What to tell people I do instead of saying Day trading?

Discussion in 'Psychology' started by traderday321, Jul 4, 2022.

  1. Crazy Question - I'm wondering if other traders have run into this? I feel stuck what to say when I get "what do you do for a living"? I really feel like keeping it to myself and not share that I day trade futures for my own account. I want to be minimal, since people associate the word "day trading" to gambling, high risk, etc. I feel it could affect my trading when they claim day trading is risky or don't think its a real job. The reality is that with proper risk management trading can be safer imo than buy and hold investing.
    I really don't feel like justifying myself, especially to those 95% who don't have any clue about the markets and even those few that may have an idea about markets but know very little about trading. Also I've noticed most are just interested in your bottom line/profits, and not really your journey into trading which takes a lot of screen time, analysis, experience, patience, knowledge, losses etc.

    Any input on this?

    Thanks!
     
    learner88 and murray t turtle like this.
  2. Pekelo

    Pekelo

    Short term financial advisor. If they ask for more details, start to use derivative jargon.
     
  3. speedo

    speedo

    My friend Mike Bruns who was a fine trader, unfortunately now passed away, used to say "I'm semi-retired and fool around with computers at home."
     
    Last edited: Jul 4, 2022
    spy, VPhantom, CarolSciurus and 6 others like this.
  4. Bugenhagen

    Bugenhagen

    Never talk about it, especially about profits here if you find a working edge. The people who are faking competence will go mad ;)

    I sometimes say I'm an actor which is a small hobby or I make ice-cream (I have a machine anyway) which seems to satisfy curiosity. I do some stuff with computers is also good.
     
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  5. maxinger

    maxinger

    You don't have confidence in yourself / day trading.
    You don't feel proud to be a day trader.
    you are embarassed to be a day trader.


    You should give up day trading, and do anything other than day trading.

    Then disclose your actual job.
    Then join the relevant non-day trading forum.
     
    Last edited: Jul 4, 2022
  6. easymon1

    easymon1

    What to tell people I do instead of saying Day trading?

    Tell them the truth.
    Justifying yourself is not part of the answer.

    Keep your advice to yourself if you know what's good for ya, lol.
    If it wins, you're just even with their expectations. Even with the board at best.
    If it does no better than a fine win, then you are the goat.
    Fuk dat, lol.

    I day trade. then stfu, or ask how their day went, small talk, bla bla.

    I find more people are interested in talking about the way they invest and trade and don't give a rat's ass what you do beyond small talk in the first place.

    If they ask if you make money and you don't want to say, then ask what they made last year and tell them whether it was more of less than that. They may at that point want to campare johnsons with you too.
     
    Last edited: Jul 4, 2022
  7. Fool around with computers part time is a good one.
     
  8. This is my answer normally to "what do you do?"
    I work remotely as a software dev, I took a salary cut so I can be at home everyday.
    Do not ever tell anyone that you are trading. It leads to many questions that you donĀ“t want/need to answer.
     
  9. Jzwu2017

    Jzwu2017

    Private investment.
     
  10. GotherL

    GotherL

    Just say your an investor. They wouldn't be able to tell difference anyways.
     
    #10     Jul 4, 2022
    Andrea Wylan, VPhantom, jys78 and 2 others like this.