Hello everyone,
It's hard to believe, but my journey on the stock market began in January 2021 - that means I'm celebrating my 5th anniversary! Behind me lies an extremely instructive time in which I (like so many others) have learned a lot. Today I would like to share my learnings and my new setup for 2026 with you.
1. my mistakes: the hunt for perfect timing
My history includes countless purchases and sales. My biggest mistake? I tried to time the market. Unfortunately, the result was classic: often getting in at the wrong time and - even worse - selling out of impatience or panic, only to watch the stock take off shortly afterwards. Unfortunately, the bottom line for me was that individual share trading was not successful.
2 The new portfolio: Focus & Structure
I made a radical change. Away from the hectic back-and-forth and towards a solid foundation.
My core now consists of buy-and-hold ETFs:
- $VWCE (+0,1 %) (Vanguard FTSE All-World)
- $TDIV (+0,16 %) (VanEck Developed Markets Dividend)
- $EIMI (+1,15 %) (iShares Emerging Markets IMI)
Supplements:
Cryptos: Continue to have a large weighting in BTC.
Precious metals: Just under 5-7% in gold and silver as an anchor.
Berkshire Hathaway: My only "single share" to reduce my remaining share loss pot of around €1,000 in a tax-efficient way.
Momentum strategy: I am fascinated by the model of @Epi. The first tranche is in place, another €4,000 is ready at Smartbroker+. As February and September are statistically often weaker months, I plan to use the next setback in February to make a further entry. A small portion may also be transferred to @Krush82 's Wikifolio.
3. psychology: the problem with loss aversion
Loss aversion is a term that has influenced me a lot in recent years. In psychology, this describes the tendency for us to perceive losses much more painfully than gains of the same size make us happy.
This is precisely my problem: although I know rationally that I am investing for the long term, sideways phases or red days have far too strong a mental impact on me. I look at my portfolio too often - even if I don't change anything - and let it spoil my mood. My goal for 2026: Less screen time, more trust in the process. Rationally, I don't care about the short-term noise, and I need to work on that.
4. my savings plan setup
To take out the emotions, I automate everything:
- Weekly: 300€ VWCE | 30€ TDIV | 20€ EIMI | 20€ BTC
- Every 2 months: 100€ gold | 75€ silver
I also treat myself to a small "gambling portfolio" (€4,000) for high-risk stocks. The motto here is clear: either a total loss in 5-10 years or the next tenbagger. This keeps the gambling instinct away from the main portfolio.
How do you deal with daily volatility?
Do you also have strategies to beat the "app addiction" in bad market phases?
I look forward to your feedback! 📈
