Issue #12: I Lost $10,000 and That Was the Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me
The loss that left me broke.
Reading time: 3 minutes
Let me tell you a story about me.
In 2021, I started learning about finance and jumped into stocks and crypto. My dad (bless his kind heart) trusted me with $4,000 from his savings while I was still in university. Later that year, I got a job, saved diligently, and poured almost every dollar I earned into investments. By the end, I had amassed $10,000.
And then I lost it all.
$1,500 vanished in Titano Finance.
$1,200 went down with Celsius’ bankruptcy.
$4,500 into GameStop became $700.
The rest—$2,800—disappeared into various shitcoins.
At the end of this financial carnage, I was left with $700. A mere 7% of my original capital. I had no savings left.
The loss changed everything. It forced me to pause and reevaluate. It taught me the lessons no book, course, or seminar could deliver as powerfully:
Calculate every move: Blind enthusiasm doesn’t equal good investing.
Research like your future depends on it: Because it does.
Control emotions: FOMO, greed, and panic are the enemy.
I learned how painful, stressful, shameful, and downright infuriating financial mistakes can be. But I also learned how necessary those lessons were.
Today, I’m in a much better financial position, and ironically, I owe a lot of that to losing $10,000.
No, You Don’t Need to Lose Money to Learn
I’m not suggesting you go out and lose money. If you’re already wiser than I was back then, I envy you. But if you’re not, don’t be afraid of mistakes. They are some of the most effective teachers.
Christopher Hitchens once said something that profoundly shaped my perspective:
In life, we must choose our regrets.
Think about that. Let me repeat it: In life. We. Must. Choose. Our. Regrets.
No matter what you do, regret is inevitable. But there’s a difference between regrets of action and regrets of inaction. Regrets of action, like taking a chance and failing, often come with lessons that fuel growth. Regrets of inaction often leave you stuck, wondering “what if” for years to come.
Turn Losses Into Lessons
If you’ve lost money because of your own decisions, don’t dwell on the pain. See it as tuition for one of the most expensive (and valuable) courses on finance. Mistakes like these can shape you into a smarter, more disciplined investor.
And if you’re starting out, take it from someone who’s been there: calculate, research, and stay calm. Those three principles will save you from repeating my $10,000 mistake.
Thank you, my dear reader, for your time and attention. I’ll see you next Thursday.