CHAPTER 1 AN INTRODUCTION WORTH READING 3

or a college education. My real-world education began when I was an ado-

lescent. I dropped out of school in the eighth grade at age 15, which means
that I am almost completely self-educated. Yes, you read that correctly. I left
school at age 15. I have never seen the inside of a high school as a student,
let alone attended a university. What I did have, however, was a thirst for
knowledge and a burning desire to succeed, to be the best trader I could
be. I became a fanatical student of the stock market, its history, and human
behavior. I started out by reading the financial news and stock reports at the
local library. Over the years, I’ve read an incredible number of investment
books, including more than 1,000 titles in my personal library alone.
In light of my lack of starting resources and formal education, the level
of success I have achieved strikes some people as unlikely or even impossible.
Along the way, some have even tried to discourage me. You too probably will
face people who will try to dissuade you from trying. You will hear things
such as “It’s a rigged game,” “You’re gambling,” and “Stocks are too risky.”
Don’t let anyone convince you that you can’t do it. Those who think it’s not
possible to achieve superperformance in stocks say so only because they
never achieved it themselves, and so it’s hard for them to imagine. Ignore any
discouragement you may encounter and pay attention instead to the empow-
ering principles I am about to share with you. If you spend time studying
and applying them, you too can realize results that will amaze even the most
ambitious positive thinkers. Then the same people who said it couldn’t be
done will ask you the question they always ask me, “How did you do it?”

And the Trade Shall Set You Free

From the very beginning, I saw the stock market as the ultimate opportu-
nity for financial reward. Trading also appealed to me because I liked the
idea of having the freedom to work at home and taking responsibility for my
own success. In my young adult years, I had tried several different business
ventures, and even though I felt enthusiastic, that burning passion was still
missing. Finally, I came to realize that what I was most passionate about was
freedom—freedom to do what I want, when I want, where I want.
One day it dawned on me: life is rich even if you’re not. I realized that
things were happening every day, good and bad, and that it was just a matter