Ordinary people want to preserve their wealth; the first step is not to make money but to avoid reckless behavior.

Many people lose money not because their income is low but because their desires are too high. They get jealous when they see others doubling their money, rush into opportunities when they hear about hot trends, and think slow accumulation is too ordinary. As a result, their money doesn't grow, but risks pile up layer by layer. The real thing that consumes savings is never the market but dissatisfaction.
To preserve wealth, first turn off leverage. Debt, impulsive investments, and heavy concentration in a single asset are all amplifiers. Once a judgment is wrong, what gets amplified isn't gains but losses. Ordinary people don't have unlimited trial-and-error capacity; every major setback could wipe out years of accumulation.
Second, diversification is more important than intelligence. Don't blindly believe you can seize every opportunity. Stable cash flow, low-risk allocations, and long-term holding of quality assets may seem boring, but they can withstand cycles. True security doesn't come from getting rich overnight but from sustainability.
Finally, control your consumption desires. Many people's earnings are actually swallowed by pride and comparison. The essence of wealth is choice. Being able to preserve principal and live long is itself a victory.
In this restless era, slowing down is actually the most difficult and rarest skill.