$GT In 2021, the summer of NFTs, the entire crypto community was celebrating. Doodles, Azuki, BoredApeYC… each project felt like a key to financial freedom. At that time, I spent 4,000 USD on a single NFT, paying 6-10 ETH per piece, which was worth between $24,000 and $40,000—no hesitation, because everyone around me was shouting: “This is a historic moment!” “Miss it, and you’ll wait ten more years!”

I happened to make a good profit during the DeFi bull market and was full of confidence. I did make some gains initially—some NFTs doubled or tripled in value. Staying up until 2 a.m. to snatch mints on OpenSea, watching trading volume surge—like gambling at a casino, it was exhilarating.

Until early 2022, the tide receded. $ETH dropped from 4000 to 3000, then to 2000. NFT projects one after another collapsed. The once-promising “blue chips” fell to floor prices. Almost all my NFTs lost over 80% of their value. Every NFT in my OpenSea wallet kept reminding me: this one cost me tens of thousands of dollars in losses.

The worst part wasn’t the money—it was self-doubt. Was I too greedy? Was I too trusting of the hype? Some people shouting “Diamond Hands” disappeared, others kept insisting, but I knew many NFTs would never return to their previous highs.

That wave cost me $400,000. But the market taught me a lesson: never go all-in at the peak of emotion. Liquidity is the key to assets—only what you can sell is truly money.

I’ve made millions in crypto, but I don’t dare call myself a “big shot.” Because the market is always stronger than us. Staying sober during celebrations and surviving crashes—that’s how you stay alive.

Sharing this painful history today isn’t to complain, but to tell newcomers: the crypto world isn’t just about getting rich overnight. Many have lost so much they doubted their lives. But it’s these lessons that make me more calm and respectful of the market. I’m still on this path, and I hope you can avoid some detours. $BTC