The First Step To Trading Success

Hey traders,

Let me tell you something I think might be the best tip I can ever give you as we head into 2025:

Learn your trading platform.

Now, I know that might sound basic. But you wouldn’t believe how many traders let opportunity after opportunity slip by just because they don’t know how to place a trade.

Don’t Let Another Year Pass You By

Last week, I got an email from a lady who said:

“Jack, I want to start trading your strategies, but I haven’t even used the program I bought last year because nobody showed me how to do it on E-Trade.”

A whole year had passed — and she hadn’t placed a single trade.

Let me be blunt: We’re never getting that year back.

And 2024 was a great year in the markets! Think about how much opportunity passed her by… just because she didn’t know which buttons to push to place the trades.

Step One: Know How to Place a Trade

Trading isn’t complicated when you have the basics covered. Here’s what you need to know how to do on your platform:

  • Pull up a stock: You can’t buy or sell it if you can’t find it.

  • Access the options chain: If you’re trading credit spreads, debit spreads, covered calls, or naked puts, this is critical.

  • Execute a trade: Learn the difference between buy to open, sell to close, buy to close, and sell to open.

Whether you’re using Schwab, E-Trade, ThinkOrSwim, or another platform, these tools are all there. And if you don’t know how to use them? There are plenty of options.

You can call your broker. Most of them even have online chat support. And a lot of them have tutorial videos you can watch on their websites or YouTube.

It’s Like Driving a Car

Think of it this way:

I can give you a map and tell you exactly where to go. I can even teach you which routes to take and how to avoid traffic.

But if you don’t know how to use the gas pedal, brakes, or steering wheel… you’re not going anywhere.

Trading is the same way. You’ve got to know how to “drive” your platform.

And once you’ve got that part figured out, you’re free. You can start buying stock, selling options, running credit spreads, or whatever else you want to do.

Don’t Let 2025 Pass You By

I’ll say it again: 2025 is going to be packed with opportunities.

  • Buying stock
  • Selling stock
  • Credit spreads
  • Debit spreads
  • Covered calls
  • Naked puts

The opportunities are endless — but you can’t take advantage of a single one if you’re stuck on Step One.

So here’s what I want you to do:

Take 30 minutes this week to learn your platform.

Learn how to execute the strategies I teach. Learn how to navigate the basics.

Because once you’ve got that down? The rest will come easy.

Tutorial Videos

Here’s a couple of links to some tutorial videos for the most popular platforms to get you started.

If your platform isn’t listed above, call your broker directly and they’ll either be able to help you learn the platform over the phone or give you a link to some video tutorials.

Don’t let another year pass you by. Get ready for 2025.

Trade well,
Jack Carter

P.S. Now’s the perfect time to know your platform, because I just released my brand new One Ticker Challenge. I can’t wait for you to check it out.

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn