Investing is accessible to all, as the barrier to entry is low and anyone can theoretically participate.

There are two kinds of people when it comes to money. One genuinely wants money itself. As long as the profit exceeds his risk and the equity curve trends upward with minimal variance, he’s fine. He doesn’t care how much emotional pain it causes him—in fact, he may not even feel any pain at all. He’s emotionless.

The other type just says he wants to make money, but what he really wants is satisfaction. To put it plainly, he wants the thrill of making money easily—or rather, the euphoria that comes from spending it.

Consider a single deal where two salespeople are competing for it. The client spits on the floor and says, “Whoever licks it up gets the contract.” Zhang San does it and wins the deal. Li Si finds it too repulsive and backs out, losing the opportunity.

That gross test reveals who truly wants the contract.

There’s nothing wrong with being a retail investor. In this market, you’re either a sucker or a psychopath. You just can’t stand living like a psychopath, so you choose to be a sucker—opting to be a financial consumer rather than a consistently profitable trader.

Some people genuinely love money. Others just love spending it.