Original Title: "Web 3.0 and the Promise of Encryption"

Original compilation: Block unicorn

Original compilation: Block unicorn

This has been a really fun brainstorm, and the wider crypto space is a whole whirlwind that I'm trying to understand and fit in with: constant noise, money, new things, trends, personalities, tools, and the irrationality of knowing everything at all times Unrealistic pressure.

During the Thanksgiving break, there's a brief moment for respite and reflection. I realized: It's easy to drown in a sea of ​​web3 encryption with FOMO without a deliberate approach to web3 and a career in this space.

Let's say it's the 90s or early 2000s. Can you imagine saying "I'm going to work for an Internet company!" and then being expected to know exactly what's going on on the Internet at any given time? Even then, it was impossible.

I provided the same paradigm for today:It is impossible to know everything that is going on in cryptocurrency or even web3, if anything the breadth, depth and synergies are evidence of the growth and prospects of our space.It's exciting, but you might just be alone, like me, 24 hours a day. So there has to be focus, which leads to iterative growth, driving results, and overall wellbeing and learning.

So what is one focusing on and committing to?

Below are my 10 commitments to help me focus on the things that are important to me. I share all these details in the hope that they will resonate with you. I also wrote these with the intention of periodically revisiting them to hold myself accountable, here we go:

1. Remember why you joined the web world, I entered web3 for the following three reasons:

• (a) I want to learn a lot, really, really quickly (laughs).

• (b) I feel this is the best place to build what I believe in (see Commitment 3 below).

• (c) And for the first time in crypto's relatively short history, the promise of crypto has evolved from "just" financial applications to rich consumer experiences that are not only fun, but can evolve to change the world's broken paradigms.

Consumer is my area of ​​expertise: As a team lead for Niantic and Pokémon GO, I build and create global campaigns for augmented reality and gaming experiences. Something inside of me insists that I have a unique perspective that deserves to help with the new world we're building in web3.

We are at the forefront, arm in arm into the dark forest, in search of a guiding light, while building a new world. When things get overwhelming, remember that the people in web3 are smart, dynamic, and worthy of constant learning. Wish I could keep teaching something too.

2. Enjoy what you commit, and commit to what you love, because success comes from the process you have been committed to

I admire those who got into cryptocurrency early or invested early, they saw its potential before the rest of the world. When Brian Armstrong literally told me about a decade ago that Bitcoin was all about burritos and drinks, I definitely didn’t see the promise before it exploded in many ways. But despite the retroactive FOMO, I think now is the moment I personally intend to get into crypto, not sooner.

To simplify why: in the early days of cryptocurrency, it was about building a financial ecosystem from the absolute ground up. Looking in from the outside, I cheer for what I see, but don't see myself enjoying this hands-on work.

I've always cared about enjoying what I do in my career so I can give my 1000% to them. That's why I was lucky enough to work on delightful consumer projects as a strategic consultant early in my career. After that, working in augmented reality and games felt light and enjoyable for me. I'm so excited to work with product, engineering, and community leaders that I trust to build great things and help tell their stories. I have fallen in love with the process time and time again. Suffice it to say, all of the above has allowed me to continue working on the process and finding various forms of "success” 。

Success comes from a commitment to what you do, and it's more likely to be committed to what you do when you enjoy it. Now that I'm starting to work at Mirror and learning from the smart people in our team and community, I feel aligned with where cryptocurrency is and I can enjoy building out the potential of web3.

3. Build the world you care about

• I care about building a world where people connect globally with positive emotions and in ways never before possible.

• I care about building a world where people are free to be creative with their time, relationships, money, and work.

• I care about building a world where people can create and enjoy memorable, meaningful, cutting-edge experiences that bring others together.

• I care about building a world where people are credited for what they do, build and create.

• I care about building a world where people own what they build: their communities, their creations, their money.

• I care about building a world where people use technology and technology doesn't use people.

Digital ownership can solve the problems and systems that the old paradigm created, if it doesn't fit something you care about, you don't have to pay attention to it or energy if you don't want to. And you don't have to build it. Build content you always care about and you'll reap huge benefits.

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Be persistent in building what you believe in, remembering that you are building yourself too. If you build, build evergreen for the world you care about. Don't build for a flash in the pan, and likewise, don't project yourself as a "flash in the pan".

I define a flash in the pan as someone who:

• a) Make time for fame and attention to be opportunistic, and probably are.

• b) Constant pursuit of relevance to the next "personal branding" gimmick.

