[Sam]

I’ve been reading and watching a lot about day trading lately and it seems like something that could possibly be profitable, but also really risky and stressful. For those of you who’ve actually tried it whether part-time or full-time do you think day trading is genuinely worth the time, effort and energy? Has it been rewarding for you, financially or otherwise? Would like to hear some real experiences before deciding if it’s something I should seriously pursue.

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[Excalaber]

Hey Sam,

Day trading certainly isn’t for everyone, but it’s not a scam either.

You gotta treat it like a craft. I journal every trade, know my edge, and stick to my rules.

Ultimately I’ve learnt it’s not about winning every time. It’s about showing up and following your plan. Becoming profitable doesn’t happen overnight.

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[Sam]

It’s great to get an honest take! How long does the journal side of things take? Sounds kind of longggg.

 

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[Excalaber]

A few mins post trade so not long. If you can’t be bothered to journal your trades I’d ask yourself if you’ve got the patience to do the “boring” jobs that some succesful traders swear by.

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[TrendRider96]

It has taught me more about myself than it did about the market — discipline, emotional control, patience. Financially? Mixed results. But mentally, it’s intense. If you’re going to do it, do it for the experience and the challenge.

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[Damien]

Tried day trading in 2020 when everyone was doing it. Made some quick gains, then gave it all back. Realized I was just gambling with better marketing. Now I swing trade – less stress, more life.

IMHO you need to be obsessed and control your emotions for day trading.

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[Sam]

Very interesting. What did you find better about swing trading exactly?

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[Damien]

Honestly, it just came down to peace of mind. With day trading, I felt like I was on edge all the time – chasing setups, second-guessing myself, and burning out fast.

Swing trading gave me more space to breathe. I still do my research, still stay sharp, but I’m not glued to the screen all day trying to time every tick.

It’s slower, yeah, but that’s the point. Just suits me better.

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[AvenlinDavis]

Is it difficult to transition from day trading fundamentals to swing trading? Do you use the same analytical tools, or must you learn a whole new set?

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[Christian Harris]

Transitioning from day trading to swing trading isn’t difficult, but it does require a mindset shift.

You’re still using many of the same tools—support/resistance, moving averages, RSI, etc.—but you start looking at higher timeframes and caring more about trends and macro factors than intraday volatility.

The most significant adjustment for me was learning to be patient and not over-manage trades that play out over several days or weeks, rather than minutes and hours. Less screen time also feels really weird at first when you’re used to the constant action of day trading.

With experience, your entries will become less about ‘perfect’ tick-by-tick timing and more about positioning yourself for multi-day moves, so you’re trading fewer setups but letting them breathe.

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