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Today is my last day @MessariCrypto.
It’s been an unbelievable past two years and I couldn’t be more grateful to have worked with such an amazing group of people.
Some reflections on being an analyst, accumulated wisdom since I joined, and what’s next.
1/
It’s been an unbelievable past two years and I couldn’t be more grateful to have worked with such an amazing group of people.
Some reflections on being an analyst, accumulated wisdom since I joined, and what’s next.
1/
Being an analyst is easily one of the best jobs you can have in your 20s today.
You literally get paid to learn, write, and be at the center of the most exciting technological revolution of our lifetimes.
Economics, Finance, Technology, Politics, Philosophy… Crypto has it all.
You literally get paid to learn, write, and be at the center of the most exciting technological revolution of our lifetimes.
Economics, Finance, Technology, Politics, Philosophy… Crypto has it all.
FANGs and IBs are no longer the best place for young, ambitious, and talented individuals.
Crypto has been significantly derisked professionally, financially, technologically, and culturally, while the opportunity is only limited by your effort.
There are no ceilings here.
Crypto has been significantly derisked professionally, financially, technologically, and culturally, while the opportunity is only limited by your effort.
There are no ceilings here.
It’s not just about the research and financial upside either.
Working at Messari also enabled me to connect with many of the smartest and coolest people in crypto.
I continue to be surprised by how accessible and helpful even the most powerful people in this industry are.
Working at Messari also enabled me to connect with many of the smartest and coolest people in crypto.
I continue to be surprised by how accessible and helpful even the most powerful people in this industry are.
Now for some learnings I’ve accumulated over the past couple years.
1. There are no sacred cows.
Respect history, but understand that there is nothing in this industry that won’t change over the next decade.
Dogmatism not only rots your brain, it also assures you will be left behind both intellectually and financially.
Be anti-maximalist.
Respect history, but understand that there is nothing in this industry that won’t change over the next decade.
Dogmatism not only rots your brain, it also assures you will be left behind both intellectually and financially.
Be anti-maximalist.
2. There is no one path forward.
While it’s tempting to reduce inter-blockchain ecosystem competition into binaries (my chain wins, your chain loses), reality is far more nuanced.
It’s helpful to think of blockchain ecosystems like nations.
While it’s tempting to reduce inter-blockchain ecosystem competition into binaries (my chain wins, your chain loses), reality is far more nuanced.
It’s helpful to think of blockchain ecosystems like nations.
Sure there can only be one largest nation in the world, but that doesn’t stop others from growing in parallel.
There will always be trade-offs and we will never agree entirely on their importance.
The future is independent paths ironically intertwined through interoperability.
There will always be trade-offs and we will never agree entirely on their importance.
The future is independent paths ironically intertwined through interoperability.
3. Community is everything.
There’s been plenty of times where an otherwise average project becomes extraordinary due to narrative.
Narratives coordinate communities and pull forward resources making outcomes more inevitable. A self-fulfilling prophecy.
kwokchain.com/2021/09/29/narrative-distillation-1/
There’s been plenty of times where an otherwise average project becomes extraordinary due to narrative.
Narratives coordinate communities and pull forward resources making outcomes more inevitable. A self-fulfilling prophecy.
kwokchain.com/2021/09/29/narrative-distillation-1/
4. Use Twitter, Really.
I’ve not only learned so much from all the awesome people on crypto Twitter, but I’ve also had the pleasure of meeting so many of them due to our interactions on here (appreciate you all).
There is no second best crypto social platform.
I’ve not only learned so much from all the awesome people on crypto Twitter, but I’ve also had the pleasure of meeting so many of them due to our interactions on here (appreciate you all).
There is no second best crypto social platform.
5. The story is just as important as the data.
Never take any data points at face value.
Data points can be skewed and gamed quite easily depending on what you’re looking at.
Always try to understand the why driving the data.
Never take any data points at face value.
Data points can be skewed and gamed quite easily depending on what you’re looking at.
Always try to understand the why driving the data.
6. Play the long game.
Bull markets create noise and promote short-termism. Don’t let it get to your head.
We have many decades to go in the story of crypto.
Be epochal not ephemeral. You will become a much clearer thinker.
Bull markets create noise and promote short-termism. Don’t let it get to your head.
We have many decades to go in the story of crypto.
Be epochal not ephemeral. You will become a much clearer thinker.
7. Take breaks.
This is literally a 24/7/365 industry.
Trust me I understand being hungry, but sometimes the best thing you can do for your game is to take a step back from it.
You get paid to think. Time off not only recharges you, but also provides you valuable perspective.
This is literally a 24/7/365 industry.
Trust me I understand being hungry, but sometimes the best thing you can do for your game is to take a step back from it.
You get paid to think. Time off not only recharges you, but also provides you valuable perspective.
So what’s next?
For now I’ll be taking a break from writing while I finish setting up [redacted].
Excited to share the details with you all soon 👀
In the meantime feel free to follow me here. ryanwatkins.substack.com/p/coming-soon?showWelcome=true
For now I’ll be taking a break from writing while I finish setting up [redacted].
Excited to share the details with you all soon 👀
In the meantime feel free to follow me here. ryanwatkins.substack.com/p/coming-soon?showWelcome=true
Finally big shoutout to @ericturnr and @twobitidiot for taking a bet on me as we began building out our research platform two years ago.
Never been more bullish on where Messari is going.
🐂
Never been more bullish on where Messari is going.
🐂
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