I am a research scientist by day and, for the past eight years, a part-time options trader. I also hack together code when a project calls for it, something I have been doing for more than two decades, and sneak in a round of golf whenever I can, a hobby that has been with me for thirteen years. Options feel a lot like golf to me. Both games revolve around the ” GREEN”. Both reward economy of motion: the fewer strokes, or trades, the better the score. And both can be played solo, forcing you to own every decision you make. Experience has tempered my style. On the course I have swapped the ego-driven 3-Iron for a reliable 5-Wood; in the market I have traded shotgun portfolios for a handful of well-researched names. I used to flash my Ph.D. as a credential until brighter minds reminded me that intelligence speaks for itself. I have also learned to trust the trading model, not my emotions: miss the green, take the next swing. I no longer trade to pay the bills; I trade for the challenge and the occasional thrill of a hole-in-one. Here is to better swings: whether with a club or a call option.
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