trading - in the eyes of dictionary!

i checked up the dictionary

for the meaning of a 'trader'.

this is what i found

"a person who buys and sells

goods and services"

by this definition

everyone in the stock market

can claim to be a trader!

not only this

we can claim to be a successful trader

as long as we manage to successfully buy

and successfully sell shares!

--

nowhere did the definition mention

that one needed to be profitable

to be a successful trader!

--

i looked further and found

"trade on"

i checked for its meaning

"take advantage of"

it said!

that was better!

we must 'trade on' opportunities!

--

i looked still further

and found

"trade off"

i checked for the meaning

"exchange something as part of a compromise"

i realised that this is what majority of us do

-compromise!

--

so, in reality

we don't trade

we trade-off!

--

then

i decided to look for "profit"

i checked for the meaning

it said

"advantage"!

by this definition

we all are profitable!

because we are in a state of advantage

in majority of the trades

for majority of the time!

that we let the advantage slip-by

failing to book the profit,

is a different matter.

but the definition never mentioned

that encashing the advantage

was important to be profitable!

--

i was happy to note that we are in profit

for atleast 90% of the time

we are in the trade!

--

i checked further

and came across the word

"profiteering"

the dictionary gave the meaning as

"the making of a large profit

in an unfair way"

this reminded me

of the big pockets of the market!

surely, they are the ones profiteering!

but what do they call the big profits earned in a fair way?

i wanted to do that!

but the dictionary was silent on this!

--

anyhow

now i felt like

checking it up

for "loss" also.

--

the dictionary said

"the feeling of sadness after losing a valued thing"

....on reading this definition

the mountain of buried losses

deep inside me

erupted like a volcano!

--

i looked some further

and saw the phrase

"at a loss"

meaning

"uncertain or puzzled"

well, that's what we are

during trading hours...at a loss!!!

--

finally,

i looked up for

"experience".

it said

"knowledge or skill gained over time"

--

and i got ready for it!