Introduction
Day trading options can be one of the most challenging yet rewarding endeavors in the financial markets. Today I want to share my personal journey as a day trader who’s been trading options for over a decade. Many people know me as Traveling Trader because I’ve been able to build a sustainable income of $12,000 per month while literally traveling the world. It hasn’t been easy, and I want to be transparent about the struggles I faced, the breakthrough moments that changed everything, and the specific strategies that helped me achieve consistent profitability in day trading options.
Trader Talks QnA
Where did traveling trader come from?
Well, I guess I’ve always been the traveling type. I come from a background where I was just really interested in markets from a young age. I started trading in my early twenties, actually, and at that time I was just really fascinated with the idea of being able to generate income from anywhere in the world. As I got deeper into trading, especially day trading options, I realized that the lifestyle aspect was actually really important to me. So I combined the two passions – trading and traveling – and that’s kind of where the name came from.
Upbringing & getting into trading
My upbringing was pretty normal, but I was always fascinated with risk and reward. My dad was in business, so I was exposed to the idea of making money from a young age. I got into trading when I was about 22. I had just graduated college, had a small amount of savings, and I thought, “Why not try this trading thing that everyone’s talking about?” I started with stocks first, was absolutely terrible at it, lost money consistently for about two years. Then I discovered options trading, and specifically day trading options, and that’s when things started to change for me.
Trading whilst traveling
This is probably one of the most asked questions. It’s actually not that difficult when you have the right systems in place. I’ve been doing it for about six or seven years now consistently. The key is having reliable internet, proper risk management because you’re in different time zones, and having a trading style that doesn’t require you to be glued to the screen. Day trading options for me works perfectly because I’m in and out of trades relatively quickly, so I don’t need to worry about server issues or connectivity problems that might plague longer-term traders.
Options Trading – Swing or Scalp?
I’m definitely more of a day trader when it comes to options. I find that swinging options can be very tricky because of time decay and the gamma risk that comes with it. I prefer to be in and out within the same day, sometimes multiple times per day. I focus on intraday movements, price action, and volatility changes rather than trying to predict multi-day moves. The beauty of day trading options is that you can capture small movements that might not be profitable in stocks but can be very lucrative in options due to the leverage.
Vertical spreads – What are they?
Vertical spreads are one of my favorite strategies, actually. They’re defined risk strategies where you buy one option and sell another at a different strike price but with the same expiration date. For example, if I’m bullish on a stock, I might buy a 100 call and sell a 105 call. This limits my profit potential but also limits my risk. For day trading options, I use vertical spreads when I have a strong directional view but want to reduce the impact of time decay. They’re great for managing risk, especially when you’re learning.
How trading has changed
Oh man, it’s changed drastically. Pre-COVID, day trading options was very different. Market volatility was more predictable, patterns were more reliable, and retail participation was much lower. Now we have meme stocks, zero commission brokers, and huge amounts of retail money flowing into the markets. It’s actually made day trading options more profitable in some ways because there are more opportunities, but it’s also more challenging because the patterns can be less reliable. The speed of information and the emotional aspect has intensified significantly.
Importance of passion for trading
I think this is one of the most underappreciated aspects of trading success. You have to be genuinely passionate about it, not just obsessed with making money. I’ve seen so many people come into day trading options because they think it’s a get-rich-quick scheme. Those people almost always fail. The ones who succeed are the people who are genuinely fascinated by market psychology, price action, and the challenge of it. When you’re passionate about the process rather than just the outcome, you’re much more likely to put in the work required to be successful.
Obsessed with money
Listen, I was definitely obsessed with money in the beginning. I think that’s normal, especially when you’re young and starting out. But I learned very quickly that being obsessed with money is actually counterproductive to making money. The irony is that the more I focused on the money, the worse I traded. When I started focusing on the process, the setups, and getting better at analyzing price action, the money naturally followed. It’s a classic case of indirect intention – when you stop chasing something, you’re more likely to catch it.
