Trading is sometimes fun.
Investing for the amateur is less fun and more work.
But either way, the best way to make money in financial instruments is to be the one who is paid whether markets are up or down - i.e., be the guy in the middle handling the buys/sells/etc. They get paid regardless
Seems we retail clients are flying biplanes while the HFT pro's are piloting spaceships - and beat everyone to the punch most times.