I was a better speculator when I was in my 20’s. I am a far better steward of money now, manager of assets. But when it comes to picking stocks screaming higher, my best period–without a doubt– was between the ages of 20-25.
Young people do not have inhibitions. They’ve never experienced failure. Therefore, winning is all they know, especially those who’ve had an athletic childhood. The older you get, the more you understand loss. Losing is a bitter pill to swallow and we train ourselves to avoid danger, for fear of losing. By the time we are ready to enter our respective pineapple coffins, we will hate stocks, young people, chocolate cake, and loud music.
My largest position is BX, which would’ve been unthinkable when I was 22. I’d laugh at the old men in the boardroom, who were trying to make 10% in their stupid large cap value plays. Hell, I was making 10% in a day, playing the wheel of fortune game. What I didn’t think about at that time was the “bankruptcy” option on said wheel. Playing the high stakes game, the beta better than 2, is guaranteed to inflict financial damage to you and your family.
My advice to young punks out there, new to the business, overzealous to make millions, is to bide your time. Use your energy to make business contacts and grow your business through a burgeoning client base, not 100% returns. If you can make 20-30% per annum, at the same time grow your assets under management by 50% per annum, in 10 years time you will be on your way to being a rich man.
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