[Phone Booth]

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""They were probably lucky and if they were in high school now, they'd be going to college""

Well they didnt then,arent now in college,and what does that matter anyway after their proven LONGTERM success,...oh and BTW your right they were lucky...lol


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It matters because times have changed - the fact that one didn't need a certain set of skills or qualifications a long time ago does not mean that you still don't. This basically destroyes your argument that they didn't have X but became successful, so you don't need X either.

As for luck, you don't actually mention what these friends of yours do ("trader" is a very vague term ) and how they became successful (other than that they are are exchange traders). The only correct inference one can make is that they'd been lucky, as most successful people have been. It takes a rare talent to become successful without a good amount of luck.


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I just dont understand how a young college grad,is going to defy the gravity of WS,and argue his math degree with someone who has almost 20 years experience

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Who and what are you talking about? And a lot of people don't learn much or learn all the wrong lessons with years of experience.


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""Just about any reasonably intelligent person can learn any number of quantitative/numerical methods and become a "quant" - intelligence largely separates those who apply them correctly from those who those who don't""

This has NEVER guaranteed a great trader...it helps...but NO guarantee

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Nothing guarantees anything. I will add that our underestimation of the importance of intelligence has to do with an inability to judge intelligence in the first place. Most people have really no idea how smart other people are.


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"""I'd say that "it" is mostly intelligence, luck and a few other auxiliary abilities that allow one to utilize that intelligence. Most people way overestimate the importance of factors other than intelligence and motivation in success."""

OK...so you and the other 5000 applicants begging for the same job,have it all figured out.Thats why the Big Boys...all have the same basic starting package/salary/working 80+ hrs a week for years,hoping/praying that YOU get "lucky" like my HS grad. friends....LOL!


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What job am I begging for?