Issue 41 ? FAFO
In this Issue:
? This Week in Web3
? FAFO to FOCUS ??
? Waging War Against Distraction ??
This Week in Web3 ??
??? Museigen ?? Web3Weekly
??? Xctuality ?? Coti
??? Trump pays in Bitcoin ?
??? BlackRock Believer of Bitcoin or Biggest Gaslighter in the Space? ?
??? Museigen ?? Web3Weekly
Announcing our new partnership with Museigen.io ?
??? Xctuality ?? Coti
There is some big news coming out of the COTI ecosystem this week. Major Partner Reveal as MyEtherWallet (MEW), AnChain.AI, and Others Join New Era of Fast, Scalable Blockchain Privacy.
For Xctuality this is huge. It means that Coti’s Testnet is now LIVE!! and Xctuality is now 1 step closer to making our Persona NFT a reality… separating the user’s identity from the persona… ensuring privacy is protected.
??? Trump pays in Bitcoin
Trump just made history—becoming the first U.S. president to pay with Bitcoin: “Very easy,” he said with his usual flair.
The photo-op at a Bitcoin bar came just as Trump hyped up cryptocurrencies while unveiling World Liberty Financial, a fresh crypto venture launched by businessman Steve Witkoff alongside Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump.
During an X Spaces event promoting the new venture, Trump mentioned how his sons—especially 18-year-old Barron—pushed him toward crypto.
“He talks about his wallet—he’s got four wallets or something,” Trump joked about Barron, showing that even the younger Trumps are all-in on the digital revolution.
Fiat?
That’s so 2020.
??? Is BlackRock a Believer of Bitcoin or Biggest Gaslighter in the Space?
So Larry Fink, of BlackRock just got red-pilled, or should I say orange-pilled.
The question remains unanswered: is Fink just gaslighting us?
It’s hard not to wonder if this sudden embrace of Bitcoin is legit—or just another play by the old guard. Sure, he’s talking up Bitcoin as “digital gold,” but maybe it’s all just noise while BlackRock secures its grip on the market. Either way, if Wall Street’s biggest name is in the game, the stakes and price of BTC just got a lot higher. Remember, frens : pay attention to what they DO, not what they say.
? FAFO to FOCUS: The Essential Shift for Web3 Founders ??
In the world of Web3, we love the chaos. We thrive on breaking things, bending the rules, and testing the boundaries. The "FAFO" (Fuck Around and Find Out) mentality has defined much of the space’s early days. Experiment fast, fail faster, and see what sticks.
But here’s the cold truth: you can only FAFO for so long before you hit a wall. In the short term, sure, it’s exciting.
But long-term success?
That demands something more strategic.
That’s where FOCUS comes into play—Feed Off Community, Utility & Systems. It’s the mindset shift that takes you from throwing spaghetti at the wall to actually cooking something that feeds people.
Something that lasts.
The question is, are you ready to make the shift, anon?
The FAFO Trap: When Experimentation Turns into Exhaustion
When experimentation turns into exhaustion - this is when you lose.
This is why 99 percent of startups fail.
It's not a lack of execution or expectations, it's when experimentation turns into exhaustion, and when exhaustion leads to burnout - or worst case- throwing in the towel and taking the L. ??
FAFO has its place. It’s an essential part of discovery and innovation, but it’s also exhausting. Every time you experiment without direction, you’re expending energy on things that don’t move the needle.
As Greg McKeown puts it in Essentialism, “We can either make our choices deliberately or allow other people’s agendas to control our lives.” FAFO is the latter—it’s letting the chaos dictate where your attention goes.
Take an example from a past project I worked with. They were all about decentralization, but they struggled to get people involved in their community. They were constantly in FAFO mode—fucking around with new governance models, token strategies, and flashy airdrops, hoping something would stick.
But here’s the problem: they weren’t focused on the community’s actual needs. They kept experimenting, but without a clear direction or structure, people just stopped caring.
The Lesson?
FAFO is fine for quick wins, but without focus, you’re just running in circles.
The Shift to FOCUS: What Really Matters
To move from FAFO to FOCUS, you need