To The Moon

The first time I bought a stock, quite a long time ago, I thought I was being smart by watching the price every second. I sat there with the app open, tracking every tiny movement. When it dropped a little, I told myself, No need to rush. It’ll fall further.

So I lowered my limit price.

A few minutes later, the stock dipped again. I lowered it once more. Each time I adjusted, I felt clever, like I was squeezing out a better deal. But by the end of the day, the stock bounced higher than where I’d first planned to buy. My order never filled. I ended up with nothing but frustration.

That experience taught me something: staring at the market too long can turn discipline into hesitation, and hesitation into missed opportunities.

Now, when I buy stocks or ETFs, I set a limit price, place the order, and close the app. Out of sight, out of temptation. I don’t always catch the exact bottom, and sometimes the price climbs before I get in at all. But more often, I actually buy what I set out to buy without talking myself out of it.

Because investing isn’t just about numbers. It’s about managing my own impulses. And sometimes, the best way to win… is simply to stop looking.