“Take small bites and add to your process, instead of trying to make a huge change all at once” @MaestroXC
In Members in Profile, we interview stand-out members that show strong aptitude and work ethic. Our goal is to highlight different folks so that you can see the effort that our members are putting into their trading and hopefully learn from their experiences of the Convergent Trading Community.
We hope you enjoy hearing what @MaestroXC has to say!
What brought you into trading?
Like a lot of people, trading and interacting with the market more directly really started during the pandemic and especially the wild market movements in 2020 and in 2021. I was lucky enough to be working more than ever during this time, and the meme-stock craze of January 2021 got me looking at the market in a way that I had not before, especially at derivatives like options and futures.
What do you like most about Convergent?
What I like most about CT is that it is led by a transparent group of people like FT71 and the other Mavens who have offered a lot of valuable information and personal experience, but nothing about it is mysterious. All the theories and practical advice stand on their own, and can be seen to have value in the markets and in each individual’s trading approach. I appreciate the matter-of-fact approach to markets and treating trading as a business. I think it’s also important to recognize that CT is always taking user feedback and trying to provide better tools and resources to the community. I’ve been a member since 2022 and there have been quite a few changes to the service, like the establishment of the Maven position, the Trade Right program, and lately the Accelerator Program, which I am pleased to say provided a lot of value for me.
How have these aspects helped you grow as a trader?
These aspects have helped me grow as a trader by helping me to focus on risk management, the natural ebbs and flows of the market, accepting loss and the random nature of events in the market, and the importance of my own process.
Do you have a favorite community quote or webinar?
Favorite webinars: I really think all the webinars have value. I think the Stalk Zone webinars are extremely valuable to revisit from time to time, as well as anything that helps to frame the market context. On the other end, I like the impromptus or Anatomy of a Trade webinars that focus on the whole process from long-term context to execution and management.
Do you have any advice for new members?
My advice for new members is to take things at your own pace, and try to establish a routine of analysis and homework for one product until it becomes rote. Frequently you’ll hear that you should “trade what’s right for you”, and to me that means finding a product and a process that you have curiosity for and look forward to executing. Take small bites and add to your process, instead of trying to make a huge change all at once. Reach out to other members and make yourself accountable, accepting the inevitability of loss without shame.
What is your favorite non-trading activity/hobby?
When I’m not trading, I like trail running and hiking, as well as mountain biking. I have two young kids that I like to spend time with, and they always have their own ideas about what I should be doing!
Have you participated in the #TradeRight program/challenges? What discoveries have you made?
I have completed the Trade Right program, and I think the emphasis on working and developing in a businesslike way was interesting and very valuable to me. A lot of other avenues of trading education are focused only on execution in the market, but the business process helps support the trading process, and discipline in one helps support discipline in the other. Much like taking a trade, it’s the larger context that matters, and planning long term is key.