以下是英文问答原文

Michael Patak：Patak Trading Partners CEO, TopStepTrader Founder

Michael Patak has been a floor trader at the Chicago Board of Trade for over ten years, and is the founder and owner of TopstepTrader. Patak has been a member of Chicago Board of Trade since 2003, and is a registered member of the National Futures Association (NFA). Prior to founding TopstepTrader, Patak traded in the Dow Jones Futures pit for eight of his ten years on the floor, was a member of the Dow Jones pit committee, and was one of the highest-volume traders in the Dow Jones pit.

Michael Patak is a graduate of the Iowa State, where he majored in Economics and Agriculture Business, with an emphasis on Commodity Pricing and Analysis and was a collegiate football player. Throughout college, Patak was an avid follower of the markets and began trading while still in school. From the age of twenty to twenty-two he lost $90,000 of his own money. That experience taught him the importance of having a system like the Combine.

Upon his graduation, determined to become a futures trader, Patak began trading for Kottke Clearing firm at the CBOT. At the firm, Patak traded under very strict risk-parameters, which helped him hone his skills as a profitable, disciplined, and consistent trader. Through those principles, eight months later, he was successful enough to back himself; he bought a seat on CBOT trading floor, and began trading Dow Jones Futures.

About Michael Patak and Traders in general

7hcn.com1: Dear Mr. Michael Patak, thank you for taking your time to accept the exclusive interview with China Futures. You have been a floor trader for more than 10 years. Why did you choose to become a trader? What do you think the biggest attraction of this profession is?

Michael Patak：I wanted to be a trader since I was 16 years old when I found out that time was irrelevant on how much money you can make in the markets. Growing up in Nebraska the majority of people work by the hour and people judge other's success based on how much they make per hour. My initial lure to the markets was the fact that time was irrelevant and that personal success is based solely on your decisions. I enjoy being the master of my own destiny and think that is a strong appeal of futures trading as career and lifestyle.

7hcn.com2: You started trading in college and lost 90k of your own money. Have you ever doubted about yourself? What did you learn from that experience?

Michael Patak：Losing humbles you and it helped to drop my ego; that was the greatest thing I learned from my experience. Yes I have doubted myself, but through experience I have learned to have unconditional confidence, and that prepares me for any market condition. This is something necessary for me to be successful, versus looking at each individual trade, I look at the big perspective to help learn and move forward.

Also, because I lost so much money when I first started, it taught me the vital importance of having a program like the Combine to help traders learn to be consistently profitable while trading with discipline without having to risk tens of thousands of dollars in the live markets.

7hcn.com3: Are you looking for traders who are the same passionate about trading　as you are?

Michael Patak：All traders have to be passionate to succeed in trading. If you don't have passion the market will weigh you down and suck the life out of you. Each day you have to be passionate about the markets and about trading to handle the ups and downs this business consistently throws at you.

7hcn.com4: Do you know any Chinese traders around you? How are they doing?

Michael Patak：In the pit and at trading desks around the floor there are Chinese traders that I know and am friends with who are very successful at what they do. They have found this success by limiting themselves to one market, they are very disciplined and they do not over think each trade which as I stress is crucial to being a great trader.

7hcn.com5: Who do you think is/are the best trader(s)? Why do you admire him (them)?

Michael Patak：The best traders are those who have passion for trading, discipline, and a great level of patience for the market. They anticipate and respond to the opportunity the market presents. I admire them and their methodology of trading as it helped me early in my career to understand the foundations of a consistent, profitable and disciplined trader and what it takes to be successful in this business.

7hcn.com6: What do you think of your standing among all traders in America at your current level?

Michael Patak：What people need to understand is that trading is a personal journey. You should never judge your performance or your standing amongst others. That being said, I've been a trader on the floor for over 10 years and the last 8 of those years I traded on the “topstep” of the pit which is reserved for the best traders. I have consistently focused on my own journey and how I can become the best trader for myself, rather than focusing on others. That is what I stress to those in the Combine, you are competing with yourself to become the best trader possible.

7hcn.com7: Are you satisfied with your trading skills? How do you think you can improve your skills further?

Michael Patak：Honestly, I am never satisfied with my trading performance; I always feel that I can improve and perform at a higher level. The thing I've learned is that the market is always evolving, so I am constantly focusing on improving my skills to adapt and maximize my performance. No one is a perfect trader, everyone must always work to continue to improve their knowledge, awareness, and trading aptitude.

7hcn.com8：The Trader profession has very high attrition rate. You survived and flourished. But many people have failed and are washed out by the market. What do you want to say these people?

Michael Patak：What I would say to these people is trading is not meant for everybody; it is a very difficult business and it will challenge you emotionally and mentally, and it will suck the life out of you if you allow it. One thing that has pushed me through and has allowed me to survive in this business is having a passion for the markets and the drive to always better myself. Additionally, I would say to these people, ask yourself the question, “why do you want to be a trader and are you willing to put in the hard work?” Because if someone cannot confidently answer these questions this is likely not business or profession that is best suited for them.

7hcn.com9：Your motto is “We eat what we kill”. Who are your prey?  Are you the “wolf” in the market?

Michael Patak：Trading is a business where you eat what you kill, that is just fact of the trading world. My personal motto is “unconditionally confident.” I feel someone must be unconditionally confident to be able to consistently look at the big picture, and to continue to learn and grow with the market rather than allow their confidence to be hindered by each losing trade. Losing trades are an ordinary and necessary part of the business and getting past those experiences has helped me to become unconditionally confident in my abilities.

7hcn.com10：Some traders are so addicted to trading that they have no other interest other than trading. Do you have any hobbies and interests?

Michael Patak：It is very easy to become addicted to this market. You have to have hobbies and interests to be able “clock out” to enjoy other areas of your life or trading will consume you. My hobbies and interests are working out, running, reading, relaxing, and enjoying time with friends and family.