The plan I wish I had in 2021

BASE LAYER // Issue #10
Clarity for long-term crypto holders.

GM everyone.

In 2021, my portfolio was glowing.

Everything was green. Numbers I never imagined seeing were flashing in my wallet. Coins I forgot I even bought were up 8x.
I remember thinking: “This is it. I made it.”

Maybe you remember feeling this way too.

Then came the slide.

• First, it dipped 10%. “Healthy correction.”

• Then 20%. “This is just consolidation.”

• Then 35%. “We’ll bounce.”

• Then 50%... and I hadn’t sold a thing.

I wasn’t being disciplined.
I wasn’t being convicted.

I was being indecisive. And indecision is the most expensive trait in crypto.

The truth is, most people don’t regret missing the top.

They regret never taking profits at all.

They hold because they don’t want to miss “just one more pump.”
They freeze because selling means admitting the ride might be over.
They forget their real goal was freedom—not riding a bag all the way back down to zero.

So today, let’s break this loop.

Not with a prediction. But with a plan.

After that brutal roundtrip, I built what I now call the Profit Ladder—a calm, predefined exit plan that lets me walk away from gains before the market decides for me.

Here’s how it works:

• Pick a % of your position to sell at predefined price levels.

• For example: Sell 20% at 2x. Another 20% at 4x. Another 20% at 6x.

• The last 40%? Leave it as a long-term moonshot, or exit fully if your goal has been hit.

This removes emotion completely.
You’re not selling because “the vibes are bad.”
You’re selling because the structure said to.

And structure wins.

You can even use “Freedom Units” as your exit framework.

A freedom unit is a real-world thing your profit can buy:

• One month of rent

• A year of groceries

• A debt cleared

• A trip you always said you’d take

• A full year of buying back your time

Attach your profit targets to those.

That way, when you hit your laddered sell point, it’s not just a number—it’s a win.

It’s a moment. It’s something real.

And you’re far more likely to actually sell when you know what the money means.

So, if you believe this bull cycle still has legs (and I do), then now is the time to pre-write your exit plan.

Because when the candles go vertical, your brain will go feral.

You’ll think:

• “This isn’t the top yet.”

• “I’ll sell on the next leg.”

• “It’s only greed if I take profit now, right?”

And you’ll hold. And hold. And watch the gains melt.

But taking profit is not about perfection. It’s about capturing progress.

Module 5 of the Crypto Clarity Protocol walks you through this exact structure—including profit ladder templates, examples by portfolio size, and real-world use cases.

But you don’t need the full module to start.

Just open a doc and answer:

• At what multiple will I sell?

• How much at each stage?

• What real thing will I convert this into?

You’ll be stunned at how much calmer you feel—even before the pump starts.

– Alex
Founder, Base Layer