Part 6/9:
The Raw Realities of Trading Culture
Taking the plunge into proprietary trading was exhilarating but also deeply intense. There was no sugar-coating the fact that everyone was there for money. Unlike the corporate "value proposition" that Lockheed Martin offered, prop firms were unabashedly honest—simply put, they were focused on making money.
The pressure within a prop trading firm was relentless. Every trade desk functioned like its own startup, with bonuses directly tied to performance. I quickly learned that the fear of missing out on profitable trades outweighed any justification for taking days off. The potential to make thousands each day—should I capitalize on the frenzied market conditions—kept me glued to my desk, while hundreds of thousands in profit hung in the balance.