In modern times, (a) and (b) are indeed talents in themselves. When used strategically, they can produce impressive results. Both (a) and (b) are pleasing realities and should be seen as such rather than scorned. More often than not, these are just fun things, fleeting, ready to be replaced in the public consciousness by the next driving genius or fun stunt.

For this, you may have also seen blips, you will see this a lot in cryptocurrencies:A small number of blips are playing the blip short game, they are usually (but not always) better known as community, team and long-term builders, ecosystem advocates. But having said that, in our time and attention economy, there are flashers everywhere.

What are some examples of short-lived people?

• The star of the reality TV show.

• Sports wunderkinds who sign multi-million dollar 3-5 year contracts and blow all their money before blowing up their knees or other organs.

• A man who works wonders in music, film, art, business or investing, and they never stop talking about "a good day."

• New millionaires who spend excessively to impress (whether earned via cryptocurrency or otherwise).

• Influencers (not all, but many).

• Any ordinary person who is famous for being famous.

• Time and time again, people looking for shock value have no other tools in their toolbox.

• Become a "that guy/girl who did that, don't you remember that?" person.

Once a person becomes ephemeral, they fall into ego. This ego can lead them to falsely believe that they are at a global maximum that will last forever.

Ego destroys curiosity and drive to learn and get better. Ego makes people underestimate and disrespect those whose stars may be right in front of them. The ego blocks the way to metacognition, you are playing a short game that is propelled by the ego itself loop.

There will always be another star, a flash in the pan, willing to be dwarfed with another egotistical one, emerging on the horizon, poised to replace the previous flash in the pan. If it's a short game, you don't play.

5. Be your own role model

In a hot industry, be it tech/cryptocurrency/entertainment/whatever, being an acerbic individual with a flashy image and clumsy behavior is part of the tech toolbox that people have always used to build a cult of personality.

As a member of the public, you think, "This is someone I should adore, follow and follow." "These people deserve my respect." "This is someone who deserves to be my role model."

Be skeptical when people act as if they have all the answers, or when people make you feel inferior through the personas they've established. This means they—consciously or unconsciously—use the vulnerability and uncertainty of others to rise as high as they can, whatever they build or destroy, in the loop of the self.

remember:When you don't know who you are or what you stand for, it's easy to get caught up in who you're supposed to be instead of who you are.

The truth is, when you're doing something you've never done before, it can be challenging to find role models because you're following an unpaved trail into a dark forest with limited guiding lights. Uncertainty is natural.

A common phrase in Silicon Valley is: "You can't be what you can't see". But what if no one else has done what you want before? What if there are a limited number of people who have ever solved the same problem as you? If you're female and/or POC or someone else of a different background, your chances of finding someone who looks like you are lower. All of this is triple true in the wild west of web3 and crypto, where a lot hasn't been done before.

What do you do when you can't see or recognize a role model?

You can—and should—still find qualities you admire in others you want to emulate. The secret is that the qualities you admire most in others are usually because you have them yourself. (And you should look at the traits you don't want and find ways to avoid them.)

When you can't find a role model, you'll quickly discover: You have to be your own role model. You have to motivate yourself. Hopefully one day, you too can be a true source of inspiration for others.

6. Never stay in the shallows; use competition to stay humble and hungry.

People used to grab and squeeze previous "accomplishments" and resumes for all the merits of a lifetime (and many still do, and I think you can agree: they were the worst!). While they can be fun and used strategically as mentioned above, those self-fueled accolades are just a blip on the radar for comparing yourself to others. We're in a different world now: a prestigious past and name brands may get you in the door, but you still have to walk in the door and get the job done, and climb those hills really, really hard.

Many promising individuals, teams, and products disappear because of arrogance. They may become so obsessed with admiring their own talents or accolades compared to others that they forget about working hard and getting better objectively.

Sitting on land with buried gold generates little value as gold is processed and mined.

Likewise, it is a waste to sit on underutilized talent. Talent needs to be exercised and promoted. Talent can't get lost in "I'm better" or "Did you see the latest tweet?" egos.

Whether it's in tech, crypto, traditional industries, or life itself, the best of the best don't rest on their laurels. They don't play the short game of spikes. Instead, they are constantly reinventing themselves, inspired by the best versions of others. They went on to find the tallest mountain, the global maximum. If they disappear into a valley to take a break, they come back better evolved than ever and ready to climb.

