Now
Six years later, I'm not driving a Lamborghini (well at least not yet), but I have built something much more valuable: a skill set that generates consistent supplemental income and the confidence that comes from developing expertise in something challenging.
My initial motivation was financial desperation, but what kept me going was discovering that I genuinely enjoyed the process of learning about markets and human behavior. The money became secondary to the personal growth and intellectual challenge.
The Unexpected Benefits
Some things I never anticipated when I started this journey:
Why Am I Sharing This?
I'm telling you this story because I want you to understand that successful trading rarely starts with pure profit motivation. The people who stick with it long enough to develop real skills are usually driven by curiosity, personal growth, or a desire for independence rather than just wanting quick money.
If you're considering trading, ask yourself: Are you interested in the process itself, or just the potential outcomes? Are you prepared to spend months or even years developing skills before seeing consistent profits?
There's no wrong answer, but being honest about your motivations will help you approach trading with realistic expectations and better chances of long-term success.
Key Takeaways
- Initial failure can be the foundation for eventual success if you learn from it
- Real motivation often comes from personal experiences and deeper needs for security
- Taking time to educate yourself properly is crucial before risking real money
- Starting small allows you to learn emotional control without devastating losses
- Trading teaches valuable life skills beyond just making money
- Success in trading is based on merit and skill, not connections or background
- The most sustainable motivation comes from enjoying the learning process itself
- Honest self-assessment of your motivations leads to more realistic expectations
What motivated you to learn about trading? Was it financial necessity, intellectual curiosity, or something else entirely? I'd love to hear your story in the comments below!
We'll dive into understanding market hours and global trading sessions – because timing really can be everything in trading.