Confessions of a former fight video junkie turned financially savvy YouTube learner:

Confession time.

One of my guilty pleasures is watching fight videos.

Childhood trauma probably is to blame. I saw — and at times participated in — too many street fights. When the internet became widely accessible, I spent hours viewing brutal, backyard brawls.

Rest in peace to the legend Kimbo Slice.

Then, in the mid-2000s, came the hugely popular website, WorldStarHipHop, which grew largely because of viral fight videos.

Some people dig boxing. Others are fans of UFC.

I prefer everyday run-ins, beefs that escalate quickly and reach their fitting conclusions just as fast. But I have standards. There are some fights I just don’t do.

I don’t care to watch children fight or get jumped. I will not watch boys against girls, or men against women. And I can’t stomach anyone pummeling a defenseless adversary.

But whenever fights are fair and warranted, I’m all in.

An unruly customer at a fast-food restaurant crossed the line? I’m rooting for the employees to take whatever measures they must. Defending a relative? Do what you must.

I even have a go-to subcategory — animals battling in their natural elements. Lions, tigers, bears. It hardly matters to me. I’m fascinated by how wild animals handle their business.

But I’ve wasted precious time, and perhaps lost a year or more of my life, binge-watching fight videos. Once I venture down that rabbit hole, it’s hard to come out.

I wonder where I would be today if I turned off the fights and turned to financial literacy 20 years ago. Rather than spending so much time screaming “WORLDSTAR,” how would my finances look now if I instead focused my energy on my net worth?

I had the chance. I just never took it.

Until my transformation started 18 months ago.

I stopped wasting time on the internet and started using YouTube to learn, late in 2022. I found shows and personalities that opened my eyes to a profitable new world.

Knowledge is power, and we’re in an age where plenty of information is free. There’s no excuse for not educating ourselves and learning new skills.

YouTube is one of the best educational platforms available, if you allow it to be. How will you use it?

Here are six YouTube channels that made me smarter with money.

1. Trappin Tuesday’s: Leon “Wallstreet Trapper” Howard single handedly made Tuesday my favorite day of the week for something other than tacos. He’s as entertaining as he is educational, which results in a live show that routinely stretches three hours. Trap teaches stock market investing in an easily digestible way. But more than that, he’s all about empowering you to build your family’s legacy. In so many ways, this show inspired me to think big. I still hang on to Trap’s teachings as I’m learning to build wealth.
2. Market Mondays: This is another show dedicated to making money in the stock market. Hosts Rashad Bilal, Troy Millings and Ian Dunlap start your weeknights with a two-hour conversation discussing market events, as well as the biggest news in business, sports and entertainment. Much like “Trappin Tuesday’s,” this show makes financial topics easier to understand and more enjoyable to learn about. Tune in weekly and you’ll become more financially literate and a smarter investor.
3. Kenan Grace: When I found his channel, I was blown away. Grace looked like he was in his early 20s. Yet he masterfully taught about the economy and stock market trading, while weaving in news and providing context around current events. Pick any of his videos and it’ll immediately become clear Grace knows his stuff. Just seeing his success at such a young age is inspirational. It also shows you the power of investing. And Grace has a heart and a gift for teaching.
4. Chris Sain: His collection of sports hats is impressive. His ability to explain how to make money trading options is impactful. Sain is a successful trader who, like Grace, makes daily videos to help you become a better investor. Maybe it was Sain’s sports background and analogies, but his style helped me to learn basics about options when I struggled initially to grasp concepts. I still watch Sain’s videos at least a few times a week, as I continue learning how to trade.
5. Myron Golden: My brother Clifton introduced me to Myron Golden in October 2022. In an accompanying text message, Clifton told me the video he shared of Golden was a reminder of what’s driving me toward financial freedom. It was, and it immediately added perspective. In a 30-minute delivery, Golden talked about changing the way we look at money, growing comfortable selling and creating wealth rapidly. “The reason I’m telling you you want to do it faster rather than slower,” Golden said, “is because the sooner you get there, the longer you get to enjoy it with the people you love the most.” I’ve remained tapped in with Golden through his channel. He’s instructional and inspirational, and many of his philosophies stem from a Bible-based, Christian-centered focus. Golden is great for growing comfortable with investing, adopting an ownership mindset and pursuing time freedom.
6. Trader TV Live: A fast-talking, high-energy weekday show from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. eastern in which you can follow along as stock market day traders make live trades. Watching the hosts helped me to learn the language of the stock market and gain a remedial understanding of how to make money on stock price movement. You don’t need to be an aspiring day trader to learn here. With additional informational segments and interviews, as well as a diverse group of hosts, the show promises to offer something that makes you smarter.

Darnell Mayberry is a sportswriter based in Chicago and is the author of “100 Things Thunder Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die.” He loves his daughter Parker, money and the Minnesota Vikings. You will find his column, Money Talks, each Saturday on cleveland.com and Sundays in The Plain Dealer.