Middle age is like a Journey to the West! - Cryptocurrency Exchange Platform

They say that at thirty, one should stand firm; at forty, one should be free from doubts. But when you really reach forty, you’ll find that many things seem to have a clear end right in sight. Take work, for example: if you haven’t yet touched the middle management level, still an ordinary section chief or even deputy section chief in your organization, then there’s little hope of moving upward in the future; if you haven’t saved your first pot of gold yet, relying on that dead-end salary, then probably this will be your life. Even in marriage, family, and your children’s grades, at this age, the tone is basically set. No matter how much you tinker, big changes are hard to come by.

Does that mean you can only accept this? After thinking it over, it seems that the only remaining path to break through is investment, which offers a chance to stand out. Investing is like a race between the tortoise and the hare: no matter how fast the hare runs, its lifespan is limited; the tortoise, slow but steady, can crawl for hundreds of years and ultimately go farther than the hare. To invest well, you need to learn from the tortoise—focus on companies with extremely high certainty, and don’t be fooled by those “rabbit-type” companies that surge short-term; their popularity often fades quickly.

Warren Buffett always says that the core of investing is certainty; the direction is more important than effort. You should choose good companies that require little additional investment but can generate continuous cash flow. You probably agree with this—just like many value investors categorize business models into three types, truly successful investing must follow this logic. After all, stable performance growth is far more reliable than erratic, high-speed growth. As I mentioned in previous articles, Tencent seeks certainty amid change, while those “Mao” generation companies consolidate certainty in stability. Essentially, both are about firmly grasping the word “certainty.”

In fact, you often ponder: why do people invest? For many forty-year-olds, this might be the last chance to change their fate.

This world is inherently unfair—some are born with golden keys in their mouths, some are naturally good at speculation and scheming, and others excel at social relationships. But the vast majority are ordinary, working regular jobs, following a set path forward, and by forty, they see what their retirement life will look like.

At this point, you face two choices: either muddle through, eating and waiting to die—after all, you won’t starve; or fight within your capabilities to try to break through. And investment naturally becomes the choice for many. It’s not that the barrier to entry is low, but that it’s relatively fair—if you’re willing to learn and willing to research, you can take control with your own ability. But to be clear, a low entry barrier doesn’t mean easy money; the 28 Law applies everywhere—you’ll never earn beyond your level of understanding.

I believe there are only two truly equal opportunities in this world: one is the college entrance exam, and the other is investment. Excluding uncontrollable factors, these two rely entirely on oneself. This is also the core reason many people later decide to become professional investors—they no longer want to deal with all sorts of messy people and affairs, to have their own money under their own control, and their own time dictated by themselves.

You might also wonder: why not start a business?

Don’t be fooled by survivor bias! Perhaps you have friends who opened a renovation company, and outsiders see their business as booming, with annual revenue increasing every year. But only close friends know that they are losing money every year. Owing money to suppliers, pressing workers’ wages—every day they’re either drinking and entertaining or chasing payments, their hair almost falling out, exhausted and looking terrible.

Many have also tried investing in friends’ projects, and in the end, not only did they fail to make money, but they didn’t even get their principal back. After experiencing this, you’ll realize that for ordinary people, starting a business at forty is too risky. Instead, investing in cryptocurrencies, stocks, or other financial markets has become a more stable way to break through.

After a few years of serious investing, you’ll find it can completely change your life. First, it’s about learning. When you were working, you only skimmed the news, reading quickly without deep research. After becoming a full-time investor, you’ll unconsciously read at least 50 books a year—industry news, annual reports, national policies, investment methods—everything must be learned, from shallow to deep, endlessly. Not only learn, but also take notes and write summaries.

If you have a background in fields like pharmaceuticals or economics, it will be easier to pick up, and gradually you’ll find learning to be a very enjoyable process. Even subjects like physics and chemistry you didn’t master in high school will become interesting again, as you study to understand the annual reports of pharmaceutical or new energy companies.

More importantly, your lifestyle will change. When you were working, your days were scheduled meticulously—what tasks to complete, which relationships to maintain, clocking in and out strictly, afraid of being late or leaving early and losing pay. You paid close attention to your boss’s opinion because you wanted a promotion and raise; you also cared about colleagues’ comments because you wanted to be recognized. Now, looking back, you realize that back then, you were like a donkey tied to a grindstone, blindfolded, whipped forward, only able to go in one direction, with no chance to breathe.

Since deciding to invest, you truly start living for yourself. Who cares what others think? Just do your own thing. You might even have moments like this: driving to meet a friend, approaching the destination at around four in the afternoon, suddenly realizing that your former colleagues are still in the office working on the crypto or stock market, while you’re free to walk in the sunshine, look at the blue sky, and enjoy the breeze. At that moment, you realize—this is the life you want. Do you have to wait until retirement or near death to enjoy such freedom?

Investing will also change your view of money. When you were working, a monthly salary of over ten thousand and a year-end bonus of over a hundred thousand mattered a lot—every bit counted. Now, it’s different: the money in your account is just fluctuations in numbers. You no longer obsess over short-term gains or losses but focus on the long-term returns of companies. Gradually, even your personality changes. You might have been impatient before, easily angered over small things; now, you become more steady and gentle, viewing everything with detachment, no longer competitive or overly concerned with gains and losses.

The successful investors I know—whether they run private funds or invest full-time—are mostly like this: full of positive energy, gentle in temperament, never complain, and very good at learning. Their theoretical knowledge and investment logic are solid. This is probably the common profile of successful professional investors.

So, at forty, there really aren’t many options. Investment should become a necessary skill for everyone. Whether you’re employed or full-time, you can do it, and it won’t take up too much time or energy. Through investing, you can not only solve issues related to learning, time, and lifestyle but also, most importantly, live as your true self.

It’s a lifelong pursuit—once you start, it’s never too late.

Many people ask: why do I keep losing money in investing? The answer is simple—those who lose money aren’t really investing; they’re speculating. The essence of investing can be summarized in one sentence: buy good companies you’re familiar with, and leave the rest to time and luck. Investing is like planting trees: it’s not about chopping wood. As long as you establish the mindset of planting trees, avoid the mentality of cutting down, and have enough patience, you generally won’t lose money.

Never treat investing as “speculating in cryptocurrencies or stocks.” The word “speculate” has the character for fire with a few strokes—more speculation, less wealth. You should know that retail investors who want to make long-term money have only one way: buy good companies, and even better, buy the best companies. This requires two core abilities: one, to analyze the business model deeply and see the certainty in the company’s operations; two, to objectively and rationally value the company and find enough margin of safety.

Master these two points, and the rest is about waiting with a calm mind. Don’t fear short-term dips, nor hope to pick bargains in a bull market. Money earned by luck will eventually be lost through strength.

Remember: investing requires grandeur—don’t fuss over short-term fluctuations; choosing cryptocurrencies or stocks must be strict, with strong moat and sufficient safety margin; buy in stages as soon as you have a salary; be patient holding your assets, becoming a collector of quality crypto and stock assets.

Of course, the premise is that you have some savings. If not, start now—it’s never too late.