u/IndianGuy000007

I’m a teen and i'm trying to start investing early, and I’d like some honest advice.

I’m thinking very long term (15–20+ years) and want to build wealth steadily through passive investing rather than trading.

I’ve been reading about:

• broad index funds
• S&P 500 investing (VOO)
• total world funds (VT)
• balancing domestic + international exposure

A few questions:

1. If you were starting at 15, what approach would you take?
2. Is focusing heavily on the S&P 500 sensible, or is broader diversification better?
3. What beginner mistakes should I avoid?
4. What’s the best way to actually learn investing properly?

Looking for honest opinions from people with real experience.

P.S. I’m investing from outside the US, so I’d appreciate advice with that in mind.