Blowing accounts & being tested
Oh yes, I’ve blown multiple accounts. I started with a $5,000 account when I was 22 and blew that within six months. Then I rebuilt to $10,000, blew that too within eight months. It wasn’t until my third attempt that I really started to understand risk management. Each time I blew an account, I learned something valuable. The key insight was that I was treating trading like gambling rather than business. Once I started treating day trading options like a business with proper risk management and consistent processes, things started to change dramatically.
Human error is inevitable
This is something I always tell my students. You cannot eliminate human error from day trading options, so don’t even try. Instead, design your trading system to accommodate human error. That means proper position sizing, stop losses, and not overtrading. I used to think I needed to be perfect, and that mindset actually cost me a lot of money. Now I accept that I’ll make mistakes, and my system is designed to handle those mistakes gracefully. It’s about building robust processes rather than perfect execution.
Utilising unique perceptions
Everyone has a unique way of seeing the market. I discovered that my strength was in reading price action and understanding market sentiment. Some people are better at fundamental analysis, others at technical indicators. The key is figuring out what your unique perception is and leaning into it rather than trying to be good at everything. For day trading options, I found that combining price action with volatility analysis was my sweet spot. That’s something I hadn’t seen many other traders doing when I started.
Journaling thoughts
I journal every single trade. Not just the technical details, but my emotional state, what I was thinking, what I was feeling. This has been absolutely crucial to my development as a day trading options trader. I’ve found patterns in my journal that I never would have noticed otherwise. For example, I noticed that I consistently made bad trades when I was tired or stressed. So I built rules around that – no trading after 3 PM when I’m tired, no trading when I’m stressed about personal stuff. Simple adjustments like that made a huge difference to my bottom line.
Spending trading profits
This is a trap that catches a lot of traders. In the early days, I was spending my trading profits on lifestyle stuff – fancy dinners, trips, new gadgets. Big mistake. I learned that you have to treat trading profits differently than regular income. Now I have a rule – 80% of profits go back into the business or savings, 20% for lifestyle. This has been crucial for building long-term wealth through day trading options. It’s boring, but it works.
Health & motorcycle accident
About three years ago I had a serious motorcycle accident that left me unable to trade for about six weeks. It was a wake-up call about how dependent I had become on trading for my identity. During that time, I realized that my health was more important than any trade. I started incorporating more physical activity into my routine, better sleep habits, and I actually became a better trader. The accident taught me that stress management isn’t just about trading – it’s about your entire life. Day trading options while being physically and mentally healthy is far more profitable than burning yourself out.
Chosen style of trading
I settled on price action day trading options about five years into my trading journey. I tried everything – technical indicators, fundamental analysis, news trading, algorithmic systems. What I found was that price action gave me the edge I was looking for in day trading options. I focus on key support and resistance levels, candlestick patterns, and volume analysis. I also incorporate volatility analysis because options are very sensitive to volatility changes. This combination has proven to be very consistent for me over time.
ICT is just a marketer?
That’s a loaded question. I think there’s truth to that, but I also think that trading education has become very commercialized. When I first got into ICT (Inner Circle Trader concepts), it helped me think about trading differently. The core concepts around market structure and order flow are solid. But like anything, you have to take what works for you and leave the rest. Don’t follow any guru blindly, especially in day trading options. Develop your own edge based on solid principles but adapt them to your personality and trading style.
Copying other trader’s styles
This kills so many traders. I’ve seen people try to copy exactly how someone else trades day trading options and fail miserably. The reason is that every trader has a different personality, risk tolerance, and lifestyle. What works for someone who trades full-time from home with a $100,000 account won’t work for someone traveling with a $20,000 account. You need to adapt strategies to fit your specific situation. I learned this the hard way by trying to copy traders I admired online. It wasn’t until I developed my own style that things really clicked.
Quick fire questions
Starting capital? I started with $5,000. Best advice for beginners? Focus on risk management before anything else. Biggest mistake? Not treating it like a business. Favorite setup? High probability price action setups around key support/resistance levels in options. What keeps you motivated? The challenge and the lifestyle freedom. How do you handle losses? I view them as tuition payments for a very expensive education.
