Don't be afraid to make mistakes
Remember when you are a kid. You were riding a bike then suddenly you went outbalance and skid yourself face down on the cemented road. You have bruises and scars everywhere. From your face all the way down to your knees.
It was not only painful but also a humiliating experience. It came to your thinking...
"Why did fell"?
"Who or What to blame"...
"Or was it really an accident"?
"Will I ever ride a bike again"?
One of these thoughts, or maybe all of them, will come to your mind. It's an unforgettable experience you will not ever forget.
But whether you like it or not, accidents are always due to happen. Regardless of how careful and mindful you are... things will go out of hand. There is no escape to it.
HERE'S WHY MOST PEOPLE CAN'T MOVE ON
The problem when someone fell on a bike, most of these people get upset and demoralized. It is not just their scars and bumps in their heads that are a concern but more of their crippled **"Ego"**. The real story here is that's what hurt the most. The bruises and bumps will heal in time, but their disheartened ego will not.
If ever that happens, it will take decades for them to heal their ego and go out in the field and go biking again.
I don't understand why that happens to most people. Was it just the pain from the bike accident or don't they want somebody to see them committing the same mistakes again?
What makes it worst, is that most of time this broken ego transforms into something more dreadful and concerning. It will become neurosis. Fear and phobia will penetrate their mind and their soul that will dread to riding those 2 wheel vehicle again.
And when the time comes when all of their friends go biking to the park. These people will be left alone in their homes... feeling isolated and lonely.
MISTAKES IS THE KEY TO SELF-IMPROVEMENT
That is why most parents when they witness their child have a bike accident they will make sure to convince their kids to go biking again when they are all healed up. Some will even go the extra mile like buying knee pads, helmets, and other protective gears to lessen and minimize the pain and wound that they might encounter.
Some will accompany their kids to go biking so that they can teach and guide them so that these kinds of accidents can be prevented at a minimal cost.
For me, this is the most important thing...
"Mistakes is necessary so that we won't make the same errors again"!
WHY DO WE FALL?
In the movie **"Batman Begins"**, there was an iconic scene there where Alfred Pennyworth (the ever-reliable trusted butler of the Wayne family), came running towards his young Master Bruce when the young kid fell into the well. Alfred immediately got a rope and slide down to his master's aid.
And when Alfred had Bruce under his arms. The loyal butler asked this to the youngling...
"Why do we fall sir"?
"So that we can learn to pick ourselves up"!
The lesson here is we must always find a way to move forward no matter what disaster comes our way. It is a lesson that cannot be taught in school and unfortunately has to be experienced by all. Failing is necessary, but overcoming your failures is what truly matters.
Society possesses a natural inclination to stitch with our status quo, to stay away from the unknown, and to just say that we are okay... but actually we are really not.
I WILL LEAVE YOU NOW WITH 1 CHALLENGE
To make sure that you get the idea. I will give you an assignment that you can practice on.
The challenge is this...
**"Look for something that you are scared to do... but you want to really try it"**
It could be anything...
Go bungee jumping
Swim with the sharks
Send an email to the **"Boy of your dreams"**
Start a business with no capital
Drive a mountain bike downhill on a steep mountain
Resign from your work
Tell your neighbor not to bother you again
Go ghost hunting
or even try calling Elon Musk and apply yourself to go to the moon
I could go on and on. These are just a few of the examples that you could start with. It is best of course if it would be coming from you.
The important thing is that what lesson you will learn from it. The goal here is that you will fail and make mistakes.
Your first action will probably fail. But this time, this won't surprise you. Continue going forward. The validation of all of these will give you a chance to improve and start over again.
So go on and ride that bike again. It will give you endless adventure on your 2nd try around.
My Roadmap to being a Crypto Writer
USING MY WRITING SKILLS TO THE FULLEST
I've been writing for more than 5 years now.
But back then, my goal was not to monetize any of it.
Although I was able to accumulate a massive following on one of my Facebook Page in my designated country... it never entered my mind to even make a slight profit.
Not until now...
