
In a world where cryptocurrency has long ceased to be an exotic form of money reserved for a select few, an increasing number of investors are focusing not only on market analysis but also on improving their own performance. Against the backdrop of high market volatility, visualisation techniques, affirmations and positive thinking are gaining popularity, helping traders to keep a cool head and avoid panic during sharp falls or rises in asset prices.
Successful management of crypto investments requires concentration, emotional control and, at times, working with the subconscious. This is precisely why an increasing number of prominent crypto investors are speaking about the importance of the psychology of thinking. For example, Anthony Pompliano believes that the key skill of a modern investor is ‘the ability to think long-term in an era of panic’. Michael Saylor has repeatedly stated: ‘Bitcoin rewards patience’, whilst Binance founder Changpeng Zhao emphasised: ‘The greatest profits are made by those who control their emotions’.
The idea that “success can be switched on like a mode in the brain” was actively promoted by John Kehoe, author of the book *Mind Power Into the 21st Century*. In his works, he described methods of visualisation, concentration and working with the subconscious that help people change their habits and achieve their goals more quickly. And ultimately, it works.
Although modern neuroscience approaches such claims with caution, researchers acknowledge that thoughts do not literally ‘materialise’ money; however, attention training, self-discipline and the repetition of certain behavioural patterns do indeed alter the brain’s neural connections.
So, thinking influences behaviour, moral attitudes influence motivation, and optimism can improve one’s psychological state. This phenomenon is called neuroplasticity. It is neuroplasticity that explains why regular concentration, psychological resilience and fear management can influence the quality of financial decisions.
For investors in the crypto industry, this is important, as the crypto market has undergone a massive transformation over the last seven years. In 2019, the total market capitalisation of digital assets barely exceeded $130 billion. In 2021, it exceeded $3 trillion for the first time, and in 2025–2026, the market finally entered the global financial system through the legalisation of digital assets in a number of countries, the launch of crypto exchange-traded funds, and the arrival of large institutional investors. Along with rising profits, psychological stress has also increased: sharp crashes in the price of Bitcoin and other digital assets have repeatedly triggered panic selling. Entrepreneur Anthony Pompliano believes that the key skill of a modern investor is ‘the ability to think long-term in an era of panic’.
Psychologists and researchers confirm that visualisation is indeed used by athletes and people working in stressful conditions. Positive thinking helps to reduce anxiety levels, and self-suggestion sometimes boosts self-confidence, leading to sound decisions. However, they stress that no affirmations work without real knowledge, practice, and consistent action.
John Kehoe’s concept emerged amid the popularity of self-help culture and ideas of the ‘law of attraction’, and appeals to people by offering a simple explanation for success: ‘Change your thinking – and you’ll change your life’.
Today, these approaches have been given a new lease of life in the world of the global economy and the cryptocurrency sector, where psychological resilience is sometimes no less important than technical analysis. In a market that operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, it is emotional control, concentration and the ability to avoid panic that are increasingly cited as the key assets of a successful investor.