“Should I quit my job and trade full time?”
One of the most common questions from people new to trading is “How much money do I need to make a living?” This is among the most misunderstood aspects of trading.
The notion of being able to rise whenever you please, trade from your laptop, and earn thousands of dollars daily seems like a vision. Instagram traders flash their PnLs, YouTube gurus claim to double accounts weekly, and the internet makes trading seem like an easy ticket to freedom.
But here’s the honest truth:
Yes, trading can be a career
But 90% of people don’t.
Let’s take a closer look at why that is the case, what it truly takes to go full-time, and whether trading full-time is something you should aspire to do.
The Harsh Reality First
Let’s not sugarcoat it:
Most people lose money when they try to do trading for a living.
According to research, 86-90% of traders lose money during the first year.
Many jump in with:
- No strategy
- No risk management
- Unrealistic expectations
- Emotional decision-making
Trading is more than pressing “buy” and watching your account grow.
It’s a business. And, like any business, it does require time, discipline, and consistency.
What Does It Really Take to Trade for a Living?
Let’s do the math.
For instance, let’s say you need $2,000 each month to support yourself.
If you’re trading a $1,000 account, you would need to make:
200% monthly returns.
That’s not just difficult. That’s unrealistic and dangerous..
Even elite hedge funds target 10–20% per year.
To hit 5–10% monthly (which is still aggressive), you’d need a $25,000–$40,000 account in order to earn a modest income.
So what’s the takeaway?
You need either:
A debt prevention account large enough to earn enough income with conservative risk
A consistent edge that you can grow over time
Diverse revenues to take pressure off of trades
Do You Have a Plan?
Lucky, Not Smart Many novice traders are not skilled, only lucky.
But professionals have:
- A tested system
- Strict entry/exit rules
- Clear risk management
- A trading journal
- A mentality of, stay with the script
Ask yourself:
- Do I win more than I lose?
- Do I follow a plan?
- Do I have backtested and forward-tested my setup?
- Can I discipline myself when it counts?
If not — it will only highlight them even more once you start trading full-time.
It Is Psychologically Intense, Can You Handle It?
Trading is 95% psychological.
When you trade to pay the bills:
- Every loss feels heavier
- Each setup you miss is equivalent to writing yourself a paycheck.
- You may even take up revenge trading to “recover” loses
- You’ll be really tempted to use too much leverage
It’s not just about charts. It’s about emotional control.
” If you can’t treat a demo account like live trading, you will not survive in live trading for an income.”
That’s largely why most successful traders keep part-time jobs and other work sources when they first make the leap; even though their trading is making them money to live on, they don’t take that money out.
It takes pressure down — and also saves your psychology.
What It Really Takes to Trade for a Living
Here’s what the full-time traders have in common:
An Edge
They’ve unearthed a formula that suits them — consistently.
Capital
They also don’t depend on tiny accounts.
They either accumulate capital or they trade prop firm capital.
Risk Management
They know how much they can lose per trade, per day, per month — and they abide by it.
Routine
- They approach trading as a job:
- They journal
- They study
- They review
- They follow a plan
Emotional Control
They’re as familiar with the psychology.
They can step back on a losing day, they can be patient during a sideways market, and they will never chase.
Ever Dreamed of Going Full Time? Start Here:
Go Part-Time First
Trade around your day job.
Proof of concept with small capital before scaling up.
Track Every Trade
Record wins and losses and the position that led to them, the time of day, how you were feeling.
There will be patterns — the good, the bad.
Backtest Your Strategy
Backtest your edge with historical data.
On paper trade it for a month or so.
Create a Trading Plan
Document your rules.
Define when not to trade as clearly as when to trade.
Play in “Full-Time” Mode
Trade full time for 2-3 months JUST WITH YOUR TRADING PROFITS before quitting your job.
But watch and see if you have a fair shot at survival.
Build an Emergency Fund
Save up 6-12 months of your spending before going full time.
This takes pressure off and gives you a place to grow.
The Middle Ground: Prop Firms & Scaling Slowly
You don’t have to put up your own $50,000 to trade full-time.
Prop firms such as FTMO, MyForexFunds (or other alternatives) allow you to:
Pass a challenge
- Trade big capital $10k-100k+
- Keep up to 80–90% of profits
- Only risk the fee you pay
This is a great way to:
- Prove your consistency
- Trade with structure
- Don’t put your own savings in harm’s way
Final assessment: Yes, but you have to earn it
So, is it really possible to make good money from trading?
Yes — but only if you take it seriously as a profession, not a get-rich-quick scheme.
Most fail because they want the quick money, they trade emotionally, and they NEVER actually attain a legitimate edge.
But if you:
- Learn the craft
- Manage your risk
- Build capital (or trade prop)
- Stay patient and consistent
Then, yes — it is entirely possible.
Just remember:
Trading is a business. Not a lottery.
And the traders who survive take it that way.