On Options | Mcmillan

Years later, Lawrence’s copy of "McMillan on Options" was dog-eared and spine-cracked, held together by packing tape. He wasn't just a trader anymore; he was a strategist. He realized that in the casino of the market, most people were gamblers, but McMillan had given him the blueprint to be the house.

Lawrence stopped seeing options as lottery tickets. Through McMillan’s eyes, they became tools for hedging, for generating income through covered calls, and for structured speculation via spreads. He learned that time—theta—wasn't just an enemy; it could be a landlord collecting rent if you sat on the right side of the trade. He discovered the "Greeks," the silent gears turning behind every price movement. McMillan on options

The next morning, Lawrence didn't rush into the pit. He sat on the periphery, watching the VIX—the "fear gauge" McMillan had helped popularize. He saw a massive spike in implied volatility. The old Lawrence would have bought expensive calls, hoping for a moonshot. The new Lawrence, mentored by the ink on the page, saw the overpricing. He sold a credit spread, leaning into the high premiums. Years later, Lawrence’s copy of "McMillan on Options"

That night, hunched over a cluttered desk in a dim apartment, he cracked open a thick, imposing volume: Lawrence stopped seeing options as lottery tickets