This is one moment that I will always remember for the rest of my life. I was at my computer on a night in September 2021 watching numbers flash on the screen with so much pressure in my ears that I could feel it in my ear canal. I was going to make a decision that would cost me $2, 500 in few minutes, all because I let emotions take control of me.
It was a typical night in September 2021. The crypto market was in a bull run and I was expecting the launch of a new coin. I had done my research and had a solid plan to invest once it was released. My strategy was straightforward and simple. Get in early, and sell as soon as possible.
But timing is everything. I was late. By the time I got online to check, the price of the new coin had already skyrocketed more than 100 times higher than its launch price. And that's when the emotional rollercoaster began.
What was unfolding on my screen sent my emotions into a frenzy. The coin's price just continued to go up and up by the second. My carefully thought-out plan broke down as I saw the numbers increase. That's when FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) hits me.
My wife was behind me, watching as I wrestled with myself. She could see the conflict on my face. Her reasonable voice cut through my emotional struggle, "Forget about it. Don't do it." But emotions have a way of drowning out even the soundest of advice.
The internal conflict existed. Reason whispered restraint, but emotions screamed possibility. At the time of this emotional conflict, I made my decision. $2,500, the biggest financial decision I would ever made in my life.
What transpired afterward is a daze. In a matter of minutes, the price of the coin fell by over 50%. Emotions still had their hold. "It will bounce back," I said to myself, allowing hope to triumph over reality. But hope is not a strategy.
The next morning brought the cold light of day. The coin's price had crashed below its starting price. My entire investment had essentially evaporated. The frustration was not just about the loss of money, it was the crushing realization that I had let emotions override every rational thought and warning sign.
I learned something invaluable from this expensive lesson, decisions made under the influence of strong emotions are rarely wise. When your heart is racing and your mind is filled with anticipation or dread, that is precisely when you need to take a deep breath and step away.
Today, whenever I face a major decision and feel emotions rising, I remember that September evening. I recall the cost of letting feelings override judgment. That $2,500 became the price of learning one of life's most important lessons, emotions and major decisions don't mix.
The lesson changed the manner in which I approach all significant decisions now. Financial, career, or interpersonal, I have learned to recognize when emotions are gaining the upper hand. When they are, I quit. I retreat. I wait until I have a clear head before acting.
Here's the thing, opportunities will always slip through your fingers. But making a decision with a clear, rational mind is priceless. Sometimes the bravest thing you can do is simply wait for your feelings to go away.
Remember, it's not about never feeling anything, emotions are what make us human. It's recognizing when they are in the driver's seat and having the presence of mind to take the wheel back.
So the next time you are being pushed by emotions toward a major decision, recall my story. Breathe. Step back. Because while opportunities do come again, you might not always have the luxury of learning from a $2,500 lesson.