Author: ROUTE 2 FI

Compiled by: TechFlow

Today we have a guest post from Shui Tangs.

I stumbled upon his Twitter account a few weeks ago and was drawn to his unique writing style. He has a knack for combining long and short sentences with simple words, separated only by punctuation. You can read it yourself and quickly understand what I mean. This article is Shui Tangs’s original words, without any modifications, discussing his views on the success of cryptocurrency.

Shui Tangs' road to success

Before I begin, I would like to express my deep gratitude to Route, not only for giving me the opportunity to share my thoughts here, but also for his continued efforts to bring accessible knowledge and educate the field.

Let's start with a brief self-introduction, about my story.

I learned about cryptocurrency in 2017 through a friend in the CS:GO skin trading community.

So I created a wallet and started accepting USDT as a payment method. After a few weeks, I was deeply attracted by this open "gamified" financial system and sat at the forefront of its continuous expansion.

I have always been interested in money. Ever since I can remember. Freedom, compound interest, leverage, these are what made me choose banking as my major. In college, I learned macroeconomics, basic banking, contracts, financial history and law. These theories are often outdated and need a practical approach, an actionable way. Learn, adapt, and execute.

So, in my free time, I wandered the space. I soaked up everything I could find via Discord and Twitter. A few names came to mind: Mocho, Godfather, Loop, Donalt.

These insights shaped my economic understanding more than any degree could have and fast-tracked me through the “amateur phase.” You know the old saying, new market participants must pay their tuition and go through the trial by fire, sooner or later.

Same thing happened to me. I built a small portfolio by working in this field. Got overconfident and lost it all.

Doubt – first success – venture out onto the risk curve – more success – leverage – failure.

However, I persisted. I did some odd jobs, continued to work hard, and gave up speculation. Until 2021, DeFi and NFTs attracted me again.

The skills I had accumulated through trading CS skins came into play. A few analysis tools, some smart speculators (now called friends), and trading colorful png images. Ironically, this became my breakthrough.

Today, I am comfortable operating in the spot market, becoming more rational and less speculative. I hold some leverage on some profitable positions and occasionally participate in airdrop hunting. I hone my edge and wait for the opportunity to strike again.

This is my story.

Have I succeeded? This is a question I think about every day.

I want to put these ideas into words and form a framework.

This is what I share.

Defining Success in Cryptocurrency

This is an ancient topic that runs through the life of almost everyone who has ever lived and will live.

The answers are simple, yet they vary. Although times change, the core nature of human beings remains the same.

You could follow the teachings of the ancient Greek philosophers and define success as the pursuit of wisdom, the pursuit of moral excellence, and the cultivation of inner virtue.

Follow the path of a modern-day Emerson: "Laugh often; earn the respect of wise men and the affection of children; appreciate beauty; see and support the best in others." But most of all. Make the world a better place.

Or simply follow Wooden's advice and look not for success in external achievements but in knowing that you have put in the effort, done the best you could, and reached the limits of your abilities.

The answer always depends on your ideals and values. Be they social, economic, religious or ideological.

Let’s get back to the world of cryptocurrencies.

Are you here for the money or for the technology?

This statement is too simplistic and even a bit misleading.

I prefer to think that there are two types of people in this area: tourists and residents.

Tourists want to experience, feel thrills, make money and extract value.

Residents want to build, move the sector forward, make money and create value.

Most residents started out as tourists. Most industries thrive because of tourists, like tourism, there is a symbiotic relationship between the two. Some people may find this problematic, but I think it is essential.

Where you fall on this binary spectrum determines how you define personal success in crypto.

Tourists - those who spend money

You are here just to get rich quick. You log in to check the price but only care about the assets you hold. You jump between different narratives and follow any clickbait post. Join countless Telegram and Discord groups and read like crazy, but not to learn, but purely for profit, without depth.

Making money is a simple goal. It represents freedom, opportunity, and a concentration of human energy and time.

“Once I have enough money, I can follow my real goals.”

The goal is somewhere else, beyond our subculture. Cryptocurrency is just a stepping stone to something else.

So you keep working, always chasing that magic number. A million. A hundred thousand. That might not even be enough to retire these days, right? It’s a delusion. Crypto Twitter (CT) is filled with endless success stories, fake information, and stupid opinions. Scrolling through them makes you feel insignificant and unsuccessful. Zoom out.

Money is not everything. It is a means to an end, a tool, a propeller that accelerates you toward your final destination. So what happens once you reach that number? What do you do? Disappear? Turn your back on the field? You get drawn in again. I've learned from experience.

Why leave a casino when you're on a winning streak, right? The only way to leave this place is to find purpose and satisfaction elsewhere, or to get seriously hurt.

So how do you define success? As a tourist, there are three ways.

First, financially.

You chase a number, thinking it’s the number you’ll retire on and live on for the rest of your life, or at least until you find your true calling.

Maybe throw some income strategies in there. I remember Curve Wars. Lock up 30,000 CRV and retire. Enjoy unlimited cash flow and passive income.

Second, respond.

Not everyone makes money in the cryptocurrency market. It’s a predatory market. Will those unlucky participants consider themselves losers?

What they learn in this space could pay off a hundredfold in the future: financial knowledge, understanding of basic DeFi infrastructure.

A sense of community, endurance, connections, work, and even a good story.

Some outcomes can lead to success that do not require positive returns.

Third, leave.

This is cruel but true. For those who treat the market as a casino, gamble, invest in junk coins, and have no strategy, they should leave.

Just like a smoker would consider quitting smoking as a success.

But the field is vast, with seemingly endless directions to work in and a never-ending need for real competence. If you spend enough time here, you might find something that really excites you — your masterpiece and your purpose.

Fourth, become a resident.

When does a tourist become a resident? It is not a fixed time, nor necessarily a job. It requires a cognitive shift, in approach and motivation.

Forget what I said before, this was my first successful moment.

Residents – those who stayed.

It’s hard to define what a resident is from the outside, but you’ll know.

But defining success here is simple, very simple.

You’ll never actually reach it, but you’ll succeed.

This isn't what you expected, is it?

What is success? A finish line. Once you cross it, you have everything you ever wanted - a chapter in your life is closed.

Then, enter a new chapter.

As a resident, you live here. You love working in this field, pushing it forward, in whatever way you can.

You don’t care about price. Sure, it hurts to see BTC fall below $20,000. It hurts to see new speculators outperforming you. It hurts to miss out on an entire industry because of a certain risk framework.

But as a resident, you don't envy the tourist. Just as a tortoise doesn't envy a bird, just as a Spanish tour guide doesn't envy the elderly man he's showing around, just as a cook doesn't envy his guests.

They may be better off in the present moment, making money, flying, enjoying themselves, consuming.

But you found the real thing - your purpose.