Market Truth: Losing Money Isn't Because of a Crash, But Because of Unwillingness to Accept It

Retail investors' money isn't lost due to crashes; it's lost due to reckless behavior. A crash is just a number on the books; the real killer is the unwilling heart after the crash — the obsession to recover losses, which leads to more mistakes until everything is wiped out.
Research shows that 70-90% of traders ultimately incur losses, primarily due to overtrading and emotional decision-making. Loss aversion causes people to double down after losses, and this "revenge trading" results in 35% margin calls.
Accepting mediocrity is the way to survive. 90% of the market time is noise; ordinary people lack the ability to go against the trend. Only by giving up the illusion of catching every wave can one qualify to wait for the true 10% opportunities.
Patience is not a virtue; it's a survival skill.