I am extremely thankful for loosing all my money on crypto in 2018

I started out just like everyone else. In december 2017 when i was 18, i got a message from a friend about this crypto-thing, and how everyone were making tons of money. I decided to try it out, so i bought bitcoin for $100. Next day i threw in another 100, then another 100. 200. 500. IOTA is the new hot thing. Ok! $100 in that too. As i got more into it i threw my savings into all kinds of shit-coins. Luckily i only had $3000 to spend at the time. At the peak in January i hit $9000 and thought i was the smartest guy in the world. Then it gradually dropped off, and by Feb. 1st i was back at my initial investement. But it just kept going down.

I was extremely upset for wasting all my savings at the time on something so stupid. I was determined to make my money back, so i got really into saving. I go obsessed about how to live as frugally as possible. Then i learned more about traditional investing in the stock market. About index funds, and how people were retiring in their 30's by living below their means and investing all their savings in index-funds for an average return of 7-10% a year. This changed my entire view on life, money. Everything.

I am extremely thankful to cryptocurrency for putting me on this path. If the crash never happened, i would've never learned how money truly works, and i would've probably spent my money on something stupid. Crypto will crash again, and many of you will be caught with your pants down. But you learn so damn much from failing. Loosing everything will dramatically alter your mindset on things.

Sidenote: I never sold my crypto, untill last month. So it all turned out good in the end :)

TL;DR: I thought i lost my savings on crypto in 2018, and it put me on the path to early retirement.