This text is an excerpt from the book "How I Made $2 Million in the Stock Market," detailing the author's journey in stock market investing. He chronicles his early, unsuccessful attempts using tips and advice from others, followed by his development of a technical trading strategy. This strategy involved identifying stocks exhibiting specific price patterns and using stop-loss orders to manage risk. The author documents his successes and failures, highlighting the importance of discipline and emotional detachment. Ultimately, he describes his evolution from a novice gambler to a successful investor who managed to amass a significant fortune.