2021 has been a unique year for investors.
Bitcoin started the year at $30,000.
Gamestop became a global sensation.
NFTs took the world by storm.
Most of the above subjects have been covered in our own blog here at AES.
But what have others been saying?
Here are my favourite investment articles from the year.
I hope you enjoy them as much as I did.
1. Nature shows how all this works - Morgan Housel
We were lucky enough to collaborate with Morgan earlier this year when he recorded a webinar for us on his book, The Psychology of Money.
I'm a huge fan of Morgan and every year he still manages to make me think differently about some aspect of investing.
This piece on extremes and compounding is exceptional in its ability to relate investing to the natural world.
Morgan also has over 320,000 followers on Twitter.
2. Does money buy happiness? - Leanda Peters
This deeply emotional piece from Leandra is a great look at whether money can actually buy happiness.
In it, she describes her wealth but also multiple health struggles - and the lessons she learned about what truly brought her happiness.
Follow her Female in Finance Twitter account here.
3. It's okay to build wealth slowly - Ben Carlson
This piece from Ben was the antithesis to 2021.
In this article, Ben talks about how easy riches are not on the cards for him and reminds us all the value of getting rich slowly.
He was one of the most level-headed writers during the madness that was 2021.
Ben's Twitter account is here.
4. The new fear and greed - Josh Brown
This article neatly summarises the year.
He cut through the confusion to deliver a simple and clear message...
In a time when fortunes are being made like never before.
Fear and greed haven’t changed, but the way they are being expressed in society has.
Don’t miss the definitive post on how wealth building has evolved in the post COVID world.
Josh also has over 33,000 followers on Instagram.
5. So you wanna trade stocks? - Jack Raines
The subtitle for this post is "A couple of lessons from someone who had made and lost more than most".
And Jack Raines has.
He lost $100,000 in a single day.
This piece tells Jack’s story trading stocks in the meme market of 2021 and how it eventually led to a huge loss.
A great piece for traders young and old.
6. Invest like a pronghorn - Breaking the market, Matt Hollerbach
Breaking the Market (i.e. Matt) typically writes for a far more technical audience, but this piece is great for all investors, no matter your knowledge.
In it, Matt explains his investment philosophy and why he believes sustainability in investing is more important than the rate of return you get.
Follow Breaking the Market on Twitter.
7. Why investing feels like astrology - Kris Abdelmessih
Quite possibly one of the best pieces I have ever read on intrinsic value, extrinsic value, and how they relate to pricing assets.
He describes it as "superficially about the danger of believing the textbook-style investing delusion".
One not to be missed.
8. The nothingness of money - Lawrence Yeo
Lawrence isn’t a financial blogger, but he writes about money incredibly well.
Including some funny graphics, this piece explains our relationship with money and how it changes throughout our life.
He also includes a riddle that blew his mind as a child.
@moretothat is Lawrence's Twitter account.
9. When a 59% annual return just isn't enough - Jason Zweig
Last, but not least, someone I quote a lot...
In this piece, Jason talks about how investors appear to be growing more and more optimistic about how their portfolios will perform in the years to come.
And how disappointment is bound to follow.
I shared this article in the Wall Street Journal from July, far and wide.
Expecting the kind of performance we've seen in 2021 to continue, is what will lead many astray in the future.
Join Jason's 200,000+ followers here.
As you reflect on 2021, consider if you have the feelings of clarity, confidence and control you'd like over your financial future.
Happy investing and thank you for reading.
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