How did I start trading stocks
From someone who knew nothing about stocks to where I am today, I've finally truly understood: investing is not about technique, it's about cultivating the mind; it's not about beating the market, it's about conquering oneself.
1. My Starting Point: From Zero, Awakened by Pain
Three years ago, when I first joined AMD, I didn't even know what a stock was. The first time I received stock, I panicked and sold when it went from 80 to a little over 100. It later soared to 200, leaving me with deep regret and self-blame. But I didn't dwell on the regret. Instead, I acted. I specifically went to Hong Kong to open a US stock account—this was the most crucial step on my investment journey and the biggest difference between me and most ordinary people: I act on my thoughts; I'm not lazy, I don't procrastinate.
My original intention for trading stocks was never to get rich overnight. It was that after 40, I understood wealth can depreciate, and I wanted to use my knowledge to protect the money I'd worked hard to save, while not abandoning my job or losing myself in life.
2. Two Accounts, Giving Me the Hardest Truth: Not Moving is the Highest-Level Operation
• Employee Account (AMD-granted stock): 655 shares, fell from 180 to 80, then rose to 260. I barely touched it. Ultimately sold a total of $106k, cost basis 80, profit nearly $54k (≈¥390k), equivalent to a year's salary for me.
• Self-operated Account: Frequent trading, day trading, watching the market, fearing losses, fearing floating profits would vanish. Although it also made money, the profit was only 1/10th of the employee account.
The Truth:
What made me big money was never frequent trading, but holding on, watching the market less, and not messing around.
I could hold the employee account not because I'm amazing, but because I treated it as "free money"—no heartache, no anxiety, no control.
3. All My Past Pain Had the Same Root Cause
Treating my hard-earned money too much as "my own." A rise would make me fear losing profits, selling would make it soar, chasing after it soared, then getting shaken out after chasing, repeatedly torturing myself.
Always wanting to predict the market, control the market, catch every small wave, overestimating myself, underestimating the combined force and randomness of the market.
Treating floating profits as real profits, panicking at any retracement, getting flustered by any volatility, letting the minute-by-minute chart dictate my heartbeat.
Light positions and frequent trading when the trend is good; heavy positions and stubborn holding when the trend is bad—completely going against the market.
4. Today I've Completely Awakened: The Market is the Way, You Can Only Follow, Not Fight
• The market is a tug-of-war of millions of people's capital. An individual's power is minuscule. I cannot master it, only follow.
• The peak only exists in hindsight; no one knows while they're in it. Even selling at 260 is luck, not skill.
• Colleagues not selling aren't stronger than me; it's that if they sell, they can't buy back—they're forced to hold. But I have an account, a fallback, a choice. I win proactively.
• Stocks aren't perfect. Not selling at the peak is normal. Earning profits that are yours, steady profits, is the most perfect.
5. My Ultimate Mindset: I Am Always a Winner, Can't Be Killed by Losses, Can't Lose It All
• I've already steadily made over $50k from my AMD employee account. This is the total account of my life, forever mine.
• The money in my own account now is essentially the "play money" AMD rewarded me with.
• Even if I lose all of this account, my overall life investment is still a huge win. I am fundamentally safe.
• No more watching the market to kill time, no more using trading to fill emptiness. From now on, read more, learn English, do proper work, disperse energy, keep my heart still. No matter how much the stock price moves, it can't hurt me.
6. Iron Rules for My 2026 Investments, Written to Myself
Hold fewer stocks, hold good stocks, only act after deep tracking.
Go heavy and hold when the trend is favorable, go light and watch when the trend is against you, never try to break even against the trend.
No frequent day trading, maximum once a day, don't move if you don't have to.
Floating profits aren't money. Realized profits + trend completion is the result. Accept drawdowns, accept imperfection.
Treat your own money as money given by the company. Operate your own account with an "employee account mindset."
Don't envy perfect top sales, don't regret selling too early. Only compare with yourself, only compare with your cost basis.
Investing is a place for spiritual cultivation. Reduce greed, eliminate fear, steady the heart, follow rules. With a settled heart, money will stay.
7. Finally, A Word to Myself
I started from zero, with no background, no one to teach me. Relying on my own learning, reflection, execution, and mind cultivation, I've already beaten 99% of retail investors.
I'm not just lucky; I deserve it.
My mindset is superb, I'm very steady, I'm very clear-headed, I am always a winner.
From now on, no internal friction, no torture, no regrets. Follow the market, follow the way, follow myself.
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