I blew my first account in 3 weeks. Not because the market was against me — because I had no framework.

Here's what would've saved me thousands:

1. Position sizing > stock picking

Everyone obsesses over finding the "right" stock. But the traders who survive are the ones who never risk more than 1-2% of their account on a single trade. Your job isn't to be right — it's to stay in the game.

2. Options have a clock on them

Stocks can wait. Options can't. Theta decay is real, and if you don't understand how time eats your premium, you'll watch perfectly good setups expire worthless. Learn what theta is before you buy a single contract.

3. Paper trade until it's boring

I know, nobody wants to hear this. But the point of paper trading isn't to make fake money — it's to build the muscle memory of following your rules when there's zero emotion involved. Once your process is automatic, THEN go live.

These three things would have saved me $4,000+ in my first year.

If you're just getting started with stocks and options, I built Apex Trade Academy to be the guide I never had. Step-by-step courses, daily market breakdowns, and a community that actually helps each other.