Way back in the "God knows when," I used to go to a LOT of self-development retreats. One of the takeaways that has stuck with me for 30-odd years is this:

Comparisons are deadly. Your life is YOUR life.

In comparing myself to the typical success-driven and ambitious cut-throat corporate ladder climber of western culture, I am utterly ineffectual! But what's the point of "envying" something I don't actually value? I never performed well in the current economy save for a handful of soul-crushing years in the IT industry...

The irony is that I have an Honors degree in Finance & Business Management, and all it really has done for me is shine the light on the fact that the old ways are destructive and we must invent new and better — more human centered — ones.

In a small way, I think we're doing that. When you and I joined this gig, the aggregate market value of all cryptos was about US $30 billion. As of this morning, it's US $1.68 trillion. I'd like to think we're part of the next era.

Yes, I'm an idealist!