I’m 43 years old now, and for the first time in my life, I truly understand what people mean when they say that the peace of mind money brings far outweighs material possessions.
A few years ago, I was just like everyone else, worrying all day long about gas prices and grocery bills. Back then, there wasn’t a single sign of wealth in my life: I lived in a small townhouse, drove an old car, worked a regular corporate job, was divorced, and was struggling to make ends meet while raising a teenager.
Around the end of 2022, after becoming completely obsessed with the space infrastructure and defense contract sectors, I started building a substantial position in RKLB. To be honest, I even wondered if I was losing my mind at the time, because everyone around me was saying it was just another hype stock.
Some days the losses were so severe that I physically didn’t even want to open my stock trading app.
But I kept buying anyway.
Fast forward to today: with RKLB, the NVDA shares I bought earlier, and a bunch of unremarkable index funds I’ve never stopped dollar-cost averaging into, my portfolio’s total value has surpassed $3 million this year.
As I type these words, it still feels unreal.
The truth no one tells you is: as the numbers get bigger, the emotional swings actually get weirder. A few years ago, losing $2,000 in a single day would have really knocked me for a loop. Now, when the market fluctuates, I might lose $30,000 to $40,000, yet I can still go make a cup of coffee as if nothing happened.
To be honest, that scares me a little.
Recently, I trimmed some of my RKLB holdings because even I felt the rally was moving too fast, but I still hold a significant position because, deep down, I feel this stock’s story has only just begun.
Maybe I’m wrong. It wouldn’t be the first time.
Before this, I’ve made countless bad trades. I’ve sold out of panic, chased junk stocks, and endured losses I didn’t want to admit.
It’s just that this time, I happened to stick with it long enough.
I’m curious if anyone else here is holding a stock that has truly changed the financial trajectory of their life.