A few years back, I made what I thought was a smart move in the market. Did my research, followed the trends, felt like I had it all figured out. Dropped a big chunk of my portfolio into what seemed like a sure thing. But yeah… the market had other plans.
It was early 2022, tech was flying, Nasdaq hitting new highs, and it felt like stocks could only go up. Then boom—crash. Inflation spiked, Fed started going crazy with rate hikes, and next thing you know, stocks like Meta, Netflix, even Amazon got wrecked. My portfolio? Down 40% in months. Just completely lost.
I remember just staring at my screen, watching red numbers pile up, telling myself, “it’s fine, it’ll bounce back, just hold.” But nah, every bounce was a bull trap, every little recovery got smacked down. The worst part? Not even the money. It was the mental hit. Felt like a total failure. Stopped checking my portfolio, lost sleep over all the dumb “what if” scenarios running in my head. Started questioning if I even understood the market at all.
Markets are brutal, man.
If you’re going through something similar right now, I get it. When you lose money in the market, it’s not just financial—it feels personal. It’s easy to beat yourself up, to replay every trade, to wonder why you didn’t sell earlier or wait for a better entry. But here’s what I learned:
- Even the best investors lose money. Buffett has missed out on massive opportunities. Dalio’s fund once lost billions in a bad macro call. Losses happen.
- The market always recovers—but only if you do. In 2008, the S&P 500 crashed nearly 50%. In 2020, it dropped 35% in a month. Both times, it came back stronger. But if you let emotions push you out completely, you won’t be there for the recovery.
- You’re not alone. Right now, someone else is in the exact same position, feeling the same frustration. And five years from now, someone will be going through it again. The ones who make it are the ones who keep going.
If your losses are overwhelming, step away for a bit. Take time to clear your head, rethink your strategy, and remember that investing is a long game. The market doesn’t care about your emotions—but you should.
So if you’re down bad right now, I just want to say: I’ve been there. I know how it feels. And I promise, you’ll get through it.