In trading, you are your own biggest leverage

When you see notifications about new all-time highs (like $Sandisk(SNDK.US)), when you scroll through social media seeing myths about doubled returns, have you ever felt your heart race, wanting to try margin trading? In the US stock market that seems full of golden opportunities, leverage tools are readily available. Some stocks can offer 3-4x leverage. But remember: the real leverage for wealth is never that "margin buying" option—it lies in your continuously evolving knowledge and mindset.

Leverage: It Steals More Than Money

I have a classmate who chased hot stocks with day trading last year:

The day his account showed a 20% floating profit, he happily treated us to milk tea
A few hours later, an 8% swing triggered forced liquidation, leaving 37% of his principal
At first he thought it was just greed, but he stubbornly kept depositing funds and adding positions, eventually losing around 100K. (Since then, he's stuck a note to himself: Investing with spare money is being kind to yourself.)

This isn't fearmongering.
Margin trading turns the market's normal breathing into suffocation:

10% drop? You lose 30%
15% drop? Account wiped out silently
The cruelest part? Losing even the right to "wait for tomorrow"

Buffett says: Investing with borrowed money is like handing the steering wheel to luck.

The market never asks if it's your first time.

The Filter of "Copying Homework" Is Quietly Draining You

Those "god-tier trades" you see might hide:

Only profit/loss screenshots are shown, omitting their actual methodology
The influencer already exited their position while you're hopefully buying in

Ren Zeping also said: Investing is the monetization of cognition—there are no shortcuts.

No matter how exquisite others' maps are, they can't chart the landscapes in your heart.
Your time, emotions, and coffee money saved over 365 days all deserve careful placement.

3 "Anti-Anxiety" Actions (Doable Today)

Spare money boundary

Open your notes and write: "Losing this money won't affect next month's rent/trip/gifts" → Doesn't fit? Cross it out decisively.

Security is the first cornerstone of investing

15-minute knowledge piggy bank

Listen to finance podcasts during commutes—more nourishing than short videos.
(I check TVB Pearl Finance daily)

When seeing "surging news," silently ask:

Do I truly understand how it creates value?
If I lose half, can I still smile eating breakfast?

Will tomorrow's crash affect my daily life?

Only reference influencers' buying logic—protect your independent thinking
Automated happiness
On payday, auto-invest in broad-based funds (like these):
$BlackRock Systematic Global Equity High Dividend Fund A2 USD(LU0265550359.FD)$SPDR S&P 500(SPY.US)

Like saving a "growth love letter" for your future self
Persist for 3 years to outperform 80% of momentum chasers

Finally, Whispering to You

Investing isn't a sprint—it's a gentle journey of self-discovery and anxiety management.
Some run fast, some walk steadily.
Your pace can be
slower, steadier.
Every penny you've seriously saved deserves serious treatment—take time to refine your methodology.

Comment: How long did it take you to develop your trading methodology? 🤔