didn’t you blow up your account? And if I recall it was a relatively small account (not one that could support a young family forever).
pretty much yea...trading has been a terrible pursuit for me. We are able to live alright on storage income but keep in mind I have zero debt and live a very frugal lifestyle. I'm not at all claiming to be living high on the hog because I am not. My financial situation is very much stagnant and contains no extravagance. I would have been so much better off financially simply parking my money in the s&p and keeping my job...But I didn't.
More important than money, you are living the life you love instead of holding a job you did not enjoy. If you truly love trading, give yourself time. Start small, find a style that fits your personality, don't bet the farm and you will get there. I am amateur retail, have been at it since 2010. I share your pain and dream.
If you are one of us, the over the hill gang, remember every year is like a 5% drawdown of the time remaining and unlike trading losses, you cannot get this drawdown back.
IMHO, now it's not a good time to either 1) quit a job (that might not be there in a year if you want it back), or 2) rely on a repeat of the last 8 months of trading performance (which, regardless of whether the market ends up or down, will probably look very different). I share your pain and your goal, but I'd advise a bit of caution - and a probation period of an extra year or so. Best luck to you!