10x Returns Lost: Redditors Reveal Which Stocks They Sold Way Too Early

Investing in stocks isn't easy. You have to stay on top of multiple companies and predict how the future will unfold. While investors confidently hold on to stocks during bullish cycles, many of these same investors fold during bearish markets.

Many Redditors discussed stocks they sold too early in a recent post that is gaining momentum. Some Redditors lost out on massive, life-changing returns just by exiting reliable companies during corrections.

"If I waited a year, I would be 10x," one Redditor stated when talking about buying Nvidia NVDA in 2020 and selling at breakeven in 2022.

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Volatility Led To Many Exits

One investor regretted selling Tesla TSLA shares eight years ago. Another investor sympathized and said they also sold Tesla eight years ago, citing 10% daily swings as the main reason for exiting.

Tesla was one of the biggest winners during the pandemic and has gone up by more than 1,000% over the past eight years. While some posts contained nothing more than people talking about their losses, this one contains a valuable lesson.

If you invest in a company for the long run, you have to endure volatility. Sharp price swings are especially common for growth stocks that have tremendous long-term potential. Ignore the price swings and consider where the company will be in the next decade.

Fears Are Overblown

Another Redditor mentioned that they owned 1,000 shares of Netflix NFLX about 18 years ago. Netflix doesn't receive as much attention since the FAANG acronym is out of style, but it's still a top-performing stock, especially for early investors.

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Netflix shares have gained anywhere from 30,000% to 50,000% since 2007, depending on when investors bought their shares. That's a massive gain to lose out on, but 2007 was right before the Great Recession, so it was common for people to exit the markets frantically.

One commenter offered an interesting perspective on Netflix stock that highlights how some investors were thinking at the time.

"There were a lot of experts over the years, especially in the beginning, saying how other media companies were going to make [Netflix] irrelevant or basically put them out of business."

Those concerns were unfounded, and it goes to show that some people forecast the absolute worst-case scenario. These overblown narratives may have caused some investors to abandon ship, especially during the Great Recession.

Profits Don't Feel Good If You Leave A Lot Of Money On The Table

Some people posted impressive gains in the comments section that don't feel so good knowing how the assets performed in the long run. One investor bought a bunch of Bitcoin at $0.50 apiece and sold them for $250 to buy a house. It's the type of gain you rarely get, but it still feels like the Redditor missed out on a great opportunity with Bitcoin now above $100,000 a coin.

Another Redditor thought they did well when they bought Advanced Micro Devices AMD shares for $2-$3 dollars and sold at $9.50. It's a 3x profit, but AMD stock now goes for more than $100 per share.

It's easy to beat yourself up about missing out on 10x returns, but most investors should love a 3x return. While it makes for entertaining content, dwelling on missed opportunities isn't the right approach for building long-term wealth. You can learn from your mistakes and commit to long-term investments instead of selling amid volatility.

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