What I Wish I Knew Before My First Year of Investing

My first year of investing was a mix of excitement, panic, and a lot of guessing. I remember thinking, “How hard can this really be?”.

Turns out, pretty hard. One day I felt like a pro, the next I wanted to quit. Looking back, I realize I made every beginner mistake possible. Here’s what I wish I knew back then.

Mistake 1: I Chased the Hype

I can’t lie, every time I saw a “hot stock” or a “next big thing,” I wanted to get in. Everyone online was talking about it, and it felt like I’d be dumb to miss out.

So, I bought into hype stocks… and usually right before they crashed.
That’s when I learned: if everyone’s shouting about a stock, you’re probably too late.

Real investing isn’t about chasing what’s popular, it’s about finding what’s valuable. Now, instead of following trends, I follow facts.

Mistake 2: I Didn’t Actually Know What I Was Buying

At first, I just bought whatever someone recommended. If it sounded exciting or had a cool logo, I was in. I didn’t check if the company made money or even what it did.

The result? I ended up holding stocks that were basically burning cash.
One company I bought…