Jasper Ribbers - Get Paid For Your Pad: How to Maximize Profit From Your Airbnb Listing

What is wrong with you, you stupid pig!! I told you about 10 times what to do, and you still blew the trade! You are a complete moron. Sit down, shut up, and dont do anything else until I give you further instructions. Idiot!!

I had never been yelled at so cruelly in my life, but my fellow traders assured me that such treatment was par for the course. I had always been the top of my class, the brightest of the brightest, yet suddenly I was being referred to as a stupid pig. The traders would beat me down mercilessly every time I fumbled a trade or miscalculated a profit. The high-pressure trading environment was something I had never encountered before, and while it was wildly exciting, it was extraordinarily intimidating. Large sums of money were on the line everyday, and people were constantly being berated for minor mistakes. I saw countless traders in tears every week, some eventually succumbing to the frustration and walking out the doors for good.

But I was resolute to stay the course. I wasnt going to give up, not unless they physically forced me through those doors. I absorbed the countless insults, shrugged off the unpleasant work environment, and endured the difficult lifestyle with a smile on my face. And lo and behold, after three long years, things started to get better. I got reasonably comfortable at the office, and trading started feeling more natural as well. My mistakes were infrequent, my financial success was increasing, and my demeanor was calm and stable.

Now, its not as though trading became fun; it simply became bearable. The money, however, was a great deal of fun. It provided me with the freedom and flexibility to party at all of the best nightclubs, eat at the nicest restaurants, and travel the world at my leisure. Life was pretty awesome, and I wanted to take advantage of every pleasure available.

But in 2009, after working for nearly five years as a trader, something had shifted internally. I felt empty. Sure, I was being compensated well and my life was full of exciting trips, but my day to day was still a drag. I was bored and unhappy at the office, and I couldnt wait to get home. It just seemed like a perverse way to live life. So after a bit of contemplation, I shared my internal unrest with my boss. I explained that I wanted a change, but I didnt know precisely what to do. He thought about it for a few days and came back with an offer. How about you take a position with our Chicago office? he asked. I was intrigued. Although my day to day would remain relatively unchanged, it would give me an excellent chance to explore the U.S. So after I mulled over the opportunity for a few days, I accepted the offer and moved to Chicago.