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Ask HN: How to deal with markets down turn? Feeling down

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Re: Ask HN: How to deal with markets down turn? Feeling down

#41

Post by roenxi »

What does deal with mean here? Deal with as in how to...

... recognise and learn from the mistakes in your investing strategy?

... reorganise a life based on having less money?

... deal with the emotional turmoil of losing lots of money?

... deal with the emotional turmoil of uncertainty?

... cope with facing an imminent retirement where you don't have the funds to live comfortably?

This post isn't really answerable because it is too vague. Even as a comment on hard times, there isn't much to go on here.

Re: Ask HN: How to deal with markets down turn? Feeling down

#42

Post by pavlov »

jeremyt wrote: post #23

Sorry that this happened. You're not alone feeling this way. I have lost about 95% of my liquid net worth this year, due to hubris, basically. The first half of 2022 for me was waking up every morning and feeling like puking a little as I get more under water, closer to that margin call, plunging through my stops. After almost a year of this, I have found a perspective that is helpful for me and may be helpful for yo…

> “I have realized that the thing I needed to learn is that my net worth is not my self-worth.”

This is a really important point. I’m not a native English speaker. When I first heard an American use the expression “he’s worth X dollars”, it felt extremely wrong. Someone’s worth should never be attached to a dollar value!

I’ve got used to it by now, but I still wish Americans would come up with a more constructive way of talking about wealth than “personal worth.”

Re: Ask HN: How to deal with markets down turn? Feeling down

#44

Post by ISL »

czbond wrote: post #35
rsweeney21 wrote: post #25

A similar thing happened at Netflix in 2011. My coworker kept buying options and I stopped. His stock grew to $34M. Mine recovered to six figures. If you can buy more, and you have confidence in the company, that’s what I would do.

In the markets, the hardest thing to mentally is usually the correct one over time. The markets goal is to trick everyone - so you have to be strategically, but intelligently, able to craft contrarian perspectives.

Markets don't have a goal. They just don't care.

Re: Ask HN: How to deal with markets down turn? Feeling down

#45

Post by tjr225 »

tharkun__ wrote: post #24
sokoloff wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In context, I’d assume OP’s options were employer-granted options being far more likely than they were speculating on public market options.

In which case - and sorry for not having any consoling words here for the OP here - I can unfortunately not really have much empathy here. An overwhelming majority of people especially here on HN laugh at you if you discount variable aspects of renumeration. Employer issued options or RSUs are down 90%? So what! You accepted a variable renumeration scheme. You knew ahead of time. You are no longer making 200k base +…

This was the general sentiment here 8 years ago and I’ve always trusted it. As such my various equities have always been treated as “funny money.” If it works out, great- but I don’t count on them.

If that sentiment has somehow reversed… well, you picked a bad time to do so!

Re: Ask HN: How to deal with markets down turn? Feeling down

#46

Post by svnt »

tharkun__ wrote: post #24
sokoloff wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In context, I’d assume OP’s options were employer-granted options being far more likely than they were speculating on public market options.

In which case - and sorry for not having any consoling words here for the OP here - I can unfortunately not really have much empathy here. An overwhelming majority of people especially here on HN laugh at you if you discount variable aspects of renumeration. Employer issued options or RSUs are down 90%? So what! You accepted a variable renumeration scheme. You knew ahead of time. You are no longer making 200k base +…

I’d hazard a guess that you’re being downvoted because of your lack of empathy, which is the point of the post, but also because of your gotcha position around variable comp.

If you work for a startup and reject variable comp, you are wasting your time. Go get a safer, easier, better-salaried position.

If you aren’t working for a startup, you’re in no position to comment on the validity of the approach people take there working with variable comp.

You just walked into a funeral for people who got hit by a train and said “what’s the big deal? I never cross train tracks, they’re too risky.”

Re: Ask HN: How to deal with markets down turn? Feeling down

#48

Post by gtirloni »

pseudoramble wrote: post #10

My perspective is a bit different since I don't have stock options, just plain retirement and such. So, take this with that in mind. I would recommend giving yourself a break from following it. My reasons for not looking are these: Values of assets change a ton day-to-day, and a year or two from now who knows what it will look like! I also don't have any control over prices. I could shuffle assets around, but again I…

Same advice. Unless you're a day trader, just pick strong assets and look at them once in a while. You'll get sick if you keep reacting to the fluctuations every day.

Re: Ask HN: How to deal with markets down turn? Feeling down

#49

Post by iancmceachern »

Perspective. Rather than spend the day looking at your portfolio, go outside, take a drive, amd volunteer or even just have a few conversations with those less fortunate than you. Folks that don't have investments, 401ks, but are still beautiful humans. Perspective will help you tp see what you have, not the small percentage you are loosing.

Re: Ask HN: How to deal with markets down turn? Feeling down

#50

Post by actionablefiber »

thehappypm wrote: post #37
jeremyt wrote: post #23

Sorry that this happened. You're not alone feeling this way. I have lost about 95% of my liquid net worth this year, due to hubris, basically. The first half of 2022 for me was waking up every morning and feeling like puking a little as I get more under water, closer to that margin call, plunging through my stops. After almost a year of this, I have found a perspective that is helpful for me and may be helpful for yo…

What was your motivation to invest in such a way that 95% loss was even possible?

Probably to make money? GP mentions margin calls, which suggests they're investing with leverage.
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