Peak of Mount Stupid

People often picture this learning journey as a curve with four stages:

• Peak of Mount Stupid — you learn a little and feel like an expert (one video on investing, and you are ready to trade options)
• Valley of Despair — deeper learning reveals how much you do not know, and your confidence crashes
• Slope of Enlightenment — steady practice brings a realistic sense of your level
• Plateau of Competence — genuine skill paired with awareness of the gaps that remain

The irony is brutal: the moment you feel most confident about a subject may be the moment you know the least.