a trader's best friend: an active market trending with shallow retracements. making profit would then be like cutting through butter with a hot knife with one caveat: that one be able to recognize such a friend in the crowd when it comes along and be able to embrace and hold on to it as long as one can trading is like sailing: most important action is good reaction. market acts. you react. adjust position so the wind is always behind you average intelligence is sufficient. it's not rocket science usually exceptionally bright people don't make good traders: too much pride, confidence, lack of flexibility and respect for the market. once direction is set they refuse to change course even if going against the wind like in poker games, stay out when dealt a losing hand. play only when holding a winning one: trend, big volume, long range, weak pullback, etc