why I DON'T need a forex mentor

So how did the first trader become profitable if there was no profitable trader that preceded him to teach him to be profitable? With that logic, there would be no profitable traders whatsoever. Some people need to be told what to do, others blaze their own trail. I'm not saying there aren't two sides to the coin, I'm saying there are. Different strokes for different folks. I still maintain that the most profound moments of enhanced understanding will not come from what someone else tells you or what you read in a book, they'll come from your own observations. But if you believe different I'm alright with that too.

I think that in talking about this subject we have neglected to factor in two significant aspects of trading: reason for trading and a trader’s lifecycle.

Let’s look at lifecycle first: If you are a beginner, the fastest way to be come a competent (consistently profitable) trader is with the coaching of a mentor. You might be able to learn the same skills by reading books or websites, then trying out these ideas in trading, seeing what works and what doesn’t, refining your system and trying again, etc. – but that is much more time consuming method and doesn’t necessarily produce a greater understanding of the market than learning from a mentor. I don’t think that Yo-Yo Ma said, “Just give me the cello; I’ll get on the web and figure this out myself”?

Once you have become a competent trader, you might want to acquire a greater level of expertise. This is the point where your own experimentation, independent thinking and experience become important. At this point you may be motivated by a desire to increase your profits, but your motivation also probably includes a desire to be the best you can be in this field. Trading becomes increasingly about who you are as a person and is the field in which you display your ability and expertise. After a number of years at the level of expert, you may decide to take the next step in a trader’s lifecycle and become a mentor to others.

Now think about the question we’ve been discussing, do you need a mentor, from the point of view of a mentor. Do you think that a mentor would advise a beginner to just get on the web and see what they could learn? Or do you think that the mentor would feel he/she could provide a learning environment where a beginning trader could benefit from his/her knowledge and years of experience?

Let’s return to the question of the reason for trading. We’ve already talked about the individual who wants to become an expert, but what if your motivation is simply to make money? Clearly, using a mentor is the quickest way to get there. Once you reach the level of being consistently profitable, you probably would stop here in your development as a trader – and that would be fine. You continue to make money and take time to enjoy whatever that money buys you and your family. Mission accomplished.

Good post

If you surround yourself with 10 successful people, it is more likely you will become successful.
If you surround yourself with 10 losers, it is more likely you will become a loser.

"It's not whether you are right or wrong that is important but how much money you can make when you are right and how much you can lose when you are wrong."..........George Soros