Ten years is enough to change a person's wealth destiny.

In 2013, someone used 10,000 BTC to buy two pizzas. In 2024, 1 BTC is enough to buy a Rolls-Royce. Looking at these two comparisons, I often wonder: with the same assets, why do some people become extremely wealthy while more people repeatedly miss opportunities in the cycle? The answer is actually simple—understanding the cycle is what allows you to win over most people.

Speed up the ten-year clock. Suppose BTC really hits $1 million per coin. When looking back at today’s choices, you'll realize that getting rich isn’t about luck. It’s about daring to build positions during bear markets and cashing out during bull markets. It’s that simple.

In the remaining time, we are actually battling two monsters—fear causes you to miss opportunities, greed makes you rush to buy the dip. Over the years in the crypto world, I’ve seen too many people lose everything because they couldn’t control these two emotions. I’ve summarized some practical insights from my experience, all lessons learned the hard way, which can help you avoid 80% of the pitfalls.

**Don’t FOMO into the bottom in a bear market**

A 60% drop in BTC is nothing; a 90% drop in altcoins is common. The most dangerous thing isn’t the price decline itself, but the cut during the initial bottoming phase, which can wipe out your principal. The rules of the bear market game are brutal: the first principle is to survive, not to make quick money. Many people die before dawn simply because they didn’t think this through.

**Rhythm determines victory or defeat**

BTC from $30,000 to $200,000 can yield a 6x return if held outright. Sounds good, but you should know that users of some leading exchanges have turned 10 coins into 1,000 through reasonable leverage, good swing trading, and staking—this is the source of hundredfold returns. The key isn’t complexity of strategy but strict discipline in execution.

**$1 million BTC is not a dream**

Using the total global gold market cap as a benchmark, plus over 2 million lost BTC and the halving deflationary property that occurs every four years, $1 million is actually a conservative estimate. Supply is tightening while demand is expanding. When this logic plays out, price is only a matter of time.

**Three steps on the ten-year wealth journey**

The bear market strategy is very extreme: only accumulate BTC, avoid altcoins altogether. Manage your position in three parts—60% in stable spot holdings, 20% using leverage for swing trading acceleration, and the remaining 20% in yield channels (like certain stablecoin earning products) to hedge inflation. When hitting new highs, don’t be greedy—sell five years’ worth of living expenses, and let the remaining position continue to snowball. Lastly, don’t forget three things: private key security, estate planning, and tax planning—these seemingly minor details often determine whether your wealth can be truly preserved.

**Now is a once-in-a-decade window**

BTC has gained support from sovereign-level legislation, Wall Street ETFs have officially launched, and accounting standards are beginning to recognize it. The policy bottom, capital bottom, and supply bottom are all converging. Such a situation occurs only once every ten years.

Market fluctuations are daily and calm, but those who protect their principal and stay true to their original intention will definitely stand firm in the next cycle. Wealth is never in the places where most people gather, but in the hands of the few who choose the right paths. If you also plan to both profit and preserve your gains on the way to $1 million BTC, start changing your rhythm now—use rules to navigate cycles, and have patience to witness compound growth.