To The Moon

When I first stumbled across the term options trading, it sounded like something only Wall Street veterans could handle. The words alone—calls, puts, strike prices, expirations—felt like secret codes in a language I didn’t speak. But curiosity got the better of me. So, I decided to take my first step.

Like most beginners, I started by reading. Articles, tutorials, and videos piled up in my browser tabs. Some of it made sense, but a lot of it felt overwhelming. The Greeks, the strategies with exotic names like iron condors and butterflies—it was more than I could absorb at once.

That’s when I placed my very first trade on Webull—a single option contract with a small amount I could afford to lose. Clicking “buy” felt like stepping into uncharted territory. I wasn’t expecting a big win—I just wanted to experience it for myself. And even with that one trade, I learned something important: options are different. They’re not just about whether a stock goes up or down; timing, volatility, and expiration dates all matter.

After that trade, I didn’t rush into more. Instead, I stepped back to reflect. That first experience made all the earlier articles and tutorials I’d read feel more concrete. Terms that had seemed abstract were starting to click, and I realized that hands-on experience—however small—was teaching me more than theory alone ever could.

Only recently did I start reading the options handbooks provided by Tiger Brokers. Even though my first trade had already happened, the handbook has been surprisingly helpful in giving structure to everything I’ve already experienced. Clear explanations, practical examples, and step-by-step guidance are helping me connect the dots and understand concepts I didn’t fully grasp before.

Right now, I wouldn’t call myself an options trader. I’ve only dipped a toe in the water. But that small start showed me that options aren’t some unreachable mystery. They’re a skill to be learned—slowly, carefully, and with patience. My plan is to keep studying, maybe practice with paper trades, and then take small, deliberate steps forward.

If there’s one thing my first trade taught me, it’s this: learning options isn’t about trying to master everything at once. It’s about starting where I am, making small moves, and letting each experience teach me the next lesson.