Most traders see options as pure gambling. And honestly?
I get it.
Options can be risky. They’re fast-moving. They have their own language. And if you’re following the wrong advice… they can blow up an account before you even understand what you’re trading.
I’ve been a professional trader for over 27 years. I’ve seen the good, the bad, and the outright irresponsible when it comes to options education.
On the flip side, I’ve also seen what happens when people are finally shown the right way to approach options — not with hype or hero trades, but with structure, clarity, and real risk management.
That’s exactly what I’ve been building over the past 10 years with Masters in Trading — a place where people don’t just take trades — they understand why they’re taking them and how to express that opinion through options. Where confidence replaces fear. And where you don’t have to learn everything the hard way.
One of our newer members, PJ, summed it up perfectly in a recent post to the community. He said:
That hit home for me.
Because PJ’s not alone.
Why So Many Traders Are Nervous About Options
I’ve talked to thousands of traders over the years, and I can tell you without hesitation: the number one reason most people avoid options is because they’ve either been burned themselves, or they know someone who has.
And in most cases, it’s not because they’re reckless or unprepared — it’s because they were led down the wrong path.
Maybe they followed some flashy trade alerts that promised triple-digit wins. Maybe they bought into a strategy they didn’t fully understand. Or maybe, like PJ, they trusted someone who looked credible — only to find out later that there was no real education behind the recommendations.
The result is always the same. Their confidence gets shattered. Their portfolio takes a hit. And they walk away believing options are too complicated, too dangerous, or just not for them.
But it’s not options that are dangerous. It’s the way they’re taught.
So when someone like PJ shows up — nervous, cautious, maybe even burned — I don’t try to hype him up.
I slow him down.
Learn the Fundamentals: Education Mitigates Risk
Options can be complicated.
But they don’t have to be.
One of the core principles we teach at Masters in Trading is the importance of paper trading. That means practicing without using real money — so you can learn how positions behave, how to size your risk properly, and how to read market flow with confidence.
Professional athletes don’t just show up on game day — they practice until their approach becomes second nature. Trading should be no different. That’s why I believe one of the most valuable lessons we teach is the discipline and mindfulness to practice, refine, and build confidence before ever risking real money.
The goal isn’t to throw you into the deep end and hope you swim. It’s about teaching you how to spot high-probability setups, manage risk with discipline, and understand what’s really happening beneath the surface — not just what’s being shouted on TV.
Because some trades are like an ice cream cone on a 100-degree day. They look great at first, but if you try to hold on too long, they’re going to melt. That’s the kind of risk most traders don’t even realize they’re taking — until it’s too late.
I’m here to change that. I’m here to help make the market make sense.
That’s what so many traders discover once they step into our community. For the first time, they’re not just reacting to the market — they’re learning how to read it. They start asking better questions, understanding the why behind each trade, and building a foundation that gives them the confidence to grow.
Follow the Real Options Flow
Once you understand the basics, I’ll show you something most traders never even learn to see — unusual options activity.
Most traders are reactive. They trade headlines. They chase earnings. They follow Twitter tips and hope the stock moves fast enough to get in and out before things reverse.
But that’s not how smart money trades.
The best trades — the ones with real edge — are the ones that come from understanding where institutional money is flowing before the crowd catches on. That’s what we track using our Advanced Notice scanner.
We look for signs that big players are positioning themselves for a move. Not based on hype, but based on actual, real-money bets showing up in the options market.
We’re looking for setups like:
• A sudden explosion in volume out of the money options…
• A recurring buyer stacking size on the same expiration…
• Bullish spreads being built across multiple months…
This is the kind of footprint that tells you someone with real money is making a move.
And when we see that kind of flow — like we did recently in PCG as well as TMC, and ARM — we dig deeper. We ask questions. We don’t blindly follow — we analyze.
Then we build the trade with fixed risk from the start. So if we’re right, great — we ride it. And if we’re wrong? We already knew our max risk going in.
Why Community Changes Everything
Inside my strategies, I don’t just throw you trade ideas and wish you luck.
Most traders are stuck in isolation. They’ll get a few trade ideas in their inbox, maybe watch a video or two, and then they’re on their own.
Not here.
We go live together. We break down trades together. We learn together.
With Masters in Trading, we go live together every day the market is open. I walk through the market in real time. We talk through trades — both new ideas and how to manage our portfolios. And after the live session, we keep the conversation going inside our Discord group, where traders can ask questions, share updates, and learn together.
You’re not just following one person. You’re trading with a team.
There’s accountability. There’s support. And for a lot of our members — especially those who’ve been burned before — that’s the first time they’ve ever felt like they had someone in their corner.
Results That Speak for Themselves
Since May 1st, our Advanced Notice strategy trades have posted:
• 18 trades shared
• 14 winners
• 4 losses
• Average Position return: 119%
Every single one of those trades is built around this unusual order flow and had a fixed, known max loss. We never risk more than we’re comfortable with. We never put our portfolios in danger.
You’re Not Afraid of Options — You’re Afraid of Uncertainty
If you’re still feeling hesitant about trading options, let me say this:
You’re not afraid of options. You’re afraid of not knowing what’s going on.
You’re afraid of risking money without a plan. Of following advice you don’t understand. Of repeating the same mistakes that left a scar.
That’s perfectly fair.
But that fear disappears when you have the right tools. When you have a system that protects your downside. When you have people you can talk to. When you know that no matter what happens, your risk is already defined.
If you’re ready to learn the right way — with zero pressure, fixed risk, and a community that supports you — I’d love to see you inside the Challenge.
You’ve got nothing to prove. You’ve just got to be willing to learn.
And once you see how simple it can be, you’ll never look at options the same way again.
Remember, the creative trader wins,
Jonathan Rose,
Founder, Masters in Trading
P.S., If you’re the kind of trader who wants to stay aware of what’s next — not just what’s moving today — you might want to keep an eye on what some of my colleagues here at InvestorPlace are tracking. Louis Navellier, Luke Lango, and Eric Fry believe we’re about 100 days away from a major shift they’re calling AI Day Zero — the moment when AI stops living in screens and starts reshaping the real world through robotics, automation, and self-operating machines.
They’re calling it AI’s “iPhone moment,” and they just released a full research briefing on the seven stocks they believe are best positioned to ride the $20 trillion wave they see coming. If you want to hear their side of the story, you can click here to find out all about it.
