Don Kaufman here.
Let me tell you something about trading. It’s not about being the smartest person in the room, or having the fanciest setup, or even catching every single market move.
It’s about patience. Yeah, patience—the kind of thing that makes most traders groan because, hey, we all want results yesterday.
But here’s the truth: patience isn’t just a nice-to-have. It’s your superpower.
In today’s market, I see way too many traders getting caught up in the noise. They’re making decisions based on every little tick in the market, every tweet, every headline.
And guess what?
That’s a one-way ticket to burned accounts and sleepless nights. If you want to succeed—really succeed—you’ve got to learn how to wait.
The Butterfly Effect (in Trading, Not Chaos Theory)
Take the trades I’ve got on right now, like my butterfly spreads. A butterfly spread is all about precision, but it’s also about patience. You’re setting up a trade that might take days to play out. You’re not looking for instant gratification.
You’re letting the probabilities and the market mechanics do the work for you.
For example, I’ve got a butterfly on Qualcomm (QCOM) right now, and guess what? It’s not quite there yet.
But I’m not bailing out just because the stock isn’t moving as expected in the first few hours of the trading day. Why? Because that’s not how this works!
Trades like these are about letting the market come to you. If you’re constantly jumping in and out, you’re just handing money to the market makers.
Let me break it down: patience is what separates the pros from the amateurs. Amateurs panic when a trade doesn’t immediately go their way. Pros know that markets move in waves, and sometimes, you’ve got to ride out the chop before you hit your target.
The Market Doesn’t Care About Your Timeline
Here’s the thing about the market: it doesn’t care about your timeline.
It doesn’t care if you’ve got a meeting in 20 minutes or a dinner date tonight. The market moves when it moves—and that’s why you’ve got to stop trying to force trades.
Take this week’s market action, for example. We’re seeing low volume, drifting prices, and a lot of indecision.
It’s tempting to dive in and try to “make something happen,” but trust me, that’s just going to cost you. Instead, focus on setting up trades with good risk-reward potential and wait for the market to come to you.
Patience Isn’t Passive
Now, I know what some of you are thinking: “Don, isn’t patience just a fancy way of saying ‘do nothing’?”
Absolutely not.
Patience is active. It’s about watching, waiting, and preparing. It’s about knowing your levels, your setups, and your risk before the market even gets there.
Case in point: take the S&P 500’s price action over the last few months. It’s been bouncing around in a tight range, between 5,900 and 6,100. If you’re trying to chase every little move in that range, you’re going to get chopped to pieces.
But if you’re patient—if you wait for a break above 6,150 or below 5,850—you’re setting yourself up for a much bigger, more meaningful trade.
The same goes for volatility.
I’ve got a VIX trade on right now, and I’m not expecting it to pop today or tomorrow.
I’m giving it 68 days to play out. Why? Because I know that volatility spikes happen when they happen, and you can’t rush that.
Patience Pays Off
I’ve been in this game for a long time, and if there’s one lesson that’s stood the test of time, it’s this: patience pays. It’s not glamorous. It’s not exciting. But it works.
So, the next time you’re staring at your screen, itching to hit the buy or sell button, ask yourself this: “Am I making this move because the market is giving me an opportunity, or because I’m bored and impatient?”
If it’s the latter, close your laptop, go for a walk, and let the market do its thing. It’ll still be there when you get back.
Final Word
Trading is a long game. It’s not about winning every day, every week, or even every month. It’s about stacking the odds in your favor over time. And the only way to do that is by mastering the art of patience.
So, slow down. Take a breath. Let the trades come to you. Because in this business, patience isn’t just a virtue—it’s your greatest edge.
To your success,
Don Kauman
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