I had just started a tech focused job out of my bachelor's undergrad at a fantastic company surrounded by crazy smart and passionate people. At the same time, I had started to really heavily study cryptocurrency and why it had any value. I concluded from my studies that cryptocurrencies, especially Ethereum probably had a place in the world to come. Being a young guy out of college at 23 with a well paying job close to 100k, I realized even if I lost everything I had at that point, it'd be synonymous to just starting work a little bit later and it'd be no big deal. So I invested 100% everything I had into Ethereum mostly in the months of October to February. Ethereum proceeded to go from a bottom of $7 to a peak at $420 in the following months. Insanity. Absolutely unreal. I personally thought that I was already in a pretty good position and life was going swell but now the wealth accumulation really fucked with how I prioritized my time at work and essentially consumed all of my waking thoughts. Because I didn't sell. I've always trusted my gut on things, and I had already logically determined that this thing is worth way more than it is even now but nevertheless the fear that it'd all evaporate instantly with the majority of my net worth seemed permanent and always there. Because I too share the same thought in the back of my head as many others that "it's all just digital money, what value does it actually have?" I had fluctuated hundreds of thousands of dollars the past year, more than anything I could've imagined.

Since November 2016, I've observed my own thoughts, the mental toll that comes with extreme wealth generation, and what meaning there is in life itself. Because 23 was supposed to be the start of everything out in the real world for me, but it's ingrained in society that we gotta earn our way up and make it big from there. And now here I am in a position I thought I'd be in 10 to 15 years ahead previously. While I had balls to do what I did, I don't think I deserve it. I happened to be fortunate that through a series of events that I stumbled upon this new type of investment vehicle and happened to be one of the very few. I think I'm smart, but nothing special from the potential I believe everyone also has when given the right resources.

This next year I'm going to focus on me, building a quality person and figuring out what I wanna do with my time. The young generations coming into the real world have a much bigger drive to make change in the world, positive change. As shit as things may look sometimes, I'm very much a humanitarian, futurist type of guy and believe we have a chance of making everything way better. And nah don't think I'm trying to contribute my whole life to societal betterment, I mean I also wanna have fun just like anyone else, but I think it's just finding a balance for personal endeavors and contribution to others when placed in a better position so that one can live a satisfied life. Upwards and onwards.