I Bought Every Dip… Until I Went Broke

How Losing Everything in 2008 Taught Me to Stop Buying Weakness and Start Following Strength
 

The first time I opened a brokerage account, I didn’t know what the hell relative strength was.

I just bought dips.

In 2008…

And like clockwork, the market kept falling... and I lost everything in that little account.

Every damn dollar.

I remember thinking, “How do people actually learn to trade? Is this even possible?” It felt impossible at the time. But deep down, I knew I’d figure it out, I had to.

Fast forward a few years—I'd devoured every book, article, chart, and white paper I could find on relative strength (not to be confused with RSI—different beast).

Relative strength compares an asset’s performance to a broader index. If it drops less or climbs more, it’s showing strength. And strength attracts capital. Leaders lead. That’s the game.

But this flew in the face of everything I was ever taught…

Buy low, sell high... Where does that logic even come from?

Think about it. Like the great 80s hair metal band RATT once said:

“Nobody rides for free.”

(And if you haven’t watched Point Break, fix that immediately.)

We live in a world of scarcity and everyone wants a deal.

No one says, “Let me buy apples at $3 because they’re probably going to $10.”

They wait until they’re $1 and call it smart.

That’s how we’re wired.

So when someone tells you to buy strength, it sounds insane and it feels insane.

I thought the same thing back then.

But here’s the truth:

It works.

Over and over again.

Need proof?

👉 [Here]

👉 [And here]

That’s what I do now.

Every day.

I find strength—in life and in markets—and I follow it.

Cheers, 

Jason 

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