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<em>Me in Mongolia speaking to government about how bitcoin and blockchain will make them obsolete :)</em>

I have had good years, challenging years, and shitty years. The year I got kidnapped by police and handed a probationary sentence for drug possession was especially awful.

Luckily, 2017 did not consist of any major headache or heartache. It was a great year, magnificent even. I accomplished a lot, although I believe I could have accomplished more. At least I did not deal with any major trauma or pain. There are some things I want to improve or do better next year, of course, which I will discuss later.

First, I'll share my major success and then provide tips on how I achieved it. Fair warning, though: I may appear braggadocios, because for the first time in life I believe I have made real inroads to success, self-fulfillment, and unbridled love.
<h2>My Career Achievement of 2017</h2>
In late 2017, I landed the perfect position with bitcoin.com. I got the role of Communications Ambassador, which I am immensely proud of acquiring. I have been writing news articles for the company intermittently for the previous two years, as sort of a side gig.

This year, I decided to step up and assume more responsibility. Without delving into every detail, I simply asked to put my communication talents to use for the company. In that instant, I was given the job. The new role has provided me with the unique opportunity to travel the world and educate people on cryptocurrency, bitcoin, and the emerging blockchain technologies. I've gotten to go to places like Mongolia, Portugal, and Colombia.

I already love public speaking, blockchain, and traveling, so this job aligned with many things I am deeply, intimately passionate about.

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<h2>Difficult Decisions</h2>
I was ecstatic to receive the job, of course — but as a result of getting honored with this new role, I had to make a difficult decision. I had to stop working on my Master's degree. I was on the cusp of finishing school to become a counselor, with the hope of obtaining a doctoral degree and going on to teach people about the beautiful intricacies of human psychology. It was my life's plan to finish school and become a "licensed" healer. I never intended to quit or get distracted. However, when an opportunity arose for me to be thoroughly enmeshed in the crypto ecosystem, I lunged for it.

I still believe healing people on an individual basis is powerful, needed business — but being able to produce global healing through technological change trumped my old aspirations. This is why I accepted the opportunity without much hesitation.  I do not regret my choice. This has been the single best decision, besides marrying my wife, that I have made.

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<h2>What I have Learned?</h2>
There are a couple of lessons I learned from my experiences of achieving success, though.

1.) Intimate and passionate relationships are indispensable for success. I would not be where I am today if I did not have someone in my corner rooting for me every step of the way. If my wife were not here to provide me support, I never would have been able to step into the ring and fight for what I wanted.  Powerful relationships are the key to building to success, because without relationships we are more prone to experiencing ennui, depression, and suffering. A strong relationship fuels professional ambitions. It fuels life.

2.) If you want something, just ask for it. People recognize passion. They see integrity, dignity, and power in people. If you possess these qualities, and you have worked hard, you may be in a position to ask for what you want. It seems simple, but it can mean experiencing a life altering change. Sure, I did not randomly ask for all of my success. I had to work hard to get to this point in life. However, when the time came, all I had to do was ask. It is oftentimes about timing. If you have worked hard and you are in a position to ask for another job, a raise, or even different career path — do it. The worst that can happen is that they say no. However, if they say yes, your whole world might dramatically shift overnight. Mine did.

3.) Don't be scared to make terrifying decisions. In order to take the path of success, I had to commit to that path entirely. I was in college, as I mentioned, so I had to quit in order to succeed. In this sense, the old adage "opportunity arrives once in a lifetime" is true, so we can't ignore opportunity by staying on the familiar path. We have to take risks to succeed, and we must face them head on. This is essential to growing as a person and realizing dreams. Had I stayed in school, I might have become successful, but not to the same degree as I am now. I truly believe that.

4.) Don't be afraid of failure. While getting into a position where I could travel this path, I faced a lot of adversity. I failed a lot. While I was in school struggling to complete my Master's degree, I got fired from my previous Job at Wal-Mart, which I had for 10 years. I also got turned down for several psychiatric technician jobs. All of this happened because of the drug charge I got on my record. Nonetheless, it worked out that I got terminated from Wal-Mart and turned down for all those jobs. Had I been given one, I might not have pursued work in the cryptocurrency space, and that would have been a grave mistake. Indeed, failing is part of the equation that generates success and happiness. Embrace failure and learn from it. That is the sweet spot.

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<h2>Moving into the Future</h2>
Now that I have begun to grow in another direction and capitalize on my dreams, I have to think about the future and how to continue succeeding. I have to acknowledge that more challenges and obstacles will present themselves. I am up to the challenges, and because I have an understanding and loving wife, I tackle any obstacle head on and continue to push forward into the future. It's all about recognizing strengths, weaknesses, and knowledge abut how success works.

I'll add that it is not a linear process. Success happens in a haphazard, random fashion. It comes about by enjoying small success punctuated by failures and struggles. This is the name of the game, though. It's the beauty of life. There is no formula to reach an end goal. Everything is a journey, and following passion is the key to finding happiness and discovering personal and career truths.
<h2>What I can do Better and Improve on This Year</h2>
With that said, there is a lot I need to do better this year. I certainly accomplished more than I hoped to accomplish, but I have also neglected things. During the course of 2017, I ironed out a philosophy I created called Relational Anarchism. I wrote many articles on the subject and espoused the ideas online. However, after I gained success in the crypto world, I lost touch with the product of my intellectual imagination. I got distracted. I was a victim of my own success in this realm.

However, I have not abandoned the doctrine. I just need to put some focus on it. That is one of my goals for this year. I want to return to my compassionate and relational anarchistic philosophies.

Looking at it in perspective, I put aside my intellectual aspirations in order to pursue more practical and concrete goals. That is not to say there is nothing intellectual or stimulating about crypto; quite the contrary, it's just that relational anarchism is my baby. I created the ideas from a hodgepodge of knowledge I accumulated over the course of many years studying psychology. Therefore, I have an impetus to continue working on those ideas and further disseminating them. If I have a single New Year's resolution, that would be it. I'll do my best, but I'll never know if failure is lurking around the corner...but that's okay, I will accept it and keep pushing forward.