The first time I made more money from trading than most people make in a month, it felt like winning the lottery—my heart was racing, I wanted to call my friends out for barbecue and drinks right away, post a screenshot of my profits on social media.

My mind was filled with beautiful visions: paying off the mortgage, getting a new car, taking my family on a trip—it felt like I was just one step away from financial freedom. Watching the market every day felt like a shot of adrenaline, and I wanted to talk to everyone about the latest trends.

But when one day my account balance hit a number most people can’t earn in a year, I suddenly became calm.

No photos, no celebration—I just turned off the computer, went downstairs to buy some instant noodles, and cooked them at home. After eating, I sat on the balcony, watching the city lights come on, my heart as calm as a lake.

It was then I understood: when money reaches a certain amount, the excitement disappears.

I used to feel I had to prove myself to the world, but now I realize all the arguing, comparing, and explaining is just exhausting. Let people say what they want—you just smile and move on. The trading moves and opinions I couldn’t accept before, I can now understand—everyone is just making the best choices within their own understanding.

What really holds most people back isn’t a lack of effort, but a ceiling on their mindset.

Many people are trapped by invisible frameworks: what you should do at a certain age, what counts as success, what’s the “proper” way to make money. They go in circles within these rules, measuring themselves by standards set by others, and end up living like products off an assembly line.

Freedom has never been something you can buy just by adding more zeros to your bank account.

It’s hidden in your willingness to live life seriously even after you see through the rules of the game. This clarity has little to do with your account balance, and much more to do with whether you dare to think independently, whether you dare to walk a path few others choose.

This market is full of opportunities. Whether you can seize them depends on whether you’re willing to break through your own limits.