Slope of Hope Blog Posts

Slope initially began as a blog, so this is where most of the website’s content resides. Here we have tens of thousands of posts dating back over a decade. These are listed in reverse chronological order. Click on any category icon below to see posts tagged with that particular subject, or click on a word in the category cloud on the right side of the screen for more specific choices.

Seven Deadly Sins of Options Traders

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(And How to Avoid Them)

The financial markets have a way of exposing human frailties faster than any other endeavor. In options trading, the line between success and disaster is often drawn by behaviors, not just strategies.

Like a poorly constructed iron condor, traders set themselves up to collapse under the weight of their own bad habits. They chase gains, ignore probabilities, and fall prey to the same errors their predecessors made.

Below are seven behavioral pitfalls that separate those who survive from those who don’t. Ignore them at your own peril.

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War? UNH! What’s It Good For?

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A Bear Call Spread in Action

Three weeks ago, I highlighted a trade setup inspired by Tim’s post, “War? UNH! What’s It Good For?” Tim identified a potential bearish opportunity in United Healthcare (UNH), and I followed up with post stating an alternative way to take advantage of te set-up using a high-probability, risk-defined trade to capitalize on the setup.

Fast forward to today, and we can successfully close that position for a gain just shy of 20%. A tidy profit in three weeks time. But markets, much like history, have a way of repeating themselves, and a similar opportunity may be setting up once again.

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The Art of Survival and Growth

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Position-Sizing Strategies for Options Traders

Trading is an unforgiving game. Many enter, few last. The difference between those who thrive and those who falter is often a function of risk—specifically, how much capital they allocate to any given trade. Enter position sizing, an indispensable weapon in any trader’s arsenal, shaping both longevity and profitability.

Successful traders don’t think in terms of individual wins and losses, but rather in the law of large numbers. The goal isn’t to avoid losses, but to ensure they never deliver a knockout blow. Whether you trade credit spreads, iron condors, or directional plays, understanding how to size positions appropriately is critical.

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The Silent Killer of Trading Success

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How Position Sizing Can Make or Break You

In trading, the biggest threats are the ones you don’t see coming. Market crashes, black swan events, and overnight gaps are easy scapegoats, but the true silent killer is far more mundane. It doesn’t make headlines or evoke dramatic stories—it just quietly erodes accounts, one oversized trade at a time.

Position sizing isn’t glamorous. It won’t give you the thrill of a perfect entry or the dopamine rush of a 300% return. But it is, without question, the difference between those who survive long enough to thrive and those who blow up before they even understand what happened.

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The Volatility Trap

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The Volatility Trap: Why Most Traders Fail When It Matters Most

Every options trader eventually learns this lesson—some the easy way, most the hard way.

It’s easy to feel confident when volatility is low, when the market is grinding higher, and when selling premium feels like free money. But the moment volatility spikes, that confidence turns to fear. And fear? It destroys traders.

Not because the market is inherently cruel.
Not because options are “risky.”
But because most traders are psychologically unprepared for what real market stress feels like.

Let’s talk about the Volatility Trap—the mental errors traders make when markets get wild, and how to avoid them.

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