In this era of information explosion and pervasive temptation, too many people share the same dream—achieving a leap in wealth through a smart decision or a perfect trade. This anxiety drives retail investors to constantly seek shortcuts, and the trading market just happens to provide the best stage for their fantasies.

But reality is often harsh. Those who truly achieve long-term gains in the crypto market keep repeating the same phrase: don’t trade with leverage. This is not just a piece of advice, but a blood-and-tears lesson learned at the cost of countless failures.

Why is leverage trading so deadly? Because it disguises gambling as investment. You might initially only lose 20%, but with 5x leverage, it instantly becomes a 100% liquidation. Any market correction could be the last straw that crushes you.

The real trap comes from survivor bias. What you see are all the success stories—someone getting rich overnight, turning ten times their investment into a legend. But what you don’t see are the many who lost everything on the same strategies. Big data algorithms keep recommending stories you want to see, making you believe you could be the next lucky one.

What is the most classic failure pattern for retail investors? Impulsively entering at high points and cutting losses at low points. Seeing prices soar, they can’t resist FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) and jump in, then frequently trade amid volatility. Coupled with unreasonable leverage, it’s essentially gambling with your principal. This is not investing; it’s rapid wealth evaporation.

What do truly market-savvy people look at? Not the short-term fluctuations of price charts, but whether the project’s technology can solve real-world problems. They delve into promising ecosystems, not blindly chase a hundred hot topics. They focus on infrastructure-level opportunities because the big-cycle wealth opportunities often hide there.

What is the core of long-termism? Building a personal investment system. Research, layout, hold, review—this hardcore methodology is far more powerful than chasing rumors or obsessing over candlestick charts. In this field, “slow is fast” is not just motivational talk but a stark reality. True wealth that can transcend cycles never belongs to speculators but to those who understand the trend and stay true to their original intention—long-term believers.

So next time you’re hit by FOMO and want to leverage for a quick win, ask yourself: Do I understand this market? Or am I just gambling?