My Autistic son just turned 16 years old. And despite the fact that my wife and I were able to provide for his needs. We are now approaching a time where my son Lorenzo needs proper education for his future.
That is the reason why I am shifting to the Blockchain & Crypto space. The industry is still new and they're a lot of opportunities that continue to exist. And with the disruption of Decentralized Finance and dApp, it even made me more intrigued.
MY OTHER SKILLSET
I am a self-taught Web Developer. 💻
I have knowledge and skills in the Javascript framework. I mainly used React, Node, PostgreSQL, etc.
With this edge, I can learn Solidity, Truffle, Smart Contracts, Web3, and the like...
With my foundational skills, I might need just a few months of learning to acquire these new skills and apply for a job as a Blockchain Developer.
This opportunity is tempting and it would be a waste if I let this go by... so yes, I will learn these skills for me and my family's future.
I might get a freelance job making basic cryptography for an ICO company. Or maintain a distributed ledger for a particular DeFi client to accelerate smart contracts development.
Or me personally building my own open-source project and earn an MRR (monthly recurring revenue) from my users.
That is the coolest thing about Coding!
WHY WRITING AND NOT CODING?
But since writing is my passion and it is installed in my blood and veins. I am thinking not only to be in the Blockchain Development field, but also in the Journal side of things.
I am thinking of building things and explaining it in written form. So a profession like a **"Technical Writer"** is quite possible. ✔️
Chainlink is one of the established companies that I want to work with. https://chain.link/
Their decentralized oracle network provides reliable inputs for a variety of smart contracts.
With their stable API, developer resources, and strong open-source community, this would help guys like me to not only hone our skills as a Developer but also be more insightful as a Writer.
Either I apply as a Node Operator, request for a Grant Program, join their Hackathon, and maybe become their Advocate.
The sky is the limit for a newbie like me.
The said company has been known to help almost anybody in the crypto and blockchain industry. **Chainlink** offers promising opportunities to the general public.
If you don't find that amusing... then I don't know what is?
Wait a minute... I'm getting ahead of myself. I mentioned that I plan to be a writer... okay, allow me to explain further.
Like what I wrote in my previous article, to be a good writer you need to be good at something.
RELYING FULLY ON COIN MARKET CAP
So in order for me to be a good Crypto Writer, I need to learn the basics. The 1st step is to go to a dependable site like... Coin Market Cap. https://coinmarketcap.com/
This platform is probably the world's #1 most -trusted cryptocurrency data authority. All the information that you need in regards to cryptocurrency is in there.
They have real-time pricing, currency converter, market cap & rank, historical data, and all the 10,207 different cryptocurrencies (and counting) in the world. 🌏
What I adore about **CoinMarketCap** is it enables users to form conclusions and interpretations based on their hard truth data. With this advantage of knowledge, anyone can have the skill (not to mention confidence) to do whatever they want with their preferred cryptos.
If you are a trader and investor, **CoinMarketCap** is the source of their information. If you are a financial writer and advisor, this site is the place to be.
If you are building a project with a smart contract, logging in to the app is the best decision that they will make.
**CoinMarketCap** is the most trafficked site in the world for cryptocurrency information, with over 125 million people relying on this reliable app as the most trusted reference price for cryptocurrencies.
Knowing that you have a reliable site like **CoinMarketCap** to depend on... the next step for each one has to learn & study is the Market Cap.
THE ADVANTAGES OF THE MARKET CAP
Either if you are trading, investing, or writing a blog about crypto. The first thing that you need to monitor closely is not the price... but more of the Market Cap.
Market Cap, or Market Capitalization, is a reference used by most people to figure out how huge a company is. The way that market capitalization is figured is to multiply the number of shares available by how much the shares are selling for.
Our favorite cryptocurrency **Bitcoin Cash** (BCH), for example, has $12,719,079,901 market cap. ₿
So when this number goes up, it means that people are buying more BCH. That is good overall, and that is the ideal best time to invest and/or trade.
In summary, the bigger the market cap of a company is the more stable the investment will be.
