Nelson- Not making out every year
I mean 2000, 2001, and 2002 were horrible years, as was 2008 & 2011. 2015 wasn't too good either. However 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009 2012, 2013, and 2014 were fantastic years, all on the long side. However what I mean when I say impossible is, stocks aren't acting healthy, or rational. I don't remember 2016, but I don't recall that being the greatest year. Now 2017 was a good year for one stock mainly- AAOI, where I hit a near quadruple on big dollars. 2018 I did ok for being in with a large position on the short side in SPXS from Oct to Dec. 2019 was not a good year, but 2020 I hit it out of the park for being heavy on the short side in both SPXS and SOXS right when COVID hit, and going at least half long when the Dow hit 18000 or so. 2021 was not a good year, but 2022 was a great one, all on the short side. 2023 was a terrible year(almost entirely short), and I'm about even in 2024. So I definitely have seen my share of painful years that I would have likely called impossible.
Nelson, I am much more seasoned now. So I think when I say the market is impossible now, it's more likely to be true. As I said, the combination of sophisticated algorithms, and just an un healthy market, is making it so you rarely can buy intra quarter, and make much. I mean when a stock goes up huge on earnings day, only to remain flat or down the rest of the quarter, I would call that un healthy stock action.
