I’m back home again after another web3 IRL meetup – this time FarCon. The suitcase lays on the floor in my way, stepping around it as I procrastinate the unpacking. I tend to also procrastinate the intellectual and emotional unpacking too after these things.
There’s a pattern to this: the excitement of the anticipation leading up; the week of prep that keeps you busy packing and rearranging life just to make the trip possible; the high of meeting these amazing humans and basking in the surrounding energy that makes you feel like nothing is impossible; then the eventual return to earth and a malaise that always sets in a couple days later. It feels like it’s coming faster this time.
I’m not sure what this post conference depression is but I suspect it is because I return to a world where most of the people I interact with have no idea about my web3 life and really aren’t interested. While I’m at these events, I’m with my people. I don’t even need to have met everyone in the room, especially when that room has thousands, but I know in that room I could walk up and talk to everyone without having to explain what an NFT is. OR what a DAO is. OR why Gary Gensler’s an idiot. I don’t have to talk about the weather or “how about those Red Sox?” I get to skip ahead to substance, to shared interest. I don’t have to start at 0 like I do IRL.
So when I leave those amazing humans behind and return to my little world, there’s a sadness that comes. And so help me if one of you says, “don’t be sad it’s over; just be glad it happened” or some other BS…
The Great Upacking
But back to unpacking – and there’s so much of it. Every talk, every conversation, small moments and big alike had an impact on me. I don’t want to lose any of it. I spent the flight home with feeling of renewed conviction in this world we are building. I’ve been consumed with fear, uncertainty and doubt about the crypto space of late. More around the larger forces that seemed hell bent on preventing this world.
But how could I possibly feel that now after FarCon? After being in these rooms, at these dinners, in these convos, listening to some of the smartest people I’ve ever met with the passion they have and what they are building, how could I even doubt that future for a second? I can’t really but that FUD will come again. It’s up to me to figure out how to push through.
I’ve had this sense lately that the most important part of success in this space is about 70% just staying. Just staying when it gets hard. Just staying when it’s down only. Just staying when Gary wants you to give up. Just staying through the bear.
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has.” Margaret Mead
That quote has never held more relevance than in my own life than it does at this moment.
Now what
Also when I return home, I tend to be bad about follow-up and keeping those connections. I always have great intentions that fall away as the busy of life returns. This time, I’m going to try to do better and connect with someone from FarCon each week. OK, we’ll see how long that lasts, but I’m gonna make the effort.
And I was inspired by the Say More contest. So I’m going to say more, every day until I unpack it all. And I tend to overpack so this is gonna take a while. I’m going to go back through each talk, each convo and dig in. And maybe even have those chats again.
I have no idea where I’m going with any of this but I’m excited for the journey. Come along for the ride.
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