Quote from iceman1:
This is my first and only call on a "floor" ! LOL
I nailed oil after not trading for 18 months. I got friends together and we entered puts on indexes and stocks when oil ran into the 135-145 area. I told them we would see 80s again but of course most thought I was crazy. I based my oil call on an experience with a good friend who was a bond trader and way back when he said oil would not likely go much higher than 12-15. He just couldn't see a scenario that would put it higher in the next decade. This was exactly the thoughts and comments we heard when oil was in the mid-120-140s and everyone assumed it would continue higher even in the face of declining demand, a potential recession and an election. No one could see how it could ever fall. Most didn't even consider oil to be a 'bubble'. I did. I got lucky.
The one thing I learned (the hard way) over the past 10-12 years is that all good things come to he or she who waits. If you are patient enough you will always have a great opportunity to make a huge sum of money when we get HUGE and fast moves like we have seen over and over again in the markets. But most need to score every day, every week, every month. That was my mistake as well.
My oil play taught me how to score big in the market, and ironically exert less energy and encounter less stress. First, learn all you can about making money in the financial markets; then get a day job. Then sit back and wait for the next golden 'back-up-the-truck-easy money opportunity. Since they don't come often most don't have the discipline or patience to wait for them, and don't know what to do when they come since they keep looking for the contrary move much like you note by people looking for a bottom all week (and last week) rather than trading the strong downward trend.
Anyone who traded short the past 3 weeks via options or futures (much less the past 9 months) made more than probably 90% of traders or investors made all year long playing games just for the action.