Although the market cap is not the only indicator to make a deciding factor on investing, a lot of wise retail investors use this tool to help them know when and where to invest.
The global crypto market as of today is $1.65 trillion. That is not just big... it's definitively colossal! That's huge money in it. And where is there money, there will be lots of people who will want to dig into the pool.
That huge attention from the people who are interested in crypto will be mine and your sparkplug as an authoritarian.
Both you and I will be the one responsible for giving the news and providing insights, tips, and bits of advice for them to make progress and makes lots and lots of money for them.
WHERE AM I RIGHT NOW AS A CRYPTO WRITER
Honestly, I am not a crypto writer... not yet.
What I am doing for now is being like a sponge and absorbing all the information that I can muster.
But the future looks bright. I barely entering my 3rd week, and I feel that I can contribute as a paid writer for a small niche company. That faith and confidence that I have at the moment are because of my infinite time and devotion dedicated to this sunshine industry.
For now, I am blogging and making articles in the crypto space. I decided to start early so that I can get my feet wet and learn what works and what doesn't.
And you know what... between you and me, I am enjoying every minute of it. And when you find yourself having fun. You then feel that you are not working. Getting compensated is a 2nd priority when you are passionate about something.
What is more important is when you were able to provide value to the people in the industry that you are working on.
And when you give true and diamond feature information... that is the time you will know that you are a good Crypto Writer. 💖
Will we ever become Good Writers?
ARE WE ANY GOOD?
I believe most of us have asked that question several times. Whenever we publish an article... we asked ourselves
"Is this good enough"?
Sometimes we doubt ourselves of our very own skills and capabilities.
And sometimes we feel that we are at the **"Peak of our Game"**.
So how do we know if we are good writers?
Is there a website or tool & software to check on that?
THERE ARE A LOT OF WRITERS... BUT ONLY A FEW OF THEM STAND OUT
There are a lot of writers in every corner of this planet. Some choose it as a profession, some do it as a hobby. Some became writers just by accident, and some turn out to be a bust (no matter how hard they tried).
But the truth of the matter is, regardless of the number of writers we have here in the world that we are living in...
Sadly, most of them are just noise.
They are not relevant nor necessary.
That is the reason we witness a lot of **"Fly-By-Night"** kind of writers where they are here today and gone tomorrow.
Readers, especially in this day and age, lack time and patience.
A **"Satisfactory"** article for them wouldn't cut it.
To get the attention of the mass audience, writers must be the **"Best"** and fly like a **"Unicorn"**.
Readers thirst for quality substance.
They need to know that they get good value out of their time and money.
UNICORNS DISGUISE AS WRITERS
Often considered the most wondrous of all mythical creatures, the Unicorn is a symbol not only of magic and greatness.
It also symbolizes **"Greatness".**
Just like in Unicorns, writers are hard to come by. You rarely see them, and you are considered to be one of the lucky ones when you are able to see one.
Great writers are keen observers.
They have this certain unique discipline on **"Attention to Detail"**.
From grammatical errors, choice of words, and even adding a personal touch to their articles are in sync.
They don't stop improving and honing their craft. To them, there is no such thing as they are **"Top of the Mountain"**.
There is always the next level that they should climb on. That is why they become great... they never settle.
These "Unicorns with a Pen" constantly re-evaluate their work.
They have a knack for making a clear language that's easily understood by the common people.
On top of that, these great writers improve their readers in different forms. They change lives. Their readers, upon reading their work, has become a much better person.
That could be financially, physically, spiritually, and personally.
And because these great writers provide intrinsic value... they get return business sales, referrals, and a huge number of following from their work and the brand that they carry.
These great writers have now become an **"Authority"** to a specific niche and help the majority with their problems and concerns.
CAN WE BECOME UNICORN WRITERS TOO?
Whether you got God's given talent being a writer or not. A master's degree or not. Anyone can be a Unicorn Writer.
The secret sauce here is simple...
"You must be an expert on your field"
That's it! It's as simple as that!
