Once upon a time, there was a day trader named Jack. Jack had always been fascinated by the stock market and decided to try his hand at day trading. He was convinced that he could make a quick fortune by buying and selling stocks within the same day.

However, Jack quickly discovered that day trading was not as easy as he had thought. He found that he was repeatedly losing money due to a variety of mistakes that he was making. He didn't have an "edge" in the market and didn't even know he needed one. He didn't cut his losses short, didn't let his winners run long enough, and didn't have a daily maximum loss.

His reward-to-risk ratio was also wrong, and he was over-trading instead of choosing more attractive spots. Jack also lacked the right charting tools and his trader psychology was poor, which hurt his focus. He found himself revenge trading, trying to make back the money he lost on previous trades.

Jack soon realized that he needed to learn more about the market and the strategies that successful traders used. He started studying charts, researching different stocks, and learning about risk management techniques. He also began using better charting tools and worked on improving his trader psychology.

With time and effort, Jack became a better trader. He was able to identify good trades and avoid costly mistakes. He was able to cut his losses short, let his winners run, and maintain a good reward-to-risk ratio. He also found the right financial instrument to trade and the correct leverage , so he would not up his account. Jack developed a daily maximum loss and started to focus more on the trade itself and less on the money.

Jack finally realized that day trading was not about making a quick fortune, but about being consistent and making steady profits. He learned to be patient, disciplined and to focus on the process rather than the outcome, and with that mindset he was able to achieve trading success.

Now be honest, what about you? Have you got or did you have something in common with Jack the trader?

Be honest and kindly share what is and what was one notable mistake that hindered your professional development in investing or trading. The objective is twofold, to reflect as well as share the knowledge to contribute experience to others. Thanks for sharing your wisdom, from ForexLive.com.