Adopt the positive principles of capitalism, vehicled by a healthy dose of speed and competition, to make you better. Today's "loser" may become tomorrow's "winner": respect your opponent as your collaborator. They’re also on their crypto journey, and remember: this world is a whole new collaborative world where we’re all going to work together.

7. Connect with others through positive intentions, vision, and staying connected

We only survive by being interconnected. But the world moves fast, and the crypto world moves faster. It's easy to make snap judgments, but it's much harder to take a step back and stay thoughtful and positive. There is a thin line between fun and judgment. When you feel tired or overwhelmed and feel yourself becoming judgmental, question its roots. (I know it's challenging!)

It's better to set your sights on others, see them as your best self, and interact with them based on that. The same goes for products, communities, leaders, situations, and companies.

That doesn't mean you should be Pollyanna or naive. Like any new industry, this space is full of scams and scammers, so be vigilant. If someone or something seems objectively problematic, absolutely trust your instincts, logic, and better judgment to take appropriate action or take an appropriate respectful distance. But if your stance is negative or judgmental by default, that's a waste of energy.

Have you ever watched an independent movie and noticed that no matter who the "star" of the story is, you care deeply about where they go? See other people as the stars of their own independent films. Root for them. Cheers for them. Use their reality and potential as inspiration to become a better version of themselves. Extend it to the organizations you work with. Let's say we all star in this movie together, because at the end of the day, we actually are.

8. Trust and reputation matter: protect and build them

From the genie in "Aladdin" to the princess in "Frozen," Disney movies teach kids to be themselves and embrace themselves. It's a great lesson, but as you get older it can be misinterpreted as "You shouldn't care what anyone thinks! Who cares what other people think of you! Do what you want!"

This works well when we are young, learning who we are, going to school and dealing with adolescence - when we are learning, growing and discovering how to be ourselves, it is important to be free from missteps and misjudgments. Even as adults, momentary impressions or judgments don't matter, good or bad.

But as an adult, people can make superficial judgments about you in a split second, which is not the same as reputation. Moments make dots, many dots make a line, and a line can carry a reputation for years and decades. Your reputation matters when you have representation and participation from your team, family, friends, community, etc.

Your reputation is not your resume, or how your social media profiles appear, or even your activity on the blockchain. Your reputation can be a mirror of your character: it's what people say behind closed doors, in backstage DMs, things people probably don't want to write down. It's whether people want to be totally enthusiastic about working with you, whether they'll play for you when others won't give you the benefit of the doubt, or whether they smile politely to keep you at arm's length because they hear you Secretly dealing with nightmares, overly arrogant and talented.

Even if a person runs faster than burning bridges, if the gap between fame, actual level, and self-proclaimed status is too large, he will not be able to catch up. This makes building allies more difficult. This makes it harder to build trust. Trust is important because a reputation of trust takes years to build and only moments to break. Crypto's industry is based on trusting code and communities. With that in mind, building trust in the right people and brands building that code and these communities is all the more important as we all strive to scale.

In the short time I've been in the crypto space so far, I've had the opportunity to meet people whose reputations are far above theirs. People clamor to work with them because they want to spend their time and energy on great people who care about excellence. Often, these individuals have reputations that have been built over the years, whether in the crypto space or otherwise. Not to elevate my own company, but I appreciate that many of these people are on my team. I am proud that people in the community say they are open to the learning and thoughtful care my team members have provided over the years in many different projects. I am eager to learn from these examples of real proof of work and building trust. Fleeting short-term performances will not build long-term trust and learning.

9. Last long enough to climb the highest hill

Another big reason why it's important to avoid being a bitch and instead be an evolving, building contributor: it's a long journey. This is hard to see right now. Currently, it's easy to become conceited without realizing that you're at a local maximum (see above).

Chris Dixon's 2009 Climbing the Wrong Hill is getting more and more retrospective attention. (This may be because we are emerging from the pandemic and are in the midst of the "great resignation," a situation in which many people are evaluating their careers and lifestyles.)

It's a quick read and I encourage you to check it out, but in summary, Climbing the Wrong Mountain uses the idea of ​​climbing mountains in computer science as an analogy for how we should be looking for a great, rewarding career. In the fog of war, you can only see a few paces ahead, and climbing the hill you're on is usually the most straightforward and predictable. But to find the highest possible hill, you have to accept (and even get excited about) falling in many random places in the mountains and seas in search of the highest possible point. The latter approach is actually the right approach to the challenge of finding the largest and tallest mountain in the world.

