The Way to Wealth

Bitcoin Rules

Tick tock next block

See number go up

Don’t trust verify

Hold your keys

Back them up

Time in, beats timing

The trend is your friend

Zoom out

Resist FUD

HODL on till the end

#professorialpoetry

"Tick tock next block"

Bitcoin's heartbeat is the steady progression of blocks, like a clock marking the march of digital time with algorithmic certainty. This rule reminds us Bitcoin is an unstoppable force and new bitcoin will be mined every 10 minutes until the supply cap of 21 million coins is reached, regardless of price, politics, or hash rate. This certainty fuels the flow of assets into the Bitcoin network and allows patience and the passage of time to become a source of certainty and strength.

"See number go up"

This isn't just a meme - it's a recognition that just as water flows downhill, value flows from less stable to more stable states and just as a balloon expands when air is blown into it, bitcoin’s price increases with the inflow of capital. ‘Number go up’ drives adoption and coincides with ‘freedom go up’ as the bitcoin network is the most decentralised, stable, and secure network on earth that lets everyone transmit and store wealth without permission, censorship, or debasement.

"Don't trust, verify"

In a world where individuals must interact with increasingly complex and powerful entities, this core principle advocates for verifying information or claims before accepting them. While trust enriches relationships, it can also be corrupted leading to betrayal and exploitation. Bitcoin's genius lies in minimizing trust or counterparty risk through cryptographic verification and the creation of ‘digital truth’ so that anyone can verify the entire system. This has profound implications that extend beyond commerce to media, medical, financial, religious and governmental organisations.

"Hold your keys"

Private keys represent self-sovereignty and absolute ownership over a wallet that is as secure as the most secure bank vault or nation state archive. Custody equals destiny and "not your keys, not your coins" is a reminder that you can avoid counterparty risk and retain true ownership and direct control over your assets by holding your own keys. Thus, true independence requires taking direct responsibility rather than delegating it to others and this extends to personal sovereignty in all its forms.

"Back them up"

Bitcoin gives everyone on earth complete power over their assets, but with great power comes great responsibility. Bitcoin does not have a helpdesk and holders of bitcoin must take full responsibility for their keys or accept counterparty risk. Many people have lost billions of dollars’ worth of bitcoin due to trusting third parties that were hacked or corrupted, or from keys that were lost due to inadequate backups. Accruing and preserving wealth requires self-responsibility, planning, and redundancy and backups are essential.

"Time in beats timing"

History confirms holding bitcoin long term consistently outperforms active trading and, time ‘in’ the market beats trying to extract profit by ‘timing’ the market and gambling on short term market movements. Bitcoin’s inherent volatility makes trying to time bitcoin's short term price action a fool's errand. Success is a marathon not a sprint and success is more likely to come from conviction, sustained effort, and consistent engagement. This wisdom extends far beyond bitcoin - whether in investing, relationships, or personal development.

"The trend is your friend "

“The trend is your friend till the end” is a principle that encourages you to identify and align with trends that provide reassurance, clarity, and conviction for the future. The digitisation and dematerialisation of the world is a powerful trend that has already disrupted computing, communication, photography, music, media, and entertainment, making them faster, smarter and cheaper. Bitcoin is now disrupting the world’s financial system and demonetising other asset classes and this trend is likely to continue for decades to come.

"Zoom out"

Wisdom comes from perspective and the ability to see problems from different angles. “When in doubt zoom out” is an effective strategy for maintaining perspective when facing business setbacks, personal challenges, or societal problems. When daily price movements seem volatile or negative news seems to dominate your thoughts, zooming out to see the bigger picture prevents you getting lost in short-term details and often reveals temporary problems are part of a larger positive trend and thereby provides reassurance and peace of mind.

"Resist FUD"

“FUD” (Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt) are powerful psychological forces that shake conviction in even the strongest beliefs and can be used as weapons to inhibit rational decision making. FUD around bitcoin is often generated by those who don't understand it or from powerful organisations that have vested interests in the current system. The ability to resist FUD requires a deep understanding of bitcoin’s underlying principles and conviction in bitcoin’s trajectory that requires at least a hundred hours of study to obtain.

"HODL on till the end"

‘HODL” transcends its origins as a typographical error and “Hold On for Dear Life” is perhaps the most profound rule for building wealth with bitcoin. The ability to maintain conviction and persevere through difficulty often determines success in relationships, projects, or personal growth. The ability to ‘never sell your bitcoin’ and hold on with ‘diamond hands’ rather than ‘paper hands’ is the simplest and most direct way to leverage the digitization of the global economy and build personal and intergenerational wealth.