I flipped through the bookmarks on my old computer's browser, and back then, I truly worked hard to learn. Looking back now, I feel a bit emotional; more than half of the websites can no longer be opened, they've all become the past.
The article is written by AI, it’s not much different, now I'm lazy. Grok is indeed useful 🤣.
Looking back, that screenshot of my browser's bookmark bar feels like a yellowed old photograph, capturing my naive confusion when I first entered the world of cryptocurrency. That was a few years ago when I knew nothing about the 'crypto circle', only that Bitcoin was 'digital gold'. The bookmarks were filled with various sites: d airdrop hunting, CryptoNews for updates, DeFi like Uniswap, ICO Drops for new coins, and NFT games like PlayDapp and KuCoin Monster. It seemed orderly, but was actually full of traps. This path to success started from countless falls.
When I first entered the crypto circle, everything felt like a carnival. I was drawn in by friends' stories of wealth and searched for 'how to invest in cryptocurrency'. A tidal wave of information surged: Reddit discussions, X tweets, YouTube tutorials, Telegram groups. Bookmarks expanded, from CoinMarketCap to Messari, and then to MetaMask wallets. I thought learning more would lead to profits, but reality struck— the crypto circle is a battlefield.
The hardship begins with a knowledge gap. Blockchain, smart contracts, DeFi, and NFTs feel like alien scripts. Countless sleepless nights browsing from CryptoNext to The Art NFT left me confused. The first airdrop had high gas fees, and my wallet was only half full. Blindly investing in DeFi led to a 70% reduction in my principal. Excitement turned into despair, like riding a roller coaster without a safety belt. The psychological torment was harder to endure. The market was volatile, and the ETH/USD page looked like an ECG. Joy in rises, sorrow in falls, with CoinTelegraph pushing bull and bear warnings, emotions swinging. I discovered scams in NFT projects, losing both money and trust. I questioned myself, why do others profit while I incur losses? I once thought of giving up, deleting bookmarks to return to a mundane life.
The risk of fraud is a big pit. Newcomers are easily deceived, with many 'free airdrops' being phishing attempts, and hackers empty wallets. Telegram 'mentors' promote insider coins, and money sinks like a stone. ZED RUN horse racing investments, ignoring manipulation, lead to crashes and devaluation. Life is in chaos: distracted at work, insomnia, family disputes. They advise against high risks, but I stubbornly persist.
These hardships forged growth. I systematically learned: from tutorials to white papers, joining Discord DAOs. I learned risk management: diversification, not going all-in, and setting stop-losses. Failures became lessons—ICOs taught due diligence, and crashes taught patience. Bookmarks were refined, leaving only Etherscan, Dune Analytics, and TradingView.
Now, I have transformed from a newcomer to an old bird, achieving decent returns. Success is not a gift from heaven, but a journey through thorns. Hardship teaches: there are no shortcuts, only persistent learning. If you start feeling lost, don't be discouraged. Stay alert and charged; one day, you will rise and greet the dawn.