Double Down

Dig Deeper into What Animates You as a Means to Counter the Chaos in the World (and Don't Forget about Bitcoin)

David Goggins: The human embodiment of “When the going gets tough, the tough get going.” | Photo: From Never Finished

No, I’m not pivoting to being a motivational coach now that bitcoin’s price is down.

Quite the opposite.

I’m actually writing to say that you can expect me to do some of my best work in this bitcoin bear market.

I’m partially motivated by the idea of keeping newbies interested in Bitcoin when most who arrived during the hype of the bull market tune out. And I’m even more driven by the sense of purpose that producing high-quality content focused on how people are using Bitcoin to change their communities around the world gives me.

I truly realized how much the latter gets me going this morning while working on the next episode of new renaissance capital, the show on which I interview some of the most incredible examples of the type of people I referred to in the previous sentence.

As I was reviewing the edit for this next episode, which will feature Ronnie Mdawida, co-founder of Afribit Kibera, I lost track of time.

I was so engrossed in the process that the normal constraints of physical existence melted away for a while.

Not only did time lose relevance, but the tension in my head and body that stems from incessantly thinking about all the trouble in the world subsided, and I felt some semblance of peace for a bit.

When I came to, I realized that the deep sense of presence had transmuted my anxiety.

In that state of presence, there was no existential dread and no “I’m not doing enough,” “The world feels hopeless,” or “What’s the point?”

Instead, in those moments, I experienced the type of joy that comes with producing something that feels like an authentic expression of oneself.

I realized on a level deeper than cognition that doing more of this thing is the only way I’m going to get through these turbulent times with my psyche intact.

This morning’s experience was a reminder of something I understood theoretically, which is that when everything around us feels chaotic, it’s essential to look inward and to become present.

In that presence, a path tends to reveal itself.

Or sometimes we start walking down the path we’re supposed to be on and we find ourselves in a state of flow as a result.

However it works, I get the feeling that I’m going to have to rely on finding this state more often as 1.) I don’t think the world is getting any less chaotic any time soon and 2.) I think we’re only in the early innings of this bitcoin bear market, which means it’s going to take some pretty captivating stories to hold people’s attention (and to maybe even inspire them to accumulate some bitcoin while prices are low — not financial advice).

I think it’s actually incumbent upon us all to not only find that state of presence and flow to help navigate turmoil but to also tap into our inner Goggins the harder things get.

Using the bitcoin bear market as an analogy, maybe we’re only 30% of the way through it. That’s like David Goggins hitting mile 30 in one of those 100-mile races he runs so often.

Does Goggins dwell on the fact that’s he’s got 70 miles still to go when he hits mile 30?

I’d bet he doesn’t.

If I had to guess, I’d say he instead just focuses on putting one foot in front of the other in such a moment, moving forward without putting any undo mental stress upon himself.

And when we does hit a point where he wants to give up, he reaches into what he calls his “cookie jar,” a mental repository of memories of personal accomplishments that give him strength.

In other words, the cookie jar helps him to double down when the going gets tough.

So, whether you create your own cookie jar or you make time to engage in something that gives you purpose and brings you into the present moment, it’s time to figure out what will help you to double down on why you came here in the first place.

What we think about the world and how we engage with it tends to be more powerful than what’s happening in it.

If what’s happening in the world feels overwhelming, then the solution to the problem with which we’re being presented likely doesn’t come from within that chaos, but from within us.

So, instead of frantically reacting to a world that’s doing everything in its power to steal your attention — and, in turn, your peace — look inward and reconnect with the thing that gives you purpose.

Go deeper and double down, whether doing so is related to Bitcoin or not.

(But, ya know, ideally Bitcoin is at least part of the plan.)

Joking aside, now’s not the time to give up on Bitcoin or otherwise.

The people who benefit from Bitcoin the most are those who not only stick around for the highs and the lows but those who double down, tune out the noise, and accumulate some bitcoin (not financial advice - your financial decisions are yours and yours alone) when the lows come around.

If you’ve read up until this point, I’d imagine your part of the latter group.

Let’s go.

Best,

Frank