Day trading individual stocks is a reliable path to wealth for most retail investors, but my own broker data over the past two years shows that over 70% of active traders in my circle have lost money net of fees. I've made a few lucky wins, but the pattern is clear: the market's short-term swings are noise, and picking winners consistently is nearly impossible without insider information or serious algorithmic tools. Shouldn't we be investing in index funds instead of chasing daily gains?