Why is achieving success at a young age the biggest misfortune in life?

Let me share a story that is as real as it gets; I consider myself somewhat of an insider. This begins with a friend of mine.

In 2021, his total assets were above A8+5. I’m not clear on the specifics of how he lost everything, but I have witnessed his subsequent downfall firsthand.

Starting from 2024, he frequently asked me to lend him U. Initially, it was only a few tens of thousands, claiming he would pay it back in a few days. The first few times he indeed returned it quickly, but as it became more frequent, I didn’t want to lend him any more. Personally, I believe in some superstitions; you shouldn’t lend money to someone in the same industry, and those who understand this know what I mean.

Later, when he asked to borrow again, I told him directly: stop borrowing, I’ll give you a few thousand, but don’t come looking for me again. For a long period afterward, he didn’t contact me, and I thought he had turned his life around, which I considered to be a good thing.

But good times didn’t last long; he came looking for me again in the first half of this year. I was in a bad mood and directly scolded him, saying if it’s really tough, then get a job, for example, our mutual friend works at a big company, earning over 100 a year; someone in the same field should be able to scrape by with tens of thousands.

His reply was: those who have made quick money can’t stand the grind; they look down on that little money and can’t handle the competition. The conversation ended up being very scattered, and before he left, he suddenly asked me: what do you think is the best era?

I said it’s the present.

He said it’s the future because he can only hope for the future now.

Then he asked to borrow some money to find a job, and if it’s suitable, he would go straight to work without bothering me again. I transferred the money again. Later, I learned that as soon as he got the money, he transformed into a trading prince.

I always thought he had a job; he often asked me to transfer a few hundred U, saying he felt an itch to trade, and I mostly complied, and he could pay me back most of the time. Later, when he asked for tens of thousands, I directly refused.

It was only recently that I learned he had taken out a loan and was in debt, borrowing from friends in a cycle, and the debt collectors were calling me, leaving messages that I was his brother. I directly gave his parents’ numbers to the debt collectors.

Today, he called me and just said one sentence: I’m not doing well, and you shouldn’t expect to do well either.

To be honest, I’m a bit scared; once a person loses their rationality, they can do anything.

From this, it’s clear—lack of practice leads to an inability to accept failure. The subsequent actions have completely collapsed.

The most terrifying part is that we in trading have long lacked any real connections, and small money is precisely what we look down upon; in the end, only fantasies remain.