In 2011, where was I? Well, if my memory serves me correctly, I was residing in Bucharest at that time. I followed a vegetarian lifestyle, worked for a plant-based pharmaceutical products company, and had a side hustle. However, I was far from being an investor. I was just a simple working man with modest wishes and expectations.
At that point in time, I was vehemently opposed to even considering becoming an investor and using my money to generate more money. Whenever I heard about Robert Kiyosaki and his book "Rich Dad, Poor Dad," it used to trigger me. I was deeply entrenched in my circumstances and limitations, refusing to see any way out of my life situation.
It's worth noting that you don't need millions to make millions as an investor nowadays. Although I had no inkling of Bitcoin's existence in 2011, some computer geeks, especially in the US, were already proud owners of thousands of Bitcoins. However, only a handful still hold on to some BTC after all these years.
There's this guy named Greg who recently became a meme. He was just a regular guy, much like I was in 2011, who owned 1700 BTC for a while. However, he decided to sell them for $0.3 each. Greg managed to make a 5X return on his investment, but he missed out on a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
At current prices, those Bitcoins would be worth over $42,000,000, and during the peak of 2021, Greg's stack would have been valued at $100,000,000 had he held onto his coins. But he didn't, and I can't blame him. I had 588,000 DOGE back in late 2019 and sold them for a pittance, so I guess there's a bit of Greg Schoen in all of us.
The good news is that Greg is still involved in crypto, albeit not as a Bitcoin enthusiast anymore. He has shifted his focus to ETH and other altcoins. According to his official Twitter account, he even minted his famous tweet as an NFT.
I truly appreciate Greg's resilience. Despite realizing the opportunity he missed, he's still actively involved in crypto. He didn't allow himself to be discouraged. Even after facing failure, if you recognize the value in crypto and have the courage to pick yourself up and get back in the game, you will succeed.
Most of us will undoubtedly reap decent profits from our investments by the end of this bull market, and many of us will take profits this time, unlike in previous bull market cycles.
Reflecting on the early days of Bitcoin, I bet there isn't a single one of us who wouldn't have gone to great lengths to buy Bitcoin. However, not many of us had the chance to get in at those early levels. Nevertheless, the crypto market isn't solely about Bitcoin, despite what some may claim.
Altcoins are a significant part of the market and are here to stay. I don't buy into the narrative that eventually, holding BTC or ETH, or just a handful of altcoins, will be profitable while everything else fades away. As the market matures, some coins may indeed disappear, but new ones will always emerge.
The crypto market is deeply intertwined with human psychology and reflects our evolution alongside technology. Just look back at the games we used to play two decades ago compared to the games available today. The gaming industry is still centered around gaming, but the games themselves have evolved over time.
Therefore, if you've sold coins prematurely or missed out on a bull cycle, as I did in 2017 and 2021, consider these lessons as part of your journey and keep moving forward. Stay open to new opportunities and don't let past failures sidetrack you. Have a fantastic Monday, and I'll catch you all next time.
Thanks for your attention,
Adrian
