Well maybe it's also something about "I would rather learn from other peoples mistakes, then make the same ones."
Pehaps we just see this quite differently. My guess about you is that your learnings are about technique. Learning from the mistakes of others who sell short, your response is to study the current successful practitioner, have a better plan of action than the average guy, and be more disciplined about sticking to it. (Maybe my descriptions aren't quite right, but the learnings are attempts to learn/fix/improve technique)
Whereas my learning is, that most people can't get short-selling right, even hedge funds sometimes seem to blow up, there seem to be more people getting rich buying stocks than shorting them, ergo the odds would suggest I avoid spending much time/money at all in short selling. You get to say I am a little staid in my methods.
On a positive note, I get to admire your opportunistic aggressiveness. From your profile you seem to be in value stocks, day-trades, swing trades--- everything. Surprised there's no options/leaps action. Meanwhile, in looking for common ground, some of the value stocks you choose/chose (e.g. ACK) seem worth a further look to me.
Paul Senior, who says
if you are in the market, then this game isn't over yet.
Eight years playing the market gets you two notches for your belt. (You got through Fall '98 & 1st half '00 and are still here.) 7-8 months of heavy short-selling experience gets you a congratulation from me on your success, but zero notches. While it's of course about money, it's also - for those who haven't cashed out - about who will be left after the next notch point.
Paul Senior |
