Why Is Day Trading So Difficult? - Traders Log (2024)

By Bennett McDowell

There are three main reasons why day trading is so difficult:

1) When day trading, trading time is compressed. Losses and wins come at you faster and more often which requires a mature, developed psychology to properly handle that kind of instantaneous feedback in such a short period of time.

2) You must develop the psychology not to be seduced by the open market. Trading must remain emotionless and objective.

3) Your day trading results can be highly impacted by trading at higher time frames and the shorter your time frame, the greater this effect will have on you.

The psychology of day trading requires you to not let a string of losses or wins that occur in a short period of time affect your mental state. A frail ego or mind will not do well in handling the results of immediate trade feedback in such a compressed amount of time. It will be too over whelming and may cause incredible frustration and a feeling of hopelessness. This is why position trading using daily charts is recommend for new traders because it allows them time to absorb trade feedback in a manner they can handle while they get a grasp of their trading results.

The open market can be quite seductive especially to the new trader. Day trading requires that you make trading decisions based on sound judgment and analysis void of emotion. New traders that day trade have a tendency to become seduced by the excitement of the open markets and therefore often become emotional traders acting on impulse rather than sound analysis and judgment.

When comparing day trading to position trading, it is easy to see that position trading requires using higher time frame charts like the sixty minute, daily, weekly, and even in some cases the monthly chart. If you are position trading using a daily chart you don’t have many time frames above you that could impact your trading. Compare this to day trading where many time frame are above you. If you are day trading using a one minute chart for example, you have the three, five, ten, fifteen, thirty, forty five, sixty, daily, and weekly traders above you. As a one minute trader you have many traders above you that can throw off your trading approach no matter how good it is. As a position trader, you may have only the weekly and monthly traders above you who do not trade that often.

The differences between day trading and position trading can be as distinct as the difference between day and night. Your success will all depend on your psychology, trading abilities, skills, and your aptitude. As a new trader you will more than likely need to walk before you run, and believe me, day trading is running!

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Why Is Day Trading So Difficult? - Traders Log (2024)

FAQs

Why Is Day Trading So Difficult? - Traders Log? ›

1) When day trading, trading time is compressed. Losses and wins come at you faster and more often which requires a mature, developed psychology to properly handle that kind of instantaneous feedback in such a short period of time. 2) You must develop the psychology not to be seduced by the open market.

Why do 90% of day traders fail? ›

Most new traders lose because they can't control the actions their emotions cause them to make. Another common mistake that traders make is a lack of risk management. Trading involves risk, and it's essential to have a plan in place for how you will manage that risk.

Why is it so hard to be a day trader? ›

Why Is Day Trading So Hard? Day trading is challenging due to its fast-paced nature and the complexity of the financial markets. It requires traders to make quick decisions based on real-time information, which can be overwhelming, especially in volatile market conditions.

How much money do day traders with $10,000 accounts make per day on average? ›

Assuming they make ten trades per day and taking into account the success/failure ratio, this hypothetical day trader can anticipate earning approximately $525 and only risking a loss of about $300 each day. This results in a sizeable net gain of $225 per day.

Is day trading really that hard? ›

Day trading is tough. A University of Berkeley study found that 75% of day traders quit within two years. The same study found that the majority of trades, up to 80%, are unprofitable. While some day traders end up successful and make a lot of money, they are the exception rather than the norm.

What is the biggest mistake day traders make? ›

Here are 10 of the most common trading mistakes made by traders.
  • Unrealistic expectations. ...
  • Trading without a trading plan. ...
  • Failure to cut losses. ...
  • Risking more than you can afford. ...
  • Reward/risk ratios. ...
  • Averaging down or adding to a losing position. ...
  • Leveraging too much. ...
  • Trying to anticipate news events or trends.
Mar 31, 2023

Is it true that most day traders lose money? ›

Risks of day trading

Some did slightly better than others, with the best pundit achieving a 68% accuracy rate (and the worst an accuracy rate of 22%). Success rates among average traders are even lower, with some estimates suggesting the number of people that lose money is as high as 95%.

How realistic is it to be a day trader? ›

While there is no guarantee that you will make money or be able to predict your average rate of return over any period, there are strategies that you can master to help you lock in gains while minimizing losses. It takes discipline, capital, patience, training, and risk management to be a successful day trader.

How much do rich day traders make? ›

Day Trader Salary
Annual SalaryMonthly Pay
Top Earners$185,000$15,416
75th Percentile$105,500$8,791
Average$96,774$8,064
25th Percentile$56,500$4,708

Can you make $200 a day day trading? ›

A common approach for new day traders is to start with a goal of $200 per day and work up to $800-$1000 over time. Small winners are better than home runs because it forces you to stay on your plan and use discipline. Sure, you'll hit a big winner every now and then, but consistency is the real key to day trading.

Can you day trade with 100 dollars? ›

Can You Start Trading With $100? Yes, you can technically start trading with $100 but it depends on what you are trying to trade and the strategy you are employing. Depending on that, brokerages may ask for a minimum deposit in your account that could be higher than $100.

Can I make 1000 per day from trading? ›

Earning Rs. 1000 per day in the share market requires knowledge, discipline, and a well-defined strategy. Whether you choose day trading, swing trading, fundamental analysis, or any other approach, remember that success takes time and effort. The share market can be highly rewarding but carries inherent risks.

Can you live off day trading? ›

In summary, if you want to make a living from day trading, your odds are probably around 4% with adequate capital and investing multiple hours every day honing your method over six months or more (once you have a method to even work on).

Can anyone be good at day trading? ›

Day traders' earnings vary widely based on experience, skill level, trading strategy, and market conditions. Some may earn a substantial income, while others may not be as successful. It's important to note that day trading involves significant risk and is not suitable for everyone.

How long does it take to become a decent day trader? ›

Like any other endeavor you seek to master, you must be a good student and diligently practice daily. Not to be dismal, but only about 4% of people will make it as successful day traders. Further, it takes about six months to a year of hard work before seeing those consistent profits.

Why 95% of traders lose money? ›

The emotional aspect of trading often leads to irrational decisions like panic selling. When the market moves unfavourably, many traders, especially those who are inexperienced, tend to panic and exit their positions hastily. This panic selling often occurs at the worst possible time, leading to significant losses.

Why do 90% of people lose money in the stock market? ›

Staggering data reveals 90% of retail investors underperform the broader market. Lack of patience and undisciplined trading behaviors cause most losses. Insufficient market knowledge and overconfidence lead to costly mistakes.

Why do 90% of forex traders fail? ›

The reason many forex traders fail is that they are undercapitalized in relation to the size of the trades they make. It is either greed or the prospect of controlling vast amounts of money with only a small amount of capital that coerces forex traders to take on such huge and fragile financial risk.

Why 99% of traders fail? ›

Why do most day traders fail? The reason why 90% of retail traders fail is that they ALL think, trade, and gamble the same way. It is a harsh statistic but is very very true. Not many retail traders last longer than 6 months as they do not understand this game at all.

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