I like to run silly little scenarios through my head and think about how I might react or handle them and some of the ones that has been playing over the recent years has been surrounding Steem and crypto. Obviously there is a lot of risk in investing into a burgeoning industry as there is a lot of uncertainty about the paths it could take but I keep arriving at the question:

### What is the worse that can happen?

https://i.imgur.com/f5yfoah.jpg

If people haven't recognized yet, life is full of surprises that we don't prepare for or consider into our calculations. Most people don't think that much about getting cancer until it happens or, happens to someone close to them. While people might discuss others, not many prepare for the advent of genocide of their own people  - these things always seem so distant, *until they happen.* But when it comes to investing into crypto or time into Steem, what is the real cost of complete and utter failure? Is it really so bad?

This is essentially what people would have to consider when investing because the rule is, don't invest what you aren't able to lose and, this goes for investing into *anything at all* really. It doesn't mean to neglect the investment of course and can mean to do all that is within one's power to be successful but, there is no guarantees in this life other than eventually, it will end for all of us - past that, no one knows for sure. 

When I ask myself the question  of what is the worst that can happen the answer always comes back; *even if the worst happens, I will manage.* Sure, it might be painful but at the end of the day, it is time and money in and losing both of those resources is not the worst that can happen in my life and, I have lost them before in various ways and, survived. On top of that, those losses weren't the worst things that have happened to me in my life. 

Don't get me wrong, I'd be very disappointed if all of the work put in amounted to very little other than the chance to put work in but, I would be able to roll with it. Yeah, I wouldn't be able to pay my debts or buy the electric car and little home on a lake I would like to, but that would be unlikely to happen *without* being involved in crypto anyway. So, what is so bad about that?

People of course take all of this very seriously because most people tie their happiness to a point in time where they are financially secure but, that is generally not the way happiness works anyway. Also, th chance of that future happening for most people living the lives most people live, is very small as it is. What is interesting is that for most of us in this world, crypto gives us the best chances of economic success available. 

I was talking the other day about the speed of uptake and one of the things that people don't recognise without technology is that the early adopters are the ones who pay *the most* for the privilege of buying a product, *for bragging rights.* They aren't really investors into the projects themselves, they are consumers of the products. The earliest cars, computers, phones and internet connections were very expensive and only the wealthy could afford them. In 1985, the cost of a personal computer was about 20% of the price of a new family car in Australia, a basic Nokia phone was 1100 dollars in 1992.  Over time, they dropped in price and value as uptake happened.

However, if you think that blockchain and cryptocurrencies are going to be part of the future, the entire concept turns that model on its head as at least for the core set of blockchains, the early adopters are not only consumers of the product, they are investors in startups on the ground floor and, the prices now are likely the cheapest they will ever be. 

It is very interesting. Essentially, those in the earliest are trailblazers of the product but rather than paying the most for the privilege, they pay the least but, they have to hold and, there isn't much to brag about. At least not yet. The bragging rights of social value of early adoption of the latest and greatest cool product is *before* everyone else has it. The bragging rights for crypto will come after everyone else has it because then, that is when the value is at its highest. 

No one brags about owning an iPhone anymore, as they are everywhere. No one brags about owning crypto because, *it isn't everywhere.* Once the maninstream adoption begins and prices start to really climb, there will be many family and friends asking, *Why didn't you tell me?* This is the biggest economic opportunity for most people who know about it know they are ever likely to get but, it doesn't mean it is risk free or that it will work in any way at all. a Technology could arrive tomorrow that kills it - as unlikely as that may be. 

When I think about the worse that can happen, my mind is always drawn back to the point last year when my wife rushed in saying something is wrong with our daughter and me holding her helpless as she had seizures in my arms with a contorted face I did not recognize as my little girl. That feeling is not pleasant but I hold onto it as a reminder because when I think of the worst that can happen, losing some time and money just doesn't compare.  

As humans we seek out security and live an illusion that it actually exists, but when it comes to bad things happening in our lives, we are amazingly flexible to adapt and recover from all kinds of hardships. Yes, very bad things can happen and do happen in this world, but on average, most negative things are survivable and often, bring unexpected values that without the hardship, would actually be a loss. 
a
I don't know the worst that can happen because it can always be worse but when I look at crypto, the risk of loss is far less than the potential gains. The worst that can happen rarely does and what the head sees as a risk, rarely affects the body these days. The lizard brain has been hijacked into thinking damage to the wallet is life threatening - it isn't. 

It is just money.

Taraz
[ a Steem original ]