Why I Stopped Picking Stocks in My 20s
The second most fun thing to do in your twenties is pick stocks. I loved it. I had a field day until I realized I was buying two types of risk. Every time I bought a stock, I was buying business risk and market risk business risk. Unless you're Nancy Pelosi is not something you want to buy. However, exposure to the U S stock market is something that I do want over the long run. This is why I switched from single name stocks to ETFs. I get clean exposure, low cost without the business risk. If I want to gamble, I'll just go to Vegas.
Why I Stopped Picking Stocks in My 20s
The second most fun thing to do in your twenties is pick stocks. I loved it. I had a field day until I realized I was buying two types of risk. Every time I bought a stock, I was buying business risk and market risk business risk. Unless you're Nancy Pelosi is not something you want to buy. However, exposure to the U S stock market is something that I do want over the long run. This is why I switched from single name stocks to ETFs. I get clean exposure, low cost without the business risk. If I want to gamble, I'll just go to Vegas.
In this TikTok, Nicholas Crown reflects on a financial lesson learned through experience: the excitement of picking individual stocks in your 20s quickly fades when you realize what kind of risk you're actually buying. He explains that every time he bought a single stock, he was exposed to two types of risk — business risk and market risk. The first, he jokes, is only worth taking “if you’re Nancy Pelosi,” referencing the often-discussed stock-picking prowess attributed to politicians with insider access. Market risk, however, is something he does want long-term exposure to.
This realization led him to shift his strategy from individual stocks to ETFs (exchange-traded funds). These funds offer broad market exposure at low cost, without the added vulnerability of betting on one specific company’s success or failure. His punchline — “If I want to gamble, I’ll just go to Vegas” — cleverly emphasizes that picking stocks is often more speculation than smart investing.
The video works for several reasons. First, it’s relatable — many young investors start by chasing individual stocks, only to learn over time how unstable and unpredictable that path can be. Second, the message is educational without being preachy. Crown distills a key investing principle into an easy, memorable story: diversify, avoid unnecessary risk, and think long term.
What really makes this TikTok go viral is the balance of entertainment and insight. The content hits both novice investors, who are still in their “stock-picking” phase, and seasoned investors, who nod in agreement. His confident, humorous tone grabs attention, and his ability to distill financial strategy into clear, digestible language keeps people watching — and sharing.
In short, this video succeeds because it challenges a common beginner’s mindset, offers a practical alternative, and does so in under a minute with charisma and clarity. It resonates because it feels like smart advice from a friend who already made the mistakes — and is now handing you the shortcut.
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