Good morning, traders…

Back in high school, one kid bullied me constantly. 

Nothing dramatic, just the usual loud-mouth kind of bullying. Shoving in the hallway, talking trash at lunch, that sort of thing. 

But it really bothered me. I was smaller back then, more of a quiet kid. He was one of those meat-neck linebackers with a permanent scowl.

One day, it went too far. He pushed me into my locker and made fun of me in front of a group of people. 

What he didn’t realize was that my older brother was walking up behind him.

My brother stepped in, got right between us, and said: “You ever touch my brother again, I’ll handle it personally.”

The bully froze, rapt with fear. He never said another word to me. He avoided me like I had Ebola for the rest of the year.

That moment stuck with me, knowing my big brother had my back. All the fear disappeared instantly. 

I didn’t need to be tough. I didn’t need to throw blows. I just needed to know someone stronger was on my side.

That’s exactly what following the Smart Money does for my trading.

Now that I’m 6-foot-8, I don’t get bullied too much anymore. 

But the market still tries to trick me (and you) at every turn. 

When institutions are buying millions in options on a stock, they’re signaling conviction. They’ve done the research. They have information and resources you don’t. 

When they step in, it’s like having a big brother watching your back on the blacktop. 

You’re no longer paralyzed by indecision. You know someone bigger and stronger is on your side.

I just made 150% on a trade (in four hours)* because the Smart Money had my back.

Why Morning Trades Are Riskier

I prefer to enter trades in the afternoon. The trend is clearly defined, the opening bell mania has subsided, and I can position into the close with clarity. 

Here’s why morning trades are typically riskier:

Midday doldrums. Volume dries up from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. as traders head to lunch. Less volume means less follow-through.

Less data. Morning trades rely on fewer candles and less price action. The chart hasn’t shown its hand yet.

Time decay. If a morning trade chops sideways through midday, option premium erodes before volume returns.

Patient people take money from impatient people. Traders force morning trades because they’re in the latter category. 

That said, there’s one scenario when I’ll trade in the morning…

When all of my non-negotiables are met. 

How I Made 150% in 4 Hours

Yesterday morning, the Smart Money couldn’t stop buying calls on Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMD).

That’s my #1 non-negotiable. Check. 

It checked all of my other boxes as well (but more on that later). 

I entered the November 7 $250 Calls at 9:44 a.m EST for $3.80 per contract. 

My range and risk were clearly defined:

First target: $4.60. Stop: $3.10.

The chart exploded higher … immediately.

I began scaling out of my gains, moving my stop-loss up as the trade advanced. 

Once I was up 40%, I moved my stop to break-even. 

At that point, it was smooth sailing risk-wise. The trade couldn’t hurt me. I was “playing with house money.”

I sold my final batch for $10.00 — a 150% gain in four hours.*

But some even better setups are developing as we speak…

Want to get in before they take off?

Join our Smart Money Workshop TODAY at 4 p.m. EST.

Know Your Non-Negotiables

This trade worked because it met all of my non-negotiables:

• Smart Money interest.
• Elevated trading volume.
• Strong chart and news alignment.
• High probability technical pattern.

Ask yourself: What is your non-negotiable reason for taking a trade?

You need a filter that tells you when to act and when to walk away.

Your non-negotiables are that filter. Don’t negotiate them. 

Happy trading,

Ben Sturgill

*Past performance does not indicate future results