Bitcoin has once again crossed the $1000 mark in USD terms — a milestone last seen between late 2013 and 2014. As someone who got in early, invested heavily, and even participated in the ecosystem as an entrepreneur, I did make money. But let’s be honest: despite being an early adopter and deeply involved in the space, I didn’t achieve financial freedom or meaningful commercial success. By any realistic measure, my journey with Bitcoin was a failure.
I could have stayed silent, quietly watching others build fortunes while muttering “no comment.” But that wouldn’t serve anyone. Instead, I want to share what Bitcoin taught me — not about technology or markets, but about mindset, discipline, and the real foundation of lasting wealth.
Early Investment: Timing Isn’t Everything
I was among the first wave of cryptocurrency investors. My initial Bitcoin purchases were well below $100, and the volume wasn’t trivial. I didn’t just buy — I studied. I taught myself cryptography, built cold wallets from scratch, and implemented multi-location backups. I conducted thorough due diligence on every project I touched and even backed early Bitcoin startups.
From a timing and technical standpoint, I was spot-on. I identified a generational opportunity at its infancy — something only a handful of elite investors ever do. Yet, despite all that, I didn’t become wealthy.
Why? Because being early doesn’t guarantee results. Others entered even earlier — some buying Bitcoin for just a few yuan. Some miners sold their coins immediately after mining; others held inconsistently, jumping in and out at the worst times. Even those hailed as “Bitcoin gurus” or “founding figures” often lived modest lives — one even needed my company to sponsor his flight to speak at a conference.
The truth is, owning Bitcoin during its rise didn’t automatically make people rich. Like the stock market in the 1990s, widespread participation doesn’t translate to widespread profit. Most people, regardless of when they entered, failed to hold through volatility.
Deep Knowledge Doesn’t Equal Profit
I wasn’t just an investor — I was considered a thought leader in the space. I wrote extensively on Bitcoin fundamentals, many of which were later validated by market developments. My understanding of Bitcoin’s core mechanics was deeper than most individual stock analyses I’d ever done.
Yet again, expertise didn’t protect me from poor outcomes.
There were developers who coded mining pools from scratch, engineers who designed ASIC chips, and cryptographers with PhD-level knowledge — most of them disappeared within a few years. The companies they built collapsed. Even bringing in high-profile advocates like Kevin Kelly didn’t change the outcome.
This suggests something profound: technical mastery is necessary but insufficient. You can understand every line of code in the blockchain and still fail financially if your mindset isn’t aligned with long-term ownership.
Industry Insiders Often Miss the Prize
I worked at one of China’s first altcoin ASIC mining companies — founded by a 20-year-old prodigy running the world’s largest mining pool. Our CEO authored the official Chinese translation of Bitcoin and collaborated with the Chinese Academy of Sciences. We raised millions in seed funding, expanded into multiple offices, launched an exchange, and backed another exchange project.
We were insiders — deeply embedded in the ecosystem. And yet, we didn’t profit meaningfully from Bitcoin’s rise.
This mirrors traditional finance: most employees at publicly traded companies don’t get rich from their own stock, even with insider knowledge. Being close to the action doesn’t insulate you from emotional decision-making or short-term thinking.
Who Actually Made Money?
So who did succeed?
The winners weren’t necessarily experts, pioneers, or industry players. They were holders — people who bought Bitcoin and simply refused to sell, even during the 2013 surge. Some entrepreneurs I know treated Bitcoin as a long-term store of value alongside their businesses. They didn’t trade it; they ignored it.
People like Li Xiaolai — often called China’s Bitcoin king — didn’t become successful because of Bitcoin. He was already a respected figure in education and publishing before crypto took off. His book Make Time Your Friend reveals a mindset perfectly suited for long-term investing: patience, discipline, strategic foresight.
Even when his e-commerce startup was about to raise Series A funding, Bitcoin’s surge changed his path. He chose to hold rather than dilute his stake. And today, his income from digital content and courses exceeds millions annually — independent of Bitcoin prices.
👉 See how long-term thinking beats short-term speculation — even in fast-moving markets.
These individuals weren’t lucky. They were prepared — mentally and philosophically — to endure uncertainty because they believed in their judgment.
The Real Gap: Faith and Responsibility
As a professional investor, I had superior analytical skills compared to most retail traders. But skill wasn't the bottleneck. The real difference lies in non-technical factors: faith in your analysis and the moral courage to act on it.
Great investors don’t chase trends. They accumulate positions over years — sometimes decades — and ride through bear markets without panic. Their returns aren't from picking “hot stocks,” but from consistent conviction.
This is what separates winners: they pay for their beliefs with time and capital.
When a company hits rough waters, value investors don’t flee unless their original thesis breaks down. If fundamentals remain strong and recovery paths exist, they stay put. Similarly, when valuations spike temporarily, they don’t sell out of fear — they wait for growth to justify price.
That’s financial virtue: taking full responsibility for your decisions.
What Should I Believe In?
After years of reflection, here are the principles I now follow:
1. Short-Term Prices Are Unpredictable
Market microstructure follows chaotic dynamics rooted in quantum-level uncertainty. Trying to predict short-term movements is futile — akin to forecasting weather beyond a week.
2. Long-Term Prices Reflect Future Reality
Ultimately, asset prices reflect future supply-demand dynamics and business performance. What matters isn't today’s metrics but tomorrow’s outcomes. Our job is to estimate those outcomes wisely.
3. Own Your Judgment
You can never be 100% certain about the future. Markets will swing wildly before reality unfolds. The only rational response is to stand by your best assessment — not because it’s perfect, but because it’s yours.
4. Sharpen Your Insight Continuously
Only after accepting responsibility for your decisions does knowledge become powerful. Being an insider or expert helps only if you use that access to improve judgment — not to justify fear-driven exits.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can you still get rich from Bitcoin today?
A: While early adoption offered outsized rewards, long-term wealth creation remains possible through disciplined holding and strategic allocation — not timing or speculation.
Q: Is technical knowledge essential for crypto investing?
A: Understanding basics helps avoid scams and poor projects, but sustained success depends more on psychological resilience than technical skill.
Q: Why do smart people lose money in crypto?
A: Intelligence doesn’t prevent emotional trading. Many experts exit too early due to fear or ego — failing to honor their own analysis under pressure.
Q: Does being an insider guarantee profits?
A: No. Insiders often overestimate their edge and underestimate market psychology. Proximity to information ≠ ability to act on it rationally.
Q: What’s the most important trait for investment success?
A: The willingness to take full ownership of your decisions — financially and emotionally — regardless of short-term outcomes.
Q: How can I develop long-term conviction?
A: Study historical cycles, focus on fundamentals over price charts, and practice delayed gratification in all areas of life. Conviction grows from consistency.
👉 Start building real financial discipline — where belief meets action in the digital economy.
Bitcoin didn't make me rich — but it gave me something more valuable: clarity.
True wealth begins not in portfolios, but in philosophy. Those who thrive aren't lucky or uniquely talented — they simply believe in their vision long enough for reality to catch up.
Whether you're investing in crypto, stocks, or starting a business, remember: the market rewards faith backed by action.
And that’s a lesson worth more than any number on a balance sheet.
Core Keywords: Bitcoin investment, long-term holding, financial discipline, cryptocurrency success, value investing, market psychology, investment mindset