To The Moon

There are slow trades… and then there are trades that feel like they’re moving at the speed of light. The kind where your coffee is still warm when you hit “buy,” and by the time you finish it, you’re already locking in profits.

Since I started trading, I’ve taken my fair share of quick positions, some small wins, some break-even exits, and some “wish I’d never clicked that button” lessons. But there’s one trade I’ll never forget. Not because it was the biggest dollar gain, but because it was one of those rare moments where timing, gut instinct, and execution lined up perfectly.

It was New York Community Bancorp (NYCB), now known as Flagstar Financial (FLG). On that particular day in February 2024, the stock had been on my radar. It was trading in the mid-$5 range.

I didn’t hesitate. First buy: 490 shares at $5.65. The trade felt good, but something told me the move wasn’t done. I hit the buy button again. Second buy: another 490 shares at $5.54.

Now I was in with 980 shares. Not a massive position by some traders’ standards, but enough that I could feel my pulse quicken with each tick.

Then, like someone flipped a switch, the stock started climbing, slow at first, then with a steady, confident push. $5.70… $5.80… $5.90. My P/L tracker started flashing green. I glanced at the chart, and that $6.00 mark was looming like a finish line.

When it hit, I didn’t think twice. Sell: all 980 shares at $6.00.

Result: A realized profit of about $368.88, all in just a few hours.

Was it life-changing money? No. But here’s the thing, this wasn’t just about the dollars. It was about how it played out. The quick read on the setup. The conviction to double down. The discipline to take profits without getting greedy.

In the grand scheme of trading, there are huge wins, painful losses, and everything in between. But this one, this quick, clean, and decisive play still stands out as one of my proudest moments.