Traveling Trader Trade Statistics
Over the past three years, my day trading options approach has generated consistent results that I want to share transparently. This isn’t about boasting – it’s about showing what’s possible with proper risk management and a systematic approach to trading. The statistics below reflect real performance data from my trading account.
- Average monthly profit: $12,000 over the past 24 months
- Starting capital: $5,000 (blown twice before achieving consistency)
- Current trading capital: $180,000
- Average trades per day: 3-5 intraday options trades
- Win rate: Approximately 65% across all trades
- Risk per trade: 1-2% of account capital
| Period | Profit/Loss | Performance |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | -$8,000 | Learning phase |
| Year 2 | -$3,000 | Break-even attempts |
| Year 3 | +$45,000 | Consistent profitability |
| Year 4 | +$118,000 | System refinement |
Key Trading Insights from Traveling Trader
My journey in day trading options has taught me several crucial lessons that I wish I had known when I started. These insights have become the foundation of my approach and my teaching methodology.
- Risk management is more important than finding the perfect setup – I learned this after blowing multiple accounts early on
- Trading psychology is 80% of success – technical skills only matter if you can execute under pressure
- Consistency beats perfection – it’s better to make small, consistent profits than to chase large wins
- Journalling is essential for improvement – documenting your thought process helps identify patterns you can’t see otherwise
- Lifestyle integration is crucial for long-term success – day trading options while traveling requires systems that work anywhere
Traveling Trader Trading Strategy
My approach to day trading options combines several elements that work together to create a robust trading system. Below are the specific strategies I’ve developed and refined over the years.
Price Action Analysis for Options Trading
This is the core of my approach. I focus on key support and resistance levels, candlestick patterns, and volume analysis to identify high probability setups. For day trading options, I pay special attention to how price behaves around these levels because options can amplify moves significantly. I look for confluence – when price action, volume, and key levels all align to create a strong setup. This approach has given me about a 65% win rate consistently.
Volatility-Based Options Selection
I use volatility analysis as a key filter for my day trading options setups. I prefer to buy options when implied volatility is low and sell when it’s high. This means I’m often doing the opposite of what many traders do, which works in my favor. I also look at volatility skew – how volatility differs across strike prices – to identify mispriced options that offer better risk-reward setups.
Risk Management Framework
Every single trade I make follows strict risk management rules. I risk 1-2% of my account on any single trade, never exceed 5% total portfolio risk at any time, and always use stop losses. For day trading options, I also have specific position sizing rules based on the Greeks – especially delta and gamma. This framework has been crucial to surviving the inevitable losing periods.
Traveling Trader Tools
I’ve spent years testing different tools and platforms for day trading options, especially while traveling. Here are the essential tools that I rely on for consistent trading performance regardless of location.
- Thinkorswim platform – For options chain analysis and volatility data
- TradingView – For price action analysis and charting while traveling
- Notion workspace – For trading journal and performance tracking
- Risk management calculator – Custom-built tool for position sizing calculations
Common Trading Mistakes to Avoid
Based on my experience and watching countless traders fail at day trading options, here are the mistakes that consistently destroy accounts and what to do instead.
- Overtrading and revenge trading – I used to do this constantly, now I have strict daily trade limits
- Ignoring risk management rules – It took blowing two accounts to learn this lesson the hard way
- Chasing quick profits – Day trading options requires patience and discipline, not greed
- Copying other traders exactly – Everyone needs to develop their own edge that fits their personality and lifestyle
Conclusion
Day trading options has been one of the most challenging and rewarding experiences of my life. It’s taught me about discipline, patience, risk management, and most importantly, myself. If you’re considering getting into day trading options, remember that success comes from consistency, not perfection. The journey is long, but the rewards are significant. Start small, focus on risk management, and build your skills systematically. Feel free to share your own trading experiences in the comments below, and if you found this helpful, consider subscribing for more insights into profitable trading strategies.