I have a friend who manages tens of millions in BTC funds, yet still keeps a job that pays a few thousand.

I asked him what he was after, and he said it was for a sense of responsibility, so he could have something to talk about when he goes home during holidays.

Some people ask me, what do you do? When I hesitate, their expressions immediately change, as if to say this person probably isn't serious about his work.

If you say you’re a trader, it sounds like you're just taking chances.

If you say you’re a freelancer, it sounds even more like you're living off others.

Do you know how ridiculous that is?

Being a trader is considered an elite profession abroad, but here it’s synonymous with being a gambler.

This society has a deep misunderstanding of the trading profession; they don’t understand risk control, they don’t understand strategy, and they don’t understand that we are battling human nature.

You have to analyze the market every day, keeping an eye on the charts as well as on your own feelings. You not only have to know how the market moves; you also need to understand how your heart moves. Every impulse you have will become a lesson, and every bit of greed will be slapped back by the market.

Many people envy freedom, envy not having to work, envy being able to sleep in, but they have never seen us analyzing the market at 3 AM, testing strategies all night on weekends, or, after a margin call, turning off all social media and hiding in a dark room to figure out where we went wrong.

Those who have truly been in trading for a long time become silent, because you increasingly realize that you can't relate to your circle, and you can't sit still at the drinking table.

What you can talk about is cognition, human nature, systems, and the future.

Others talk about jokes, complaints, making quick money, and hustling.

You start to love solitude, enjoy spending time in the library, hiking, studying history, and reading philosophy.

It's not that you're artistic; it's because you understand that behind the market is human nature, and behind human nature are laws.

Trading is not simply about making money; it is a form of cultivation, an anti-human nature training camp, and a trial ground for selecting individuals.

Many people say you can’t see reality clearly, but you actually have seen it long ago. You don’t belong to the track of the majority; you are walking a lonely path, a path without applause, without shortcuts, but full of growth.

So, don’t rush to prove yourself, and don’t rush to fit in with anyone.

What you should do is become the one who can endure solitude, withstand losses, bear cycles, and endure the misunderstandings of the world.

Trading is a life choice; not everyone understands it, and not everyone can walk that path.