How facing my fear of writing helped me start a six-figure career in crypto

I was fortunate to start my design career with Ingressive for Good (I4G) as an Intern in 2020. Working and receiving feedback from global thought leaders in the team helped me appreciate my value. Our Communications Director and currently Co-founder of I4G, Blessing Abeng, would always remind me, “Chris, you are valuable, believe and live it.” These words, as simple as they sound, remain the greatest lesson that propels me every day.   

Being at I4G gave me the opportunity to learn a lot about the tech ecosystem and connect with Ingressive Capital and some Fintech companies in its portfolio. This laid the foundation for my curiosity in finance.

Soon after, I heard about crypto and became fascinated by the promise of participating in the global financial system without restrictions as a Nigerian. I was initially carried away by the crypto hype of 2021 and lost all my money to trading meme coins. After mourning my losses, I made up my mind to not just invest money but also get paid to work in crypto.

Since losing my money to crypto, I couldn’t afford to fix my laptop when it developed severe problems. As a result, my design practice was reduced, and I was fast losing my creative energy.  At that time, I was not doing so much design, but I knew I still loved tech. I just spent my time learning about crypto. Learning helped me see how foolish my investment decisions were. It stuck with me that I could share my knowledge and help others play safe as well.  

Unfortunately, my knowledge-sharing ambition was limited, as many people around me were no longer interested in crypto since the crash happened. I could not muster the courage to share online. I felt really unqualified. I was literally battling with Scriptophobia (fear of writing). At that time, I would prefer to solve 100 math questions than write a 100-word article. 

I made a proposal to a few friends who were good at writing to help me write while I taught them about crypto. Interestingly, no one bought my pitch. Seeing I had no option, I had to motivate myself to face my fears of writing. 

I remembered something I learned at Ingressive for Good – sharing your work. I4G has always encouraged members of its community to share their work and start where they are with what they have. So, I challenged myself. I started off with a 30-day writing challenge, posting about crypto on my blog. A few weeks into my learning, I saw an opportunity for a crypto writing role at US-based crypto firm Messari. I scribbled an article based on the application guideline and submitted it, praying for the best. Unsurprisingly, my application was rejected. But then, my mind was already made up not to stop writing. At least, I was learning a lot in the process. 

A few days later, beyond my expectation, I received a congratulatory mail welcoming me to the Messari Hub Analyst program. Messari provided intense training and resources for anyone willing to grow from zero as a Crypto Research Analyst. It was the launchpad I needed to start out my crypto career. 

Soon after the Analyst program ended, I moved to continue writing as a Journalist for CryptoSlate. 

In retrospect, it is fascinating how making a conscious decision to face my fear of writing has transformed my life in just one year. Working remotely, I have contributed to top crypto companies, including Messari, Nansen, and CryptoSlate, while raising my monthly income to over six figures. Ingressive for Good gave me the tools and resources I needed to believe in myself, overcome my fear, and share what I know to help others. They gave me the confidence to apply for roles and leverage my soft skills to get me into rooms that I want to be.

So yeah, sometimes facing your fears could be the game-changer for you too. 

Do something today to get you a little closer to your goals. Challenge yourself!
You can reach out to me via Twitter and catch up with my writings on CryptoSlate…#WAGMI (Whenever a crypto person says this, they mean, We’re All Gonna Make It).

Written by Christian Nwobodo