You see plenty of narratives about 'grinding it out in the trenches'—basically betting your entire youth on the promise of future riches. But here's the thing nobody talks about: I don't know a single serious trader who's actually mentally solid. The cost isn't just time, man. It's your mental health, your relationships, the constant stress. Yeah, a handful of legends do make it out unscathed, but that's the exception, not the rule. The real question is whether the payoff is worth what you're sacrificing along the way. Most people don't ask that question until it's too late.