Why do you do it?

I skimmed through several books this weekend. A part of one of those books stuck in my mind: "Why do you do it?" In the book, the author is referring to the reader's reasons for playing poker. He asks if you do it because you want to make friends. Or if you play to relax, or to get out of the house. Or, perhaps, because you want to win and make money. The author had a PhD in psychology and rightfully pointed out that many people will tell you they play poker to make money, but truly play for other reasons, likely subconscious reasons.

The reasons do not mesh well. Playing to relax and to make money will not allow you to maximize either relaxation or profit. Saying that you're playing to make money while actually thriving on the thrill of the "gamble" will hinder your growth. You have to be honest with yourself about your feelings in order to progress.

Same goes for trading. Are you really trading to "win" and make a profit? Or is that just what you say?