I think most retail investors would be better off buying index funds instead of picking individual stocks. Over the past decade, the S&P 500 returned about 13% annually, yet I've seen friends chase hot tips and lose big on speculative plays. Sure, some people get lucky with a Tesla or Apple early on, but those are rare exceptions. Even Warren Buffett admitted that a low-cost index fund is the best choice for most people—so why do we still think we're smarter than the market?