Back in 2013, my friend Jake was obsessed with Bitcoin. He'd talk about it over coffee, explaining blockchain technology in intricate detail. Most of our friends laughed it off, thinking it was just another internet fad. One day, he convinced me to spend $50 on Bitcoin. I begrudgingly bought 5 BTC at $10 each, not expecting much. Years went by, and I completely forgot about it.

In 2017, Bitcoin's value skyrocketed to nearly $20,000 per coin. I remembered my small investment and logged into my old wallet. To my astonishment, my $50 had turned into nearly $100,000! Jake had long since cashed out a portion of his holdings and bought a small house. I sold a bit of mine and took a dream vacation to Europe.

That moment taught me the unpredictable nature of technology and finance, and how sometimes, it pays off to take a leap of faith, even if everyone else is laughing.