Dear Twenty-Somethings... got 5 mins?
Why do you spend time doing the things you do? Netflix.. Reading.. Working out.. Do you try to be ‘productive’ with your spare time?
I do, but I think we all get lazy tendencies to kick back and watch TV sometimes. I do this even though I know reading that book or article will make me feel better. At risk of sounding like an ✨inspirational influencer✨, I believe we can take action to become 1% better every day. To begin with, that didn’t make sense to me.. I was like 1% wtf? But then I realised that 1% is that article over breakfast, or podcast on your commute, or documentary over dinner. And, 365 podcast episodes over a year is a hell of a lot of knowledge gained for driving around otherwise achieving nothing.
Have you ever had a conversation/argument with someone where you dropped a fact they didn’t know, which left them with no comeback? You got that ‘mic drop’ type feeling right?
Well, you know what they say.. Knowledge is power! It gives you the ability to share something useful or meaningful with those you care about.
How often do you wish you’d known something earlier than you did? Whether it’s knowing to buy that stock that eventually shot up, or even asking a friend how they are. Knowledge gives you the power to act and make better decisions for the future. So why don’t we spend more time improving ourselves that way?
Our time preferences have a significant impact on us when it comes to long term investment decisions (monetary or otherwise). Dedicating time and energy now for something you may not reap the benefits of for at least a few years takes discipline, conviction, and a forward-thinking attitude, which not everyone has.
I rarely regret the things I do, it’s the things I don’t do that haunt me 🫣 (unpaid Nike promo incoming..) so I think, just do it!
I’m getting to Bitcoin I swear.. This is all relevant because I think current Bitcoiners are a certain type of person. Not everyone is capable of embracing change easily, and to take yourself through a whole new (and highly criticised) topic in your spare time is not for everyone. If I was alive when the internet was created, I might say this all seems a tad familiar..
To be an ‘innovator’ or ‘early adopter’ of anything is rare and they’re more likely the people already exposed to whatever it is starting up in their jobs. With Bitcoin, there is no one type of person with a certain job, background, or hobbies. ‘Bitcoin is for everyone’ is a saying in the space and it couldn’t be more true even at this early stage. I know Bitcoiners who work in tech, farming, and for the public sector, and who are 18 and 60+ years old.
You can see on this adoption curve, at the innovators and early adopters points, how early we really are and how many people are yet to learn - which is quite exciting to be a part of, right?!
You’re thinking - “but why should I spend my precious time learning about Bitcoin?”. Well, maybe you shouldn’t.. If you believe it will be a waste of time then I can’t force you to learn.
But, do you think learning about money would have any benefit to you? How about, learning about our current monetary system, how the central bank works, how governments are involved, and the hundreds of years of history leading up to the state of our economy just now?
I encourage anyone to educate themselves on the history of money and how our economy works. Forget about Bitcoin, it will make itself clear when you’re ready.
What’s to lose? If anything, you’ll be better prepared for a pub quiz.
I suspect you’ll need these..
Reading lovers:
The Bitcoin Standard - Saifedean Ammous
Video lovers:
What is Money? - Greg Foss and Lawrence Lepard at Bitcoin Collective Conference 2022
Podcast lovers:
The “What is money?” Show - Robert Breedlove
None of what I write is financial advice.