Hey there, it’s Mark.
“Cash those puppies in!”
If you’ve been following along today in Trade to Close, you heard me say that about fifteen times.
And there’s a darn good reason why.
But while my members were banking 100-200% gains in minutes, something much bigger was happening.
Nvidia down 3%. Palantir crushed 7%. AMD obliterated 7%. The Nasdaq having its worst week since April.
And somewhere out there, traders who rode these AI darlings to the moon are watching their gains evaporate because they never learned the most important lesson in trading.
The Numbers Tell Two Stories
Here’s what happened today when we hit our targets:
But here’s the other story: While we were taking profits, AI stocks were getting demolished. Again.
“Priced for Perfection” Always Ends the Same Way
You know what kills me? All year long, people have been holding Palantir, Nvidia, these AI darlings, watching them go parabolic. “Diamond hands,” they say. “This time is different.”
Meanwhile, I’ve been teaching the same lesson every single day: when the market gives you money, you take it.
The Real Market Lesson
Today’s massacre wasn’t random.
As Mike Mussio from FBB Capital said, “So much of this stuff from a valuation standpoint was so lofty and priced for perfection.”
Priced for perfection. You know what happens to things priced for perfection? They get crushed the moment reality shows up.
Why My System Works in Any Market
Whether it’s a 15-minute put trade or a six-month AI stock run, the principle is identical:
When we hit our targets – that’s the market telling you to take your money.
The 50-70% rule isn’t just for day trades. It’s for everything. Your high-flyers, your moonshots, your “sure things.”
The Psychology That’s Destroying Portfolios
Here’s what happened to those AI holders: they hit their targets, saw green, and thought “maybe it’ll go higher.” Sound familiar?
That’s the exact same psychology that kills day traders. The only difference is the timeframe.
What Today Really Taught Us
Ted made $790 shorting ES while Nvidia holders watched billions evaporate. One took profits at targets. The other held for “more.”
The Nasdaq is down 2.8% this week. Job cuts hit 22-year highs. The government shutdown is creating economic uncertainty.
But our Trade to Close members? They’re sitting on cash from today’s profits, ready for whatever comes next.
The Harsh Truth
You can’t go broke taking a profit. But you can definitely go broke watching a 300% AI stock gain turn into a 50% loss because you thought “this time is different.”
Always Be Closing – On Everything
This isn’t just about day trading. It’s about portfolio survival in a market where “priced for perfection” is getting reality-checked every single day.
The market gave us exactly what we wanted today. We hit our levels, took our profits, and walked away winners.
While AI darlings burned, we cashed those puppies.
Every. Single. Time.
Your Only Option,
Mark Sebastian
