trading and gambling

Here at Positive Equity we like to consider ourselves gamers.

We chill out during the day with games like Call of Duty, Pro Evolution Soccer, Gran Turismo etc. We have found many similarities between trading and playing video games. Here are some of them.

We need insane Reflex.

Both gamers and traders need to have the reaction time of a house fly dodging a newspaper. The faster the message transfers from brain to mouse click, the better chance you have of getting there before being pwnd.

Our system requirements are the same.

We need high spec computers (sorry, console peasants!), a bucket load of computer memory, The newest solid state hard-drives, powerful graphics cards that we can make melted cheese toasties on and ridiculously big screens to block out the dreaded daylight.

We need to live a sedentary lifestyle.

Real gamers are often seen as reclusive and anti-social. Gamers would argue that it only applies to the real world.

Real traders by choice give up their social life and a lot of their free time to follow their passion of trading. In either case, Vitamin D is our friend.

It’s a death-match.

One group are over-caffeinated and over-competitive, spending their days battling head to head to win the top of the leader-board. The other group are gamers.

We can suffer from carpal tunnel.

We spend a lot of our time moving a mouse around a pad which can eventually take its toll in the form of wrist, arm and finger pain. It’s also an awkward topic to bring up among friends.

We are affected by latency.

Online gamers need low pings and solid internet connections to successfully compete online and help avoid rage quitting. The lower the ping the quicker the time from mouse click to m-m-m-monsterkill.

Traders need low latency and a solid connection to trade. Lower latency means quicker trade execution. Having a faster line means you are one up on your measly opponents.

Gaming gadgets can be trading gadgets.

We both can make use of gaming grade peripherals to have a better competitive edge. From gaming mice that look like ED209 to reality noise cancelling headsets that we think make us look cool and not at all weird.

We need to take in a lot of information sources at once.

Traders analyse charts and media channels, gamers follow maps and scoreboards. Either way we both take in more information than an average human can handle.

We have to learn to control our temper.

Things can get a bit crazy in the heat of battle. Those who can remain calm and collected will come out the other side unscathed. Those who can’t control their temper are natural losers who resort to childishly shouting about the recent time they spent with their opponent’s mom.

We need to be patient.

Traders are passionate about trading. They live and breathe trading. Not all trading is about crazy markets and constant action. A lot of time is spent in the markets looking for the perfect opportunity to make the click and execute the winning trade. It’s also a great time for stuff like meditation. But more often it’s spent in the gaming room where we can continue owning our opponents.
Video gamers are passionate about gaming. They live and breathe gaming. Not all matches are insane battles without moments of rest. A lot of time may be spent waiting patiently for the perfect moment to make the click and take the head shot. Except if you are a camper. You deserve to die the second you spawn.

This is a top 10 list but there are many more similarities. Why not take your gaming skills to the next level and see if you are fit for a career as a trader?