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These past few weeks in the cryptocurrency market have been extreme even for a place where volatility is the norm. The fuel for the recent pumps and dumps is abundant, from [John McAfee’s Bitcoin price prediction](https://www.coinspeaker.com/2017/07/19/john-mcafee-bitcoin-price-prediction/) of Bitcoin’s jump to $500k per coin in three years (and his subsequent promise to dine on his own dong if he’s wrong) to the upcoming [Bitcoin split,](https://www.v3.co.uk/v3-uk/news/3014584/bitcoin-likely-to-split-in-two-after-01-august) the market has been a bit bipolar. In the crypto space, the only constant is FUD (fear, uncertainty, and doubt) and it can get the best of you if you let it. As best as I can tell, the key to becoming a good trader is to find a way to psychologically insulate yourself from FUD and to be able to maintain a Zen like calm amidst the incessant chatter and clatter of crashing coins. 
 
I’ve been trading crypto currency for nearly nine months now and some days that feels like a lifetime. There are days when I really feel like I have acquired a fair amount of knowledge. There are also days when I think I will be the eternal noob. There are still other times where ask myself, *Does anyone really know what the hell they’re talking about?*  The crypto space is like an alternate universe, or more accurately, it’s like the Wild West. Only in the world of cryptocurrency, many of cowboys remain anonymous and could be anyone…your relative, your co-worker, or the nerdy kid who lives in their parents' basement. These crypto cowboys are in the business of creating a futuristic new world right under our noses and will make many people’s dreams come true in the process.
 
As I mentioned in a [post a few months ago](https://steemit.com/steemit/@ericvancewalton/steemit-a-gateway-to-the-new-world), Steemit for me was the gateway into this wondrous alternate universe. I never tire of learning more about how blockchain and cryptocurrency works. I used to think that growing up poor left me at a disadvantage, know I know the opposite is true. In a weird and unexplainable way, I feel like my entire life has prepared me for this moment. Also, the same meditation techniques that I’ve been practicing for the past twenty three years are the best *FUD busters* I can think of.

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## <center> “If you focus on the hurt, you will continue to suffer. If you focus on the lesson, you will continue to grow.” - Anonymous </center> ##

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So far, it’s been a wild ride but I have this hunch, deep in my bones that August will be beginning of a series of pumps in alt coins (and Bitcoin) like we’ve never seen before. This shift could be the spark that starts mass adoption. It has taken a lot of restraint to keep from clicking the sell button on a few coins during these past few crazy weeks. The extreme price dips have been a true test of the faith I have in some coins that I believe in enough to have taken big gambles on. One thing is for sure, if the wild market volatility doesn’t break you it makes you more emotionally resilient. Resiliency is an emotional muscle that is very important for all of us to develop, especially in middle age.
 
As exhilarating as it is to be a pioneer in this crypto space, for me trading is primarily a means to an end. I already have my own personal, “Walk Away Number” firmly implanted my mind. I guess it’s not as much of a walk away number as it is a *Walk To (freedom) Number.* This goal is still quite a ways off but, at least theoretically, it could be attained quickly given the right set of circumstances. 

Generational wealth is another of the alluring possibilities of the crypto world. If I’m lucky enough for this to happen I will remain invested in a few coins I believe in but will cease active trading (and all other things that don’t bring me joy) and devote my attention to more important things. I will spend time with family and friends, travel, collaborate with cool people on cool stuff ( @dougkarr @the-alien @andrarchy), and work to make this world a more pleasant place for the generations to come.
 
<center> ![](https://s17.postimg.org/42301s72n/61fgf4_INp_VL._SY355.jpg) </center>

We should never forget how lucky each of us are to be here on Steemit and in the crypto space in general right now. One day we will be telling our grandchildren and great-grandchildren all about this. The world then will be vastly different from the one we occupy today in ways we probably can’t even imagine. Through all of the stress and turmoil, I always try my best to keep the big picture in mind. History shows that opportunities like this, being here before mass adoption, only come along once every couple of decades. 

This is a time of great transformation. We’ve outgrown many aspects of our dysfunctional society and it’s time to build something better. This is a time to contemplate the largest of your dreams and really bring them into focus, it’s a time for laying the tracks before the train comes. It is the time to ask yourself *What is my walk away number?* 

## <center> Be resilient my friends! </center> ##

<center> (Gif compliments of Giphy.com. Image from Pixabay) </center>


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*I am an American novelist, poet, traveler, and crypto-enthusiast. If you’ve enjoyed my work please sign up for my author newsletter at [my website.](http://www.ericvancewalton.net) Newsletter subscribers will receive exclusive updates and special offers and your information will never be sold or shared. 


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