By An options trading is a versatile tool that can be used in financial market. You gain flexibility to leverage position and increase gains. In addition, use them for hedging and mitigate risk. It allows earning income from ups, downs, and sideways market movement.
Remember, with all these pros options trading carries substantial loss risk. Therefore, everyone cannot gain success. To turn into a successful options trader the person needs to possess personality, attitude, and appropriate skill-set.
- Quantitative skills
Able to manage risk – Traders need to identify the amount of risk they are experiencing at any point of time. Be prompt to take action and control risk.
Short term options trader will regularly need to tackle loss-making trades. Whatever kind of options trading strategies a trader applies he should not ignore money and risk management techniques.
Be good at calculations – In options you will always need to deal with numbers. Questions like is option ITM or OTM or what is the trade’s breakeven or what is the implied volatility will need to be considered. In addition, understanding price influences on the options trade needs you to be familiar with ‘Greeks’ like gamma, theta, vega, and delta.
- Behavioral skills
Practice discipline – Discipline will include doing deep research, detecting opportunities, placing the right trade, creating & following trade plan stringently, setting profit targets, and building an exit strategy. Never trust opinions without your personal research.
Be patient – Patient trader waits for market to give an opportunity instead of participating in every market moves. Emotions can make impatient traders enter and exit position quickly.
Adapt suitable trading style – Each trader’s personality differs, so they need to find one that suits their traits. Some traders are good with position trading, a few with day trading, and others with swing trading.
Interpret news appropriately – Even if you read or listen to the news, it is crucial to understand it properly. Separate the media noise from reality and take proper decision on the basis of this knowledge.
Learn from errors – Successful traders make mistakes, but they learn from it and plan their next strategy, accordingly.
Become active learners – Financial markets constantly evolve and so you need to remain updated about the happenings. Being active learner helps to gain an edge and grab good opportunities, which others may never notice.
- Administrative skills
Have a trade plan – A trading plan is crucial for success. Random trades placed can get you trapped but with a with a potent trade plan you are likely to know the way out. With clear and defined goals, strategies to be applied, entry-exit rules, and how to handle risks will help you to succeed.
Keep trading journal – Successful options traders diligently maintain trade journals. It is a good practice because traders can avert making costly errors. Trade record holds the history of trade and its performance. It helps to enhance your success odds.
These qualities will not assure success in options trading, but increase your possibilities of turning into a successful options trader.
