Stock trading looks simple from the outside, just click buy, click sell, make money. In reality, it’s one of the most competitive arenas on the planet. You’re not just trading against random people … you’re up against professionals with better data, faster technology, deeper experience, and entire teams refining strategies every day.
Even if you’re smart and disciplined, the learning curve is brutal. Many people would honestly be better off putting that time into a side hustle or building additional income streams they can actually control.
Interestingly, legendary trader Jeffrey Yass has noted that some individuals are naturally gifted at trading as they just “see” markets differently. But here’s the catch: highly sophisticated firms like Susquehanna International Group build systems, structures, and strategies specifically designed to maneuver around traders like that.
In other words, even natural talent enters a battlefield shaped by institutions.
That doesn’t mean no one can succeed, but it does mean trading is far harder than it looks. And for most people, consistent wealth comes less from trying to outtrade the market… and more from building income, investing steadily, and letting time do the heavy lifting.
Of course, you can try trading in corners of the market where large institutions aren’t as active like smaller companies, niche sectors, or less-followed exchanges. But those areas often come with lower liquidity, wider price swings, and higher risk.