Heading into year two of being an active participant in the crypto space, I’ve learned a lot about finance, mindset, emotions, and most importantly myself. I’m not here to give you my entire trading journey; instead, I want to share how my passion for financial markets has taught me valuable lessons about the markets and about who I am.

Hopefully, whoever reads this can reflect on their own journey and take away something meaningful as well.

How It All Started

I joined the crypto space around January 2024, when Bitcoin was sitting at $45k — which is crazy now that it has passed $100k.

Since then:

• Bitcoin: +179%
• S&P 500: +63%

(Not comparing traditional finance with crypto buttttttt that discussion is for another time.)

Lesson 1: Invest in Yourself Before Anything Else

When I first got into crypto, I didn’t have anyone to turn to. It didn’t take long to realize the first real investment wasn’t in crypto but it was into myself.

I spent about $500 on memberships and paid courses, learning from people far more experienced in finance and crypto. That self-investment became the foundation for everything that followed.

In 2025, anything and everything you could ever want to learn is somewhere online. Figure out where to look and how an investment in yourself gives you the knowledge that allows you to take baby steps into what you want to do.

Lesson 2: First-Hand Experience Is the Real Teacher

In the beginning, I felt intimidated. I didn’t understand what to do or how to do it. I spent hours every day watching videos, reviewing charts, and researching crypto. But eventually, I understood that there’s only so much you can learn without taking action.

Once I finally entered the market, I was surprised by how little fear I felt. That confidence helped me take the leap, but it also came with a price. I made several mistakes, and some costly simply because I was new. Over time, I learned from those mistakes and became more comfortable within the space.

As I progressed, I learned how to navigate exchanges, understand market structures, and form my own analysis. I no longer felt like a beginner. But along the way, I also discovered something deeper: my lack of fear made me more vulnerable to greed.

Lesson 3: Greed Will Humble You

At one point, I had everything lined up for successful trades: conviction, timing, capital, and a strong thesis. I bought in early, I believed in the projects, and when the plays began to move upward, the profits came quickly.

Those gains felt incredible... until they didn’t.

The market shifted, and those positions eventually dropped more than 80% from their highs. I’m still holding them, because I believe they are still good long-term holds, but the experience taught me something critical about managing emotions and taking profits.

Greed isn’t loud or obvious. It grows quietly, especially when things are going well.

Lesson 4: It Can Always Get Worse

This lesson arrived suddenly and painfully.

While many of my long-term investments were down, I shifted more attention to perpetual futures trading. I was doing well, and that success made me believe the losses in my spot positions (investments) weren’t a big deal because my trading profits made up for them.

That belief didn’t last long.

A massive liquidation event hit the crypto market, one of the largest ever recorded actually. $19b was wiped out in a single day. Every position I had open was liquidated. Everything I had built through trading disappeared instantly.

It was unexpected and devastating, but it taught me a reality I won’t forget: things can always get worse. Now understanding this, I assume that things can get worse at any moment and it's best to have a backup plan or simply don't fall for the illusion that things can only go up.

Final Lesson: Self-Analysis Is Essential

Self-analysis is crucial for growth. There is no situation were taking time to reflect on your behavior, your strategy, and your decisions won’t benefit the outcome. Understanding your goals and being honest about your actions gives you clarity and keeps you grounded.

Reflect on what you are doing, what you can improve, and what you have already learned. When you do that consistently, your chances of success increase dramatically.

I hope that you took the time to read this and the struggles I went through helps you in any way towards your goals in life.

Most importantly, take a moment to look at your goals and reflect on who you’re becoming.