In our world, some of the best career choices with risk-adjusted returns are usually the more obvious ones: becoming a doctor, becoming a lawyer, becoming a banker, becoming a technologist for FAANG companies. These are excellent careers for the serious go-getter. If you are lucky enough to choose these paths, you will make a lot of money, live comfortably, and be considered successful. These career peaks bring about "local maxima" of your potential.

But to get big gains in life satisfaction, challenges, world contributions, and even money, you'll probably have to try a lot of different things, and possibly risk starting at the bottom of another mountain -- no idea what's beyond the fog of war. What's around you - see if that mountain becomes your global maximum.

That's a good analogy, and one thing I'd add is that even when you're up different hills, you have to stick around for a long time to have the opportunity to keep trying.

to this end:

• To be able to keep searching for the global max, you don't need to go after spikes or shock values ​​like mentioned above, but you also need TIME, you need to play the game and plan the game to last for a long time.

• What always matters? In becoming who you want to be, aim for longevity and reality, not authoritarianism and relevance. Think about what an evergreen is. See what you've committed to building. The crypto world has its first principles. Constantly revisit your commitments and first principles to keep your feet on the ground and work with others to raise the global maximum.

• You must not burn bright and flame. Which brings me to my final commitment...

10. Get in touch with yourself and take care of yourself

My husband and a guy I know are very successful. He's in his early 30s, very bright, and has joined not one but two FAANG-like companies in key strategic roles early in his life cycle, and he's worth tens of millions of dollars.

On paper, his résumé, net worth, and even his reputation are stellar. He has job offers pending and connections to co-founding companies left and right. But he honed in harder than most throughout his 20s. Even if he took the time to address the world-changing issues he cared about, that time took a staggering toll. By his own admission: his health was terrible, he had no hobbies, he had limited deep relationships and friends, and wanted a life partner as he struggled to reconnect with himself. He was unhappy and feeling drained.

Fate has its way, and I have no doubt he will find his footing in the end, but time is the only thing we have. How long is "eventually"? If he is not even happy to rest, how long will it take him to rest from the valley? How and when will he be able to rejuvenate emotionally, mentally and spiritually?

I can't help but think that his circumstances deprive a man of this world - with his resources, experience and the prime of his life - who can build something great. That doesn't necessarily mean co-founding a company, joining a company, or even advising some companies. It can be building a family, a nonprofit, a community, a world of friendship, a way to give back. He has the energy to do these things because he's exhausted.

(There's another question as to whether he would have been successful if it wasn't for giving up everything else. I don't think he would have to. I think it's much simpler to mentally address absolutely giving up everything else in your professional name. All you have to do is Hone in and forget about everything else, and you don't even have to think about mid-term trade-offs. It's much more challenging in comparison—ultimately, wiser, more valuable and long-term future-proof—to make time for your humanity, and in achieving Build your entire life while achieving greatness.)

I know others who are like this: successful in all the "right" ways, but depleted of health, inspiration, and connection, the very immeasurable things we need to utilize our time with, the only truly measurable things we have. I've had this happen to me too and had to struggle to recover. People sometimes have to spend years rebuilding their energy reserves and the systems that serve their source of inspiration. These are important to our humanity, but if we look at it more objectively, sustained energy is what we need to fight the long battles in our lives and careers. We need to make the most of our wellsprings if we are going to have the energy and time to climb the great local and global hills in the face of the fog of war.

If you're playing the long game, you need to be with you, you need to take care of yourself so that you don't flame out, that you don't have blips and crashes.

The people I've observed who persist for a long time and continue to succeed are also constantly finding and maintaining different ways to reawaken their energy sources. They work on things they care about, and they work really hard. But they also quietly pride themselves on making time for their humanity and identity, often away from work. Very short list of examples: 5pm family time every day, no problem, before going back to work in the evening. Do yoga with your partner. Piano and music lessons. Volunteer or donate. Regularly reflect or log time, write and create, meditate and pray, watch silly shows on Netflix. If your job allows it, take a remote work trip, go on a weekend hike or play golf, connect with your co-workers, and celebrate with your loved ones.

Doing these things doesn't mean you don't work hard, it means you make sure you squeeze the best out of your life and prove your humanity in the future. This means that over time, you have things that you value that remain yours no matter what. Here's the bottom line: Passing the time this way allows you to keep working hard without being too hard on yourself all the time.

You have to be proactive and creatively integrate into your humanity so that you can continue the long journey of life. This applies to anyone.

In crypto and web3, the speed is high, the stakes are high. As ambitious as they may be, I hope these commitments will help me persevere and fight the long game with all of you.