July 5th will mark my four year anniversary of blogging on this blockchain (and another one that begins with “S” that shall remain nameless). Those 1,460 days have been the most exciting time of my life. Along the way I’ve experienced both dizzying highs of euphoria, the disorienting sorrow of deep sadness, and every single emotion in between. Listed below are some things I’ve learned in my journey.

Most Of Us Grossly Underestimated…

….how long it would take to reach mass adoption. We also underestimated how hard it would be to wake people up and how scary change is for most of them. Unless people have no choice, most will choose their usual routine over change every time, even if their current reality causes them pain or discomfort. This is why change in this world takes such an excruciatingly long amount of time.

We were naive, filled with passion and excitement. We could see into the future so clearly and realized the role distributed ledger tech and cryptocurrency could play in creating a better and more equitable world. Believe me when I say this technology is still changing the world a little every single day. It’s also still going to change our world on a monumentally large scale, albeit at a slower pace than we thought.

The Crypto World's Like...

Imagine experiencing the most euphoric moment of your life. Now think of a time when you've felt your deepest sorrow. Imagine experiencing both in one twenty-four hour period. This can happen any given day in the world of crypto. This is precisely why it’s so ripe with opportunity. Stay in this crypto realm long enough and it will eventually break you down. This isn’t as dire as it sounds. You’ll eventually recover and it will feel like you were reborn. This “new you” will be wiser, stronger, and much more aware.

Market dips, forgotten passwords, market rises, hacks, government regulation, scammy ICOs. I sprouted many gray hairs before I learned investing in cryptocurrency is a lot like Jedi training. You must learn to remain emotionally stable in all circumstances. It will teach you how to exist calmly, in the eye of the storm, while chaos is raging all around you. You must find a way to create your own "cocoon of order" amidst the chaos. This is a helpful skill to have in every area of your life. It will not only teach you to gracefully accept losses, but more importantly it will teach you to accept wins humbly. After all, wins are nothing more than fuel to make dreams come true.

Online Friendships Can Be As Rewarding As Face-to-Face Ones

They can also lead to real friendships. I have so many memories that will be with me for my entire life, thanks to this platform. Dutch pancakes being prepared for us by a Dutch family (many thanks @roelandp). English friends showing us museums, and wild parakeets in Kensington Park (thank you @opheliafu) and taking an entire afternoon to have a meal, drinks, and show you around Portobello Market and their amazing neighborhood (thanks @cryptogee).

Incredible times in Lisbon and New York City (thanks @dougkarr, @ezzy, @exyle, @hilarski, @mammasitta). Life-enriching and educational online interactions with @sultnpapper, @lizelle, @bozz, and many, many others. I feel like I’ve gained a global family and this is the single most incredible part of the journey.

Scammers Abound

Insidious and unscrupulous folks in every variety imaginable are attracted to profit/power like moths to a porch light. For example, just look at Washington and Wall Street. The crypto world is no different. There are many people to be weary of in the cryptocurrency realm, watch your back carefully. I’ve learned those who ooze charisma and huge promises are usually the ones to watch out for. Not all charismatic people are scammers but all the scammers I’ve crossed paths with are very charismatic.

33.3% Hard Work + 33.3% Networking + 33.3% Timing = 99.999% Success

I’m no business guru but this is the formula for success in any creative endeavor in my experience. You can control the first two elements but that last 33.3% is left largely to happenstance. Make it your life’s mission to work hard at the things that fill you with joy and purpose and don’t let anyone or anything divert you from this.

Don’t be afraid to share your work and your story. Work equally as hard to prepare yourself, as best you can, psychologically for when your time comes. Success is nothing like I imagined. It doesn’t magically make all of the problems go away, it presents you with a new set of them. Success does provide freedom, time, and the chance to live your life as you wish. Make sure to have a clear vision of what that kind of life you wish for or success won’t be an easy road.

I worked for over twenty years writing things that most people never read. I watched all my peers fly past me on the ladder of success while I worked towards a dream that felt like it might never come true. Shortly after July 5th, 2016 the door to success that had previously been locked finally opened. As luck would have it, I had a backlog of over twenty years of material to share with all of you. My life has never been the same.

Many thanks to all of you who’ve supported me throughout these past four years. I also thank so many who've been generous with their time and knowledge to teach this old dog some new tricks. You’ll never know how much joy this journey has brought me. I’m looking forward to many more years to come.

With Gratitude,

Eric Vance Walton

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*I am an American novelist, poet, traveler, and crypto-enthusiast. If you’ve enjoyed my work please sign up for my author newsletter at my website. Newsletter subscribers will receive exclusive updates and special offers and your information will never be sold or shared.

Alarm Clock Dawn, one of the first full length novels published on the blockchain, and the book that started it all for me can be found HERE. Or Click Here to read it for free on the Steemit blockchain

My book on meditation, The Perfect Pause, is priced at $12.99 (paperback) and $4.99 (eBook). Buy the paperback and receive the eBook for free!

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