Stock SIP vs. Mutual Fund SIP: Is Investing in Individual Stocks a Waste?

  A few months ago, I finally started earning on my own, and like many new professionals, I was excited to start investing. I began with a Systematic Investment Plan (SIP) in mutual funds—it felt smart, disciplined, and simple. Then, I decided to try a SIP in direct equity (individual stocks). It seemed like the next logical step. But a casual comment from a colleague stopped me in my tracks: “SIP in equity is a waste.” That sentence stuck with me. Is it really? I decided to dig deeper to clear up this common confusion, so you don't have to scratch your head like I did. 💡 Let’s Clear a Common Confusion: What SIP Really Is First things first: SIP is just a way of investing, not the investment itself. It means you invest a fixed, regular amount—usually monthly—instead of one large lump sum. You can apply this method to almost any asset, including mutual funds, direct stocks, or even gold. The real power of the SIP method comes from a concept called Rupee Cost Averaging (RCA) . In si...
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Failing CA Taught Me More About Money Than Passing Ever Could

I thought becoming a Chartered Accountant would teach me everything about money.

It did. But not in the way I expected.

I failed CA once. And in that failure, I learned more about the psychology of money, self-worth, and real wealth than any balance sheet could teach me.

🧾 The Financial Pressure Behind Academic Success

In India, becoming a CA isn’t just a career—it’s a socially certified path to wealth. Everyone says:

“Crack CA = guaranteed success = financial freedom.”

But no one tells you what happens when you don’t.

When I failed, I felt broke, even though I hadn’t lost a rupee. Because my value had become tied to a designation.

Lesson 1: Real financial confidence doesn’t come from titles. It comes from mindset.

💰 Self-Worth = Net Worth?

Failing CA made me question everything — not just my career, but my identity.

I learned how dangerous it is to let your net worth define your self-worth.

  • We chase salary hikes, not peace.
  • We hoard degrees, not discipline.
  • We wear stress like a badge—without realizing it’s financially draining us.

Your financial health is deeply tied to your emotional well-being.

📉 Why Financial Literacy Needs Emotional Intelligence

Most finance blogs teach you how to budget or invest. But no one teaches you how to deal with:

  • Shame after failing
  • Comparison with peers
  • The fear of not being “good enough”

Yet these emotions drive poor money decisions every day—overspending, panic selling, toxic hustle culture.

Lesson 2: Emotional resilience is a financial skill. Learn it.

🚀 What I Know Now — and What I Wish Schools Taught

I wish someone had told me:

  • Failure is feedback, not a verdict
  • Peace is more profitable than pressure
  • You are more than your result

Today, I use my CA knowledge. But more importantly, I use the emotional intelligence that failure forced me to develop.

That’s what helps me make better money decisions now—not panic, not pride, just peace.

💬 Final Thought

If you’ve failed — in an exam, a business, a relationship — you haven’t lost.

You’ve just enrolled in a different kind of financial education.

And sometimes, that’s the one that actually builds wealth.

Written by a CA, creator of GlobalThrive. Sharing stories where finance meets healing.

📬 Loved this piece? Subscribe to GlobalThrive for real stories that make you think differently about money.

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