Does being early matter?

BASE LAYER // Issue #5
Clarity for long-term crypto holders.

GM everyone.

Let me guess—you’ve had this thought at least once:

“If I had just bought Ethereum in 2016, I’d be done by now.”
“If I caught the Solana run in 2020, I’d be on a beach.”
“If I minted Bored Apes in 2021, I wouldn’t be reading this recently re-branded email.”

We all do it.
We mythologize “early.”

But here’s the inconvenient truth no one tells you: being early without a system is just being lucky with a time bomb.

Let’s take the real story behind those “early” wins.

Yes—someone bought ETH at $0.30.

But many of those people also:

• Sold at $1 because they “doubled”

• Held to $3K, but never took profit

• Rode it all the way down to $80 in 2018

• Paper-handed everything in panic during a China ban/tariff headline

Why? Because they didn’t have a framework.

No structure. No clarity. No plan.

Early entry is just a lottery ticket unless it’s paired with:

• An intentional exit strategy

• An allocation plan that keeps you sane

• A system to reallocate gains before they become regrets

Otherwise?
You’re just another bagholder with a good origin story.

Now, here’s what happens when you make “early” your investing identity:

• You feel like you’re always behind

• You jump into things you barely understand just because you “missed the last one”

• You ride positions far past their prime, because selling means “you gave up”

And worst of all?

You lose track of what you’re actually trying to build.

Your portfolio becomes a scrapbook of narratives you don’t even believe in anymore—just leftovers from FOMO-induced entries.

Now - most people think they need to catch the bottom to make money.

They don’t.

You can miss 80% of what’s happening and still “make it.”

So, instead of being early, try to be ready.

Being ready is knowing:

• What percentage of your net worth you're willing to put at risk

• What would make you take profit (besides Twitter vibes)

• What to do when a narrative you believed in starts to collapse

Early is about entry.
Prepared is about endurance.

And endurance is the only edge that matters when the cycle turns.

This week, do something most people never do:

1. Audit your entry stories
   Write down the last 5 things you bought in crypto.
   What triggered the buy? Twitter? FOMO? Real conviction?
   You’ll spot patterns fast.

2. Write down your “I’m late but prepared” plan
   What would you do if a coin you missed pumped 2x from here?
   What about 5x? What’s your re-entry filter?

3. Unfollow one account that triggers your FOMO
   Clean your inputs. You’re building a system—not chasing someone else’s timing.

Let the others chase “early.”

You’re building something more valuable: a system that still works when the music stops.

– Alex
Founder, Base Layer