You could be skilled in statistics about Baseball. Or an experienced writer & advisor about broken relationships.
Maybe you could be that person who has the skill of taming Pitbulls.
Any topic & field will do. As long you are knowledgeable and a master of that field... you're good to go.
People will follow and adore you no matter what.
PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE
NBA Superstars like Michael Jordan, Kevin Durant, and Lebron James won't be successful without practicing daily in the gym... night in and night out.
The MVP trophies that they received and the NBA Championship rings that they got won't happen if they didn't sacrifice themselves.
Victory trophies come with a price
And that is making a big sacrifice. Spending time on that goal that you want to attain.
There will be a lot of parties and events that you will miss out on.
You might even hurt some other people's feelings simply because you are not there for them during those times.
In other words, it won't be pretty. If you want something, you should go hard and do it.
That may take some bruises and burns. But you have to go through it to get to your goal.
If you want to be a writer. If you want to be an Excellent Writer.
You should do a lot of research & absorb that new wisdom and apply it to your writing skills.
There will be an abundance of endless nights of scraping for new and resourceful information.
It may take forever but you will get there. You will get to your destination.
You will be an expert in your field. Giving technical advice and quantitative input to your readers.
And when you see a huge gathering of your following... that is the time that you'll know that you are on **"Top of the Mountain".**
You are now one of those they consider **"Unicorn Writers".**
Congratulations to you!
SO, WILL WE EVER BECOME GOOD WRITERS?
All I can say is this... **"OGK"**.
**"Only God Knows"**!
But I wish you well in your endeavors. I do hope that you will be a Good Writer someday.
You may be the next George R. R. Martin with multiple booksellers and tv series.
You can be wealthy with your own blog & website and make a huge amount of profits from your sponsors, affiliates, and even a paid newsletter.
Whatever that is, Whoever you will be... if you work your ass off.
You will attain your own success.
I do hope that will happen to you and to the majority of us someday...
Here's to everybody!
And Here's to our future!
ABOUT MY GOAL
Tomorrow I will discuss my plan to be a Crypto Writer and be knowledgeable in their currencies.
I will indicate my road map to achieve that. I will write all about it in my next article...
Stay tuned!
I will do anything for my Autistic Son
HAPPY BEING A FATHER
I still remember that day. The moment I held my son on the day that he was born. As I stared at his dazzling face, a droplet of tears of joy went down my cheek.
He is perfect! 👶
I whispered to him and said...
"Someday, you will be somebody"...
"A special someone to reckon with".
I named him Lorenzo. I got his name from our blessed patron Filipino saint... **St. Lorenz Ruiz**.
As I hold his tiny fingers into mine, I knew that this kid is going to be **"SPECIAL"**.
A few years later, my wife and I found out that he is indeed **"SPECIAL"**.
Not the special that most people are thinking. Special in terms of needing unusual needs.
After visiting the hospital to check on Lorenzo's status... we were shattered to discover that our son has **AUTISM**.
It was devastating! It felt like it was the end of the world for me.
AND THE WORLD CAME TUMBLING DOWN
It took me days (even months) to accept the condition of our son.
What is more difficult is knowing the fact how me and my wife will go through this long and enduring hard process of bringing our son to different establishments just to fix his condition.
The course of action that me and my family went through is not only draining mentally and physically, but also financially.
The cost of all of that physical therapies, multiple sessions on speech recognition, and weekly and monthly appointments to his SPED (also known as special-needs education, aided education, exceptional education, special ed) doctor(s) is really **EXPENSIVE!** 💸
Living in a 3rd world country like here in the Philippines also was a deterrent since there is little to no government support from kids who has Autism.
We have nobody to rely on.
My wife came from a humble family. And all we can get from her family's side is only moral support.
My family on the other hand was encountering some form of a family problem so their presence in this was somewhat absent.
So it was just me and my wife... and Lorenzo.
MY ACTION PLAN
Being the responsible father that I am, I went out of my way to do side hustle and additional income for my autistic son.
I opened up our vacant garage just to sell Dimsum (Siopao & Siomai) in our village in Parañaque City. 🥡
Those daily earnings that we got from the vacant garage were able to send Lorenzo to his expensive therapies and appointments.
Aside from that small garage business that I created. I did a lot of freelance work (both local and foreign) for Lorenzo's needs.
In short, it was overwhelming to keep up with those expenses to maintain a child's autism needs. But it's worth it!
OUR DAILY STRUGGLES
It's really hard to have a child with Autism. It is not a laughing matter.
It is no joke, to witness our son playing with his own feces. Or see him bump his head several times on the wall.
It's not only just that. Lorenzo doesn't want to be contained in an isolated area. He cries and gets tantrums whenever we go inside a restaurant or hear mass on Sundays.
We had to adjust our normal habits just to fit Lorenzo's needs and wants.
Those form of adjustment doesn't need a consultation or advice from any experts... we just went ahead and did it, all for the sake of our son.
So whenever we eat out, we made sure that we really eat out. Outside of the restaurant premises literally.
You know those chairs and tables that are pilled up outside in our popular malls?? Well, the people that you see eating on those chairs and tables... Chance are, that might be us.
When we hear mass on Sundays. We don't go inside but rather stand out on the streets, or the hallways, or the pavement underneath a tree.
We made sure that we are close enough so we can hear the priest's sermon.
"We were like an outcast. Far away from the action"! ⛔
Lorenzo doesn't want to socialize too. He doesn't know how to interact and mingle with kids of his age. We also have to be careful with our son because he has the tendency to hurt someone unintentionally.
He is also a picky eater. So we had to go beyond our daily food budget in order to buy the food recommended for him.
But I am not complaining. Why should I? Lorenzo is my son and I love him dearly.
Having a case like Autism doesn't change that.
THE FORGOTTEN SON
My wife and I have another son.
Our eldest Luigi is Lorenzo's only sibling. They are 1 year apart. Luigi was born in 2004 and Lorenzo was born the year after.
Our eldest is different from Lorenzo. Luigi is born normal. He is highly skilled and is athletic. He is an Aikido brown-belter and an aspiring Full Stack Developer.
Lorenzo's kuya is the better version of himself. 👑
Sometimes I feel sad knowing that our eldest is deprived of our time and attention.
I have to explain thoroughly to my firstborn that we need to provide special attention to Lorenzo.
MY ACTION PLAN... (AGAIN)
It's difficult to have a child with Autism. It's consummately draining.
It's a never-ending cycle of physical struggle, mental depression, and highly intense anxiety.
But I will do anything for my son.
There is a reason why God gave us Lorenzo.
He knows that we can handle this situation and he knows that Lorenzo will be properly taken care of.
As of this writing, Lorenzo just turned 16 years old (May 28 is his birthday).
But if you look at our picture, he is delayed in a lot of ways. He is not tall enough, not big enough, not smart enough, and not so friendly to others.
I know I did a lot of progressive things before when Lorenzo was still small, but the battle is not yet done.
In fact, there are so many things that we need to improve so that Lorenzo can stand up on his own feet and be independent someday.
Those improvisations need certain kinds of actions. Action that will help him improve.
Those actions require more money and funds.
Lorenzo needs more education so that he can go on his own, work in an office, and hopefully marry and have a family of his own.
That bar is so far at the moment. It is like trying to reach the moon. 🌔
That is why I am now sacrificing myself (again) for my son's needs.
WRITING IS TURNING ONE'S WORST MOMENTS INTO MONEY
I now decided to write and make money from it. I saw read.cash's potential and immediately sign-up.
Through writing about cryptocurrency, blockchain, and decentralized finance, I know I can earn a few doughs specifically intended for Lorenzo.
I am now 46 years old and should be retiring.... but my autistic son needs me dearly.
So I will write, write, write, and write some more.
There will be no **"Day-Offs"**.
I am going to be a writing machine.
I won't stop until I reach my goal.
I will do just about anything. Anything for my Autistic son.
Because after it's all said and done...
Love always conquers boundaries! 💗
@icebert
