There is only one way to tell if you can trade for a living and that is: is your trading making you a living? If your trading is not making you a living now I do not believe it would be a responsible indivual to quit a job to see if one's trading could make one a living.
I do not trade for a living but my job allows me to trade during the day, which has given me the opportunity to gain some valuable experience. I have found that my best results come when I BUY RIGHT. Do not take me wrong Selling right is just as important, but I believe one has a bigger window to sell in than to buy in. I have found the best time to buy is when the price has pierced a certan resistance point, whether one is using a day chart or an hourly chart or a 10 minute chart.
When I use a resistance point I know that there must be other buyers beside myself, because I alone do not have the authority to break any barrier on my own.
I have found that my best results come when I am focused on only one and at times maybe two stocks at a given time. I have found the more positions I am trying to play at the same time the more my results mirror the overall market.
I would suggest starting with at least $50,000. I would never put more than $10,000 into any one position and would seldom ( maybe 4 or 5 times a year ) have over $20,000 in play at any given time.
Treat every trade like it is life or death.
Do not guess!!
Do not get bored and take your eye off of a position.
Buy slow and sell quick.
A reasonable goal should be $10,000 to $40,000 return, depending on how much time you can afford to participate.
If your $50,000 gets below $40,000 quit !! Because there is a severe flaw in your thought process, DO NOT think the law of averages are going to start catching up with you.