Why am I obsessed with stocks: Because here, background doesn't matter, only perception does.

I've always felt that the stock market has a rare kind of "purity."
In many places, hard work doesn't necessarily bring rewards. Talent may not be seen. You have to talk about background, resources, connections, emotional value, and even learn to speak eloquently at banquets and navigate social graces with finesse. You might not like it, but you can't avoid it.
But the stock market is different.
Here, the market never cares who you are—which company you work for, your position, how many people you know, whether you're eloquent or taciturn, none of it matters. It asks you only one thing: Are your decisions right?
All your profits are essentially the realization of your decision-making ability.
All your losses are essentially the exposure of your cognitive shortcomings.
This isn't a moral judgment, but a cold, hard feedback mechanism: it doesn't comfort you, nor does it flatter you; it just throws the results in front of you.
1. There's no "favoritism" here, only "win rate and odds"
In real life, many things are glossed over by "favoritism"—
Average performance can still pass due to connections;
Mistakes can be forgiven with a good explanation;
Lack of ability can be compensated for with resources.
The market won't.
The moment you buy, the market won't make the stock rise just because you've been working hard lately; the moment you sell, it won't make the stock fall slower just because you're anxious. It has no emotions, no sympathy. It doesn't even remember you.
That's why the stock market is exceptionally fair:
What you earn is what you deserve; what you lose is the lesson you need to learn.
The flip side of fairness is cruelty.
It strips away all excuses:
"I was just unlucky"—fine, but you have to explain why you're always unlucky;
"I was misled by the news"—fine, but you have to explain why you let the news lead you;
"I didn't have time to cut losses"—fine, but you have to explain why your system doesn't have a stop-loss.
This is where the market is most incisive:
It forces you to admit that much of the pain isn't caused by external factors, but by yourself.
2. The stock market is a free field for the rational and a harvester for the impulsive
I've seen too many people treat the stock market as a place to "prove themselves."
When it rises, they think they're the chosen ones;
When it falls, they start fighting the market;
When they lose, they want to recoup everything in one go;
When they gain, they start leveraging to amplify their bets.
They're not trading; they're using trading as an emotional outlet.
But the market specializes in this.
Because impulsive people have several inherent weaknesses:
They want it fast: they want to buy today and see gains tomorrow; the more impatient they are, the more likely they are to chase highs and sell lows;
They fear being wrong: they're unwilling to admit mistakes, holding on stubbornly when they lose, turning small losses into big ones;
They lack a system: they trade based on feelings, rely on luck, and let emotions dictate their stop-losses;
They don't follow discipline: no matter how well they plan, a market move can make them forget everything.
That's why I believe more and more:
The stock market isn't a "prediction game," but a "discipline game."
It's not about who's smarter, but who's more stable.
Can you stay grounded during a continuous rally?
Can you stay calm during a sharp panic sell-off?
Can you execute according to plan, not according to emotion?
That's what creates the long-term gap.
3. Once you establish a mature trading system, this skill becomes a part of you
I'm obsessed with stocks for another very practical reason:
Here, ability can be "assetized."
The experience you accumulate in many places might be hard to take with you: change platforms and the rules change; change leaders and the logic changes; change environments and the resources disappear. But a trading system is different—
It's your own understanding of the world:
How do you judge trends?
How do you measure valuation?
How do you control position sizing?
How do you handle extreme volatility?
How do you deal with greed and fear?
Once these things are established, they become like muscles, a part of you.
They stay with you no matter what circle you leave. They can continuously generate value without you having to rely on anyone's favor.
In a sense, this is a kind of freedom rarely seen by ordinary people:
No need to please anyone
No need to attend any social gatherings
No need to exchange social connections for resources
No need to trade background for opportunities
You only need to do one thing: hone your system to maturity.
4. You have a direct dialogue with the market: cognition is realized, experience compounds
The most fascinating thing about trading is the speed of "cognition realization."
In life, doing something right might take a long time to see a return;
But in the market, the quality of your judgment is often tested very quickly.
This forces you to form a particularly effective growth loop:
Plan → Execute → Result → Review → Adjust → Next time, stronger
As long as you're willing to review, you'll find:
Mistakes aren't shameful; mistakes are data;
Losses aren't the end; losses are reminders;
Drawdowns aren't failures; drawdowns are system stress tests.
The market forces you to become a more honest person.
Because it doesn't accept "I think," it only recognizes "I can repeat it."
Truly remarkable people don't make money from one lucky strike, but from repeating the right thing a thousand times.
5. The stock market doesn't guarantee you'll make money, but it guarantees you'll "become increasingly clear-headed"
I've never thought the stock market is easy. On the contrary, it's very difficult.
It's difficult because you have to fight two things simultaneously:
One is the uncertainty of market movements, the other is the instability of human nature.
The market sets traps for you every day:
When it rises, it tempts your greed: buy now or you'll miss out;
When it falls, it stimulates your fear: sell now or you're finished;
When it's range-bound, it wears down your patience: were you wrong in your judgment?
During sharp rallies or crashes, it destroys your discipline: should you "change the plan temporarily"?
That's why I say it's fair—because it sets the same traps for everyone.
The only difference is: some get caught, others see through them.
In the end, you'll understand:
What you earn is what you deserve
What you lose is the lesson you need to learn
What you need to overcome most is never the market
But your own uncontrollable impulses
Conclusion: What I'm obsessed with isn't stocks, but this "merit-based" order
I like the stock market not because it can make me rich overnight.
On the contrary, it's because it forces me to slow down, forces me to build a system, forces me to admit where I fall short.
It's like a mirror: reflecting your greed, fear, wishful thinking, and stubbornness.
It's also like a school: you learn as much as the tuition you pay.
It's more like an order: it doesn't ask about your background, doesn't care about your face, only looks at the results.
When you truly hone your trading system to maturity,
You gain a particularly solid sense of confidence:
You don't need to rely on anyone.
You only need to rely on yourself.