“What I build today can have a lasting impact on others. The market moves fast—and so does life—so I try to focus on what truly matters: creating, contributing, and making a difference. We all have an expiration date, so why not use the time we have to do something meaningful?”

Reniel Bautista, better known in the crypto community as “Ramen,” is a passionate crypto trader, avid traveler, and advocate for relentless self-development. At just 16, an unexpected leukemia diagnosis turned his world upside down and forever changed his outlook on life. Embracing a personal motto to live every day with purpose and intention, he decided to channel this mission into the Web3 space, and now skillfully balances his academic pursuits, crypto trading career, and personal passions.​

So, what drives him now? And how does he manage to juggle it all?

In this exclusive feature, Reniel candidly shares the mindset that has sustained him through adversity, the lessons he's learned, his daily productivity routine, and heartfelt advice for anyone struggling to face the chaos life throws at them.

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Can you tell us a bit about what you do and what your day-to-day life looks like?

I firmly believe that there’s no such thing as a perfect routine, but you must have certain non-negotiables in your daily life. My non-negotiables are Create Something a Day (content, write, video anything), follow a workout routine, Learn Something New, and Build. 

My simple daily structure involves waking up between 7 and 8 am, depending on the demands of my day and whether I have a training or class. As soon as I wake up, I head straight to my whiteboard to plan my day or week, ensuring that I haven’t forgotten anything. 

After that, I prepare and enjoy my breakfast. Next, I dive into my deep work, which includes script writing, editing, trading, and managing my community. When lunchtime arrives, I either get ready for school or for weight training. My school schedule typically runs from 2 pm to 8 pm, so I complete all my tasks in the morning. 

Around 9 pm, I start to wind down or continue editing videos for the next day. Finally, before going to bed, I make time for reading, journaling, and planning my day for tomorrow. 

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What sparked your interest in crypto trading?

Curiosity and money led me to cryptocurrency. I first encountered it through a friend who earned money in DOGE coins. As a bored person during the pandemic, I was intrigued and asked him about it. Fortunately, his uncle was hosting a free seminar about Bitcoin at their takoyaki shop. I seized the opportunity and embarked on a journey that has taken me from trading shitcoins to NFTs and now futures trading. 

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You’re clearly very passionate about self-development. How has your journey in crypto made you a better person, both professionally and personally?

Getting into the crypto space has been one of the biggest catalysts for my self-development. It’s not just about financial education — it challenges you mentally as well. In a space that’s constantly evolving, you're faced with new and unpredictable problems almost every day. You either learn to manage your emotions, or you get wrecked. 

That pressure pushed me to grow. It helped me sharpen my trading skills and, more importantly, gain better control over myself. I’ve learned to focus on what I can control and stop wasting energy on what I can’t — and that mindset has impacted me both professionally and personally.

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You’ve been open about your battle with leukemia. What was it like when you went through that experience? 

I was diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) eight years ago, when I was just 16 years old. My diagnosis was quite unexpected because I had only recently had my wisdom tooth extracted. However, my wound didn’t clot, and I kept bleeding. The next day, I was rushed to the hospital to have the bleeding stopped. That’s when they discovered that my white blood cell (WBC) count was abnormal and that I had leukemia.

During my three-week hospital stay, I barely realized that I had cancer. I only started to comprehend the gravity of my situation when I was discharged. I was devastated.

A 16-year-old boy with no vices and a normal teenage life had been diagnosed with cancer. Initially, I felt angry because no one deserved such a fate. Despite my initial anger, I kept my head held high and fought through my illness.

For the first three months, my body adjusted to the medication. I weighed around 45 kilograms and only ate vegetables and fresh food prepared by my mother. I followed all the doctor’s instructions, including drinking malunggay juice and trying various herbal remedies that had an unusual taste. 

After six months, my cancer cells began to decrease, and within a year, they had reduced to a single-digit percentage. As of now, I am in remission, but I continue to take my medication daily (for the foreseeable future). My current cancer cells in my body are 0.0036%, although they are not completely eliminated. 

Before my diagnosis, I was angry at everyone and even God. However, as I reflect on my journey, I realize that this experience has been a blessing in disguise. It has given me the strength and determination to conquer my illness. The struggles, anxiety, and existential crises I have faced have shaped me into the person I am today, and I would not change a single thing. 

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How did your health struggles change your values and your perspective on life?

One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is that if you can’t find meaning or light in life then create it. No one is going to save you but you. We all know we only get one life, yet many of us still take that for granted. 

Through everything I’ve faced, I’ve learned to live with purpose and intention. I don’t just exist. I try to truly live. The uncertainty of life can be scary, but it’s also what makes it beautiful. At the end of the day, my struggles didn’t just shift my perspective—they gave me one. And for that, I’m always grateful.

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You often talk about “Memento Mori.” Could you share with us what it means and how it influences your mindset, especially in the crypto space?

Memento Mori is a Latin phrase that means “remember that you must die.” The Stoics practiced this to remind themselves of life’s impermanence. It’s not about being morbid—it’s about being mindful.

Knowing that death is always around the corner pushes me to live with intention and purpose not in a reckless or hedonistic way, but in a way that’s meaningful. This mindset drives me to improve myself every day, to stay grounded, and to appreciate everything I have, knowing it could all be gone in an instant. 

In the crypto space, Memento Mori fuels my motivation to bring real value to the community. It reminds me that what I build today can have a lasting impact on others. The market moves fast—and so does life—so I try to focus on what truly matters: creating, contributing, and making a difference. 

At the end of the day, Memento Mori is a quiet reminder that we all have an expiration date, so why not use the time we have to do something meaningful?

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In your continued quest for growth, you mentioned you’ll be focusing more on academics. How do you balance your time and energy between crypto, your career, personal development, and academic activities?

Right now, I’m taking a BSBA Major in Marketing at CSB, and I’m currently in my second year. At first, it was definitely a challenge trying to balance school and my career. But over time, as I adjusted to the routines and learned to manage my schedule better, things started falling into place. 

One of the biggest things that helped me is delegation. I have a team managing my Discord community, and in school, I have a secretary who helps keep track of my schedule like what I missed, when I need to be in class, or when we have free days. 

I’ve also built strong relationships with my professors. I’m upfront with them about the nature of my work, which often involves traveling, and they’ve been understanding. It might sound like I’m not fully present sometimes, but the results say otherwise I’ve made the Dean’s List two terms in a row. So I guess my system works. 

For me, balancing time isn’t about doing everything at once. Multitasking doesn’t really work. What works is focusing on one thing at a time and giving it your full attention. That’s how I maintain quality in everything I do. It’s all about managing energy, not just time.

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Do you see yourself as a successful person right now? Why or why not?

Success can look different for everyone, but for me, it’s best defined by Earl Nightingale: “Success is the progressive realization of a worthy ideal.” That means you're successful the moment you start working toward the person you want to become. So, if your goal is to be a content creator and you start making content even if you're not “there” yet you’re already on the path. Based on that, I’d say I’m on my way to success.

For someone your age who might be struggling right now, what advice would you offer to help them overcome their current challenges?

To anyone in their 20s who’s struggling right now—listen, you still have time.

Yes, I talk about memento mori—the idea of remembering that you’ll die—not to scare you, but to ground you. Life’s short, sure. But that’s exactly why you shouldn’t waste it drowning in pressure or comparison.

Whatever you're going through, just know this: you can and you will get through it. Amor Fati.

Focus on improving yourself. Invest your time in learning, building, and growing. Start consuming ideas that lift you up instead of tearing you down. Read books that fill your gaps, not just the ones trending on TikTok. Learn to deal with the cards you've been dealt and start playing the game anyway. 

Your 20s are for building, failing, exploring, and figuring things out especially if you're not tied down yet. Try things. Mess up. Start over. The universe is way too big and too wild for you to make life more complicated than it already is. So be kind. Stay grounded. Learn. Build. Fall in love with life. Fail fast. Explore the unknown. In short, Be alive.

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