The ancient teachers of wealth had a warning that sounds simple but is regularly ignored: the first goal of investing is to not lose your principal. Not to get rich — to not lose what you put in. Wisdom says: do not be seduced by large returns. The desire for large profit drives people into arrangements they do not understand, investments they cannot evaluate, and schemes that sound brilliant but are built on nothing. The rule is to seek advice from people who handle money successfully every day — not from people who are enthusiastic, or persuasive, or who simply want access to your money.