Flexibility in trading has to be one of the most difficult concepts to master when going through the learning curve. I remember much earlier in my learning process when I was stubbornly committed to a particular trading style that I was learning from a chatroom that shall remain nameless. Looking back, the style was complete nonsense but at the time … Read More
Accelerate Your Options Trading Journey: Join a Mastermind Group Today
Have you ever joined a trading group? You know, the kind that meets once a month in your local town or maybe an online group or chat room? Are these groups a good idea and can they really help you? Well, it really depends on what you are looking for. In his book High Performance Trading, Steve Ward writes “There … Read More
Luck: The Unspoken Element
There is a quote by Seneca, a first-century Roman philosopher, that says, “Luck is where the crossroads of opportunity and preparation meet.” While the idea of luck as it relates to trading may seem like gambler’s term, the fact is that sometimes you just get lucky. Clearly over the long run, the losses that you will incur from trading without … Read More
S&P New Trend or New Range?
The markets are coming out of holiday mode. What are important levels for the upcoming week? — Marc Principato, CMT, Risk Disclaimer *No Relevant Positions
What Is the Right Risk/Reward For My Trades?
What is a good ratio to start out with, 2:1, 3:1? @mikebellafiore I was asked this question during a recent Webinar, “Trading Fundamentals: Things Great Traders Do and Never Do”. We teach our new traders to look for a risk/reward of 1×5. That means a downside of 1 for an upside of 5. More specifically you might risk 10 cents … Read More
Getting Into Trading Shape: A Trader’s Story
Hi Mike, September 1st 2013 makes it three years that I have been trading full time. I’m writing this email to seek your experienced trader’s counsel. I don’t have any job and I’ve been thinking about my experiences trading, which for the most part have left me bitter. You must be wondering how I’m still continuing to trade after three … Read More
Understanding Call Option Dynamics When the Market Rises
When new traders first discover options trading they get excited by the leverage that buying options can provide. One call option contract allows you to control 100 shares of the underlying security. So instead of buying the stock on margin, you can buy an option using a lot less capital. This leverage attracts traders who have limited resources because under … Read More
Do Not Sell This Position
Hi Mike, First of all I would like to thank you for writing The Playbook! I’m not quite through it, but I’m already finding it extremely helpful and valuable. I wanted to share some challenges i am currently having regarding a situation where there is conflict between certain rules I follow for establishing when to close a position and one … Read More