howto: I've bought stocks for say $7 a share, it goes much lower, and in the end is bought out at a price lower than $7, maybe $5. It has happened to me more than once.
And I've bought microcap stocks with huge potential, only to have my plans for a big profit derailed after a bigger fish does a takeover of the company.
Either situation is VERY discouraging.
The game is rigged against the small players like us. We are swimming against a strong current.