When I opened my brokerage account for the first time, I felt like I had unlocked a new world. Charts, tickers, flashing green numbers — everything felt exciting, fast, full of potential.
I told myself I was ready.
But looking back… I wasn’t ready at all.
My first month in the stock market became less about learning how the market works, and more about learning how I work.
The Rush to Buy Something — Anything
I still remember the exact feeling: the moment I got access to Trading212, I wanted to buy a stock immediately.
I didn’t even care which one.
There was this loud voice in my head saying:
“If you don’t buy now, you’ll miss out.”
So I clicked Buy.
And then I clicked Buy again.
And again.
Within a few days, I was already holding multiple positions — not because I understood them, but because I couldn’t stand the idea of not owning something. Every small dip felt like an opportunity. Every bit of green felt like confirmation that I was a genius.
But none of it was strategy.
It was pure impatience dressed as enthusiasm.
I Wanted Every Stock I Saw
As I scrolled through lists of companies and ETFs, it felt like a giant buffet. Apple? Sure. Tesla? Why not. Semiconductor ETFs? Add to basket. Dividend stocks? I’ll take those too.
In my head, I imagined building a perfect portfolio instantly.
But in reality, I was building confusion.
I didn’t know what I believed in yet. I didn’t have a plan. I just had FOMO — fear of missing out — and it was steering every decision I made. I wanted to own everything at once, and that mindset was a fast track to nowhere.
Investing, I learned, isn’t a race to buy the most.
It’s a slow process of choosing deliberately.
The Emotional Whiplash
I started checking my portfolio constantly.
Every red candle felt personal.
Every green candle gave me a hit of dopamine.
There were moments where I sold too early because I panicked over a small dip. And there were moments where I bought too early because I feared missing the climb.
I realized quickly that my emotions were running the show — not logic, not research, not patience.
And that was the wake-up call.
The Real Lesson: Master Yourself First
People say the market is psychological, but I didn’t really understand what that meant until I saw how irrational I could become.
The truth is:
- The urge to buy everything
- The panic when prices drop
- The excitement when prices rise
- The impatience to act immediately
These emotions make investing harder than any technical chart ever will.
My first month taught me that successful investing starts inside your own head.
It’s about slowing down.
Thinking long-term.
Letting go of the need to react to every tiny movement.
It’s about building discipline before building a portfolio.
Looking Back — and Forward
When I look back at that first month, I almost have to laugh at myself. I was trying to sprint in a marathon I didn’t even understand yet.
But I’m grateful for the experience.
It shook me enough to rethink my approach, but not enough to scare me away. And that’s the balance new investors need.
The psychological lessons I learned in the beginning are now the foundation for everything I’m building in the future.
This journey is just starting — and I’m excited to keep sharing what I learn along the way.
If You Want to Support My Journey
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