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Do The Same Thing Again
Weekly Edition: July 15th, 2026
Market Movements
Current Level | Weekly Return | YTD | |
|---|---|---|---|
S&P 500 | 7,543.59 | 0.897% | 10.20% |
NASDAQ | 26,107.01 | 1.565% | 12.33% |
Dow Jones | 52,508.27 | -0.474% | 9.25% |
VIX | 16.50 | -0.302% | 10.37% |
Russell 2000 | 2,964.76 | -0.164% | 18.56% |
*Weekly Return is calculated as market open of the previous Wednesday, to market close this Tuesday (yesterday); Current Level is Tuesday’s (yesterday’s) close.
Weekly Watch
Inflation Cools: June inflation came in softer than expected, reducing immediate pressure on the Fed and giving stocks some breathing room.
Earnings Are Here: Bank earnings kicked off reporting season, with major companies like Netflix and TSMC reporting soon. Looking for higher volatility—and higher option premiums.
AI Spending Continues: IBM highlighted a shift toward AI infrastructure spending, reinforcing the market's focus on chips, servers, and cybersecurity.
Oil Remains the Wildcard: Middle East tensions continue to keep energy markets on edge, making oil-related stocks especially sensitive to headlines.
Thought Throttle
Most new traders chase excitement. They hunt for the next 100% winner, the perfect earnings play, or the “can’t miss” meme stock.
The results are usually as follows: frustration, blown accounts, and burnout.
There’s a much better way.
The real edge in options isn’t found in doing something different every week. It’s found in doing the same simple thing every month. And getting to the point where it is done well.
What does “The Same Thing” look like?
As option sellers, our repeatable process is straightforward:
Pick quality stocks or ETFs we wouldn’t mind owning long-term.
Sell cash-secured puts (or covered calls) at reasonable strikes.
Collect premium upfront.
Let time decay (theta) do most of the work.
Repeat next month.
That’s it. No complicated spreads. No guessing Fed moves. No gambling on 0DTE lottery tickets. Just a calm, repeatable system.
Why does it work?
Markets are noisy. News changes daily. But time decay is predictable. Every day that passes, options lose a little extrinsic value.
That value gradually flows to the option seller.
When we repeat this disciplined process month after month, we can turn that predictable decay into a reliable income stream. Small wins stack. Losses are manageable because we’re only risking capital on stocks we like anyway.
This is the opposite of what most retail traders do, especially most new ones. They change strategies constantly, chase hot stocks, and overtrade.
It behooves one to stay boring on purpose.
Even modest returns become powerful when repeated enough times.
Look at a conservative 1% per month average return and a 1.5% per month average return with premiums reinvested. This is very achievable selling options on solid names like SPY, AAPL, or MSFT.
Year | 1% per month | 1.5% per month |
|---|---|---|
0 | 10,000.00 | 10,000.00 |
1 | 11,268.25 | 11,956.18 |
3 | 14,307.69 | 17,091.40 |
5 | 18,166.97 | 24,432.20 |
10 | 33,003.87 | 59,693.23 |
15 | 59,958.02 | 145,843.68 |
20 | 108,925.54 | 356,328.16 |
25 | 197,884.66 | 870,588.00 |
This all comes from doing the same calm process month after month.
And it is realistic.
These aren’t hype numbers. They come from steady premium collection on good companies while the market does whatever it does.
How do we build this routine?
Choose 3–5 stocks or ETFs that we like
Sell puts (or covered calls) 30–45 days out
Target 1–2% return per trade on capital at risk
Take assignment if it happens (we want the shares anyway, right?)
Roll or close early only if the setup still makes sense
Repeat
Be patient
The power of doing the same thing every month is that it removes emotion and guesswork.
We just execute our process and let time + compounding do the heavy lifting.
In my experience, wealth has been built by the patient, not the flashy.
Do the same good thing every month. The longer it is stuck with, the more unstoppable the results become.
Quote(s) I Like
"Rule No. 1: Never lose money. Rule No. 2: Never forget Rule No. 1."
"The goal of a successful trader is to make the best trades. Money is secondary."
Trade Mechanics
Check out this opportunity for a cash-secured put in State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY).
The strike below represents a ~25-delta put expiring August 21, 2026.
S&P 500 ETF (SPY) | |
|---|---|
Current Price (July 14, 2026) | $751.83 |
Put Sold | Aug. 21 $730 Put (~25 Delta) |
Mid-Premium | $6.30 |
Capital At-Risk | $72,370 |
Return if Not Assigned | $630 ÷ $72,370 = 0.87% |
Annualized Return | ≈ 8.68% |
Cost Basis if Assigned | $723.70 (3.74% discount) |
If we wanted to buy SPY at a discount, we could sell the $730 August 21 Put for about $6.30 in premium. With shares trading near $751.83, that represents roughly a 0.87% return on capital at risk over the next 38 days. If assigned, we'd purchase shares at an effective cost basis of $723.70—a 3.74% discount from today's price.
If SPY remains above $730 through expiration, the option expires worthless and the premium is kept as income. If the ETF falls below the strike, assignment results in purchasing shares at an effective cost basis of $723.70.
This is for educational purposes only—not a trade recommendation. Remember to always do your own due diligence and consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
Throttle Q&A
What if the stock price moves against me?
That’s normal and expected.
Remember: you got paid upfront for taking on that risk. As long as it’s a quality business you’d be happy to own (for puts) or keep (for calls), stay patient. Small moves are part of the process.
Big price swings are exactly why the premium was attractive in the first place.
Can I really build meaningful wealth doing “just” 1-2% per month?
Yes.
That’s the whole point.
1-2% per month is realistic and sustainable. The magic happens through repetition and compounding. Chasing 10%+ every trade usually leads to big losses.
Steady, repeatable 1-2% wins compound into serious money over time while protecting your capital.
Got any questions or comments? Feel free to reply to this email—we’d love to hear from you!
If you found this helpful, feel free to share or forward this email to anyone who might be interested! We appreciate your support.
Disclaimer
The information provided in this newsletter is sourced from reliable channels; however, we cannot guarantee its accuracy. The opinions expressed in this newsletter are solely those of the editorial team, contributors, or third-party sources and may change without prior notice. These views do not necessarily reflect those of the firm as a whole. The content may become outdated, and there is no obligation to update it.
Options come with inherent risks. We strongly advise you to consult with a financial advisor before making any investment decisions, including determining whether any proposed investment aligns with your personal financial needs.
