Good morning, traders,

Early in my trading career, I believed the fastest way to make money was to load up big on a single trade. 

You know the line: “Go big or go home.”

Well, I went home. A lot.

As in, back to the drawing board, licking my wounds, staring at a red account, and questioning everything.

The truth smacked me hard: Big bets weren’t bold. They were reckless.

What actually builds a real trading career? 

Small bets and stacking small wins. Staying in the game long enough to let skill, strategy, and experience do their job.

You want to win? Learn to survive first.

Small trades aren’t about playing scared. They’re about staying in the fight.

When your position size is manageable, losses don’t rattle your brain. They don’t destroy your confidence. They don’t make you want to throw your laptop out the window.

And they don’t blow up your account.

Instead, every small trade becomes a learning opportunity. 

And when the right setup does come around? You’ve got the capital, the focus, and the reps to strike.

This is how you can work up to bigger and better, as I did.

Why Small Bets Work 

I get it — in options, you see 100%+ moves all the time. It’s tempting to want to throw in everything you’ve got on the “perfect” trade.

But let me ask you this: How many of those perfect trades actually are perfect?

In options, the upside on small bets can still be huge if you’re trading smart.

Here’s what keeping your size in check does for you:

1. It Protects Your Account

This one’s obvious. You go too heavy on a single trade, and it doesn’t work? You’re toast.

Keep your bets small, and bad trades become speed bumps instead of brick walls.

2. It Protects Your Mindset

Oversized trades jack up your emotions. 

You start watching the ticker every second. You get anxious. You hesitate. You second-guess.

And when you’re in that headspace, you make dumb decisions.

Smaller positions let you stay calm and focused on the process, not the outcome.

3. It Builds Real Resilience

You’re going to take losses. I still do.

The difference is I’ve trained myself to take them in stride.

Smaller bets let you learn without getting crushed. They give you the space to mess up and then come back stronger.

And every win — even a little one — stacks confidence and reinforces the good habits that matter over the long run.

Position Sizing = Risk Control 

So how small is small?

If your account is $10,000, you probably don’t want to risk more than 1%–2% ($100–$200) on a single trade.

But if your account’s still growing — say under $1,000 — you might lean into 10% or even 20% risk. Just don’t go blowing it all on one YOLO idea.

You’re not trying to hit a grand slam. You’re building muscle.

Small bets keep you alive. And if you’re alive, you’re learning. 

If you’re learning, you’re improving. And if you’re improving — eventually, you’re cashing in.

Your Mindset Shifts With Your Size

Here’s something most traders never figure out: When your size is reasonable, your thinking gets sharper.

You stop saying, “I need this trade to work.” You start saying, “I want to execute this trade well.”

That’s a massive shift.

Neediness in trading kills clarity. But when your risk is under control, you’re free to focus on doing things right and not just hoping to get lucky.

And if the trade doesn’t work? You’re not spiraling. You’re adjusting and refining.

One good trade leads to another. Then another. 

Then a great one. Then a heater. 

And before you know it, you’ve strung together a real win streak — not because you bet big, but because you bet smart.

Run Like It’s a Marathon

The guys who make it in this game are grinders.

They show up every day and take solid trades. They manage risk. They focus on process over outcome. 

They hit singles and doubles — and the occasional home run shows up on its own.

Big trades might blow up on Reddit. But small, smart bets build actual wealth.

So the next time you feel that urge to size up and swing hard … pause. Breathe. Think.

Then place a trade that keeps you in the game tomorrow.

That’s how real traders win.

Stay street smart,
Jeff Zananiri

P.S. Join Aaron Hunziker tonight at 9 p.m. ET for APEX Live, where he’ll walk you through the setups we’re watching, how the market’s reacting, and where the real opportunities are right now.

Be ready.

📅 Today | ⏰ 9 p.m. | APEX Live

*Past performance does not indicate future results