The credo preached by just about every personal finance writer is that debt is an enemy that must be eradicated before you can think about building wealth. But there’s a reason many rich people have no problem with taking on more debt to finance new ventures. Those who think big and take manageable risks tend to be the biggest winners.

In a guest post at Budgets Are Sexy, a writer named Todd laments his mistake in getting rid of debt rather than using his extra money to double down on investments. Because he was so conservative, he lost out on a chance to make a tremendous amount of money.

It’s tough to feel much sympathy for Todd — rich people problems and all that — but he isn’t exactly asking for you to cry for him. What it seems he’s trying to impart is that diversity is key. Focusing too much on any single financial area can lead to a failure at another level. Horse blinders may keep you focused, but they stop you from seeing the bigger picture.

How I Lost a Fortune Getting Out of Debt [Budgets Are Sexy]

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