I Quit My KSh55,000 Bank Teller Job to Become a Full-Time Forex Trader – Best Decision I Ever Made

After years stuck in a dull bank teller job, I desperately needed change. My mundane corporate existence was draining every ounce of life out of me.

But taking the daring leap into full-time trading felt terrifying.

Eventually, my soul couldn’t take the boredom any longer. I finally mustered the courage, quit my stable Ksh55,000 salary, and dove in headfirst to pursue forex trading.

Now, 2 years into my unpredictable trading journey, I’ve never felt more fulfilled or free. Here’s my story of breaking away from the shackles of corporate monotony to find prosperity and meaning through pursuing my passion.

Rising the Ranks But Still Deeply Unfulfilled

After finishing university, I quickly landed an entry-level job at a reputable local bank. While the steady salary provided security, after just one year as a teller, I desperately craved mental stimulation.

Sure enough, through relentless networking, schmoozing seniors, and volunteering for every extra project, I landed a promotion to branch assistant manager at age 25.

But soon, the endless paperwork, office politics, and boring operational duties crushed my soul completely. I was trapped in a gilded cage.

During a rare week-long vacation, I came across an eToro ad about ordinary people trading currencies successfully from home. My obsession with understanding global markets and numbers kicked in instantly.

Could I break free from this corporate prison by becoming a full-time forex trader? It was time to take the leap.

Learning the Basics obsessively

After work and on weekends, I began consuming every trading book, blog, and video I could find.

I virtually absorbed the wisdom of top traders into my mind.

I opened a small demo account to learn basics like:

• Technical and fundamental analysis
• Chart patterns and indicators
• Position sizing and risk management

After nearly a year of obsessive self-education, I felt just confident enough to attempt live trading.

But could I actually do this full-time? Time to find out.

Taking the Plunge into Trading

On my 26th birthday, I mustered every ounce of courage, walked into my boss’s office, and resigned from my assistant bank manager job.

Colleagues thought I had gone mad abandoning a prestigious corporate role. But my parents and close friends gave me their blessing.

I had already been trading small amounts in my spare time for 6 months. But with my safety net gone, it was time to fully submerge myself into the wild world of forex trading.

Leaving the world of guaranteed paychecks for the unpredictable life of a trader was the ultimate trust fall. But I gained wings knowing this radical change would force me to either thrive or crash land.

Learning the Psychology of Trading

While the technical skills came steadily, cultivating the proper psychology proved far more difficult:

• I fought to control emotions like greed and fear with discipline.
• I battled imposter syndrome constantly second-guessing my abilities.
• I often drifted away from my tested trading strategies in the heat of the moment.
• I struggled with the pressure of having no guaranteed income.

Essentially, I had to untrain my risk-averse corporate mindset and learn to embrace uncertainty as opportunity.

The mental game of trading proved just as challenging as the technical one. But with time, I learned techniques to code trader psychology into who I was.

Gaining Consistency and Profitability

After nearly 18 months of determined practice and mental rewiring, I began achieving consistent profits trading forex in Kenya.

My framework combined solid fundamentals with price action analysis on the 1 hour charts for the USD, EUR, GBP, JPY, and CHF.

Patience became my biggest asset. I waited diligently for ideal trade setups following my system versus chasing every move.

As my average risk/reward ratio improved through disciplined execution, my confidence and profitability grew in parallel.

By age 28, I exceeded my old banking salary through consistent, statistics-driven trading. I had finally attained financial freedom through pure persistence.

Adopting the Trader Lifestyle

Today I’ve been a full-time trader for over 4 years. My evolution has followed this progression:

Age 26 – Banker:

• Prestigious career but deeply unfulfilled. No time or location freedom.

Ages 26-28 – New Forex Trader:

• Terror of giving up guaranteed income. Massive psychological hurdles.

Ages 28-30 – Consistent Trader:

• Profitability through statistics-based edge. Thrilling income from rapid risk.

Age 30+ – Fulfilled Lifestyle Trader

• Sense of mastery and peace working for myself. Still passionate for continuous improvement.

Trading is now a flexible lifestyle business on my terms giving time and location freedom.

The financial rewards are secondary to the emotional fulfillment.

Key Tips for Aspiring Traders

For others in Kenya considering following a similar path, here are my top tips:

• Immerse yourself fully in trading education before attempting to profit. Understand the risks deeply.
• Start trading small amounts even with a large bankroll to hone your strategy. Early losses should be viewed as tuition.
• Journal extensively tracking every trade, strategy, and lesson. Review continuously.
• Accept losses as part of the game. Keep them small through strict risk management.
• Avoid short-term gambling on exotic currency pairs. Develop statistically sound strategies.
• Detach emotions from your trading process – rely purely on data, math and logic.

Final Thoughts

The corporate rat race sells the myth that prestige and promotions are the path to fulfillment. But too often, chasing these superficial goals only leads to spiritual emptiness.

I had to discard society’s rulebook and re-examine my values to discover work I find genuinely meaningful.

My trading journey has been intensely difficult but profoundly rewarding. The independence and analytical challenge I gain from trading fuels me daily.

For fellow aspiring traders in Kenya, I hope my story can give you courage to take the leap. The freedom to live life on your own terms awaits – you just have to claim it.

Read also:

• He Bought Shiba Inu Coin for KSh100 Before the Boom – Cashed Out at KSh15 Million
• I Tried Day Trading Cryptocurrencies Using Only KSh1,000 – Here’s What Happened
• How I Earn KSh113K a Month Freelance Writing Without Any Experience