When people hear “venture capitalist,” they picture someone in a glass-walled office, writing million-dollar checks to tech startups while sipping a $12 latte. But strip away the suits and jargon, and the venture capitalist’s job is simple: make small, smart bets with the potential for massive upside.
Here’s the key — they don’t invest in everything.
They look for asymmetric opportunities: small risks that could pay off big, and they’re okay with a lot of them failing. Why? Because one big win can cover all the losses and then some.
You don’t need a hedge fund to play the same game. You just need to start thinking about your time, money, and energy like a portfolio.
A “VC move” in your life could be:
- Learning a high-demand skill in your spare time (coding, design, sales, AI prompts) that could double your earning power.
- Putting $500 into a small side project you can test and refine instead of dumping thousands into something unproven.
- Offering help to someone who’s building something interesting — not because you get paid now, but because they might open huge doors later.
Think about your own “portfolio” right now. Is it all low-return stuff — Netflix binges, doomscrolling, and gossip? Or do you have a few bets that could completely change your trajectory?
Your life is a portfolio.
Some investments will flop. Some will just sit there. But every so often, one will hit — and that’s the one that changes everything.
Start placing those bets now. Not all of them will pay off. But the ones that do could rewrite your future.
