Lesson Learned: Over-leveraging on a 'sure thing' in CFD

My biggest mistake in CFDs wasn't a bad read, but overconfidence compounded by excessive leverage. I had a strong conviction on a short position in an emerging market index CFD, felt like all the stars aligned. Instead of sticking to my usual 1-2% risk per trade, I pushed it to 5%, thinking this was a layup. The market had a relief rally, nothing fundamental changed, but enough to trigger my stop and then some due to slippage on a fast move. Wiped out a significant chunk of my capital in a single day, all because I got greedy and broke my own rules. It taught me that conviction doesn't negate risk management; if anything, it demands more discipline. No trade is ever a 'sure thing,' and leverage amplifies stupidity faster than it amplifies profit. Kept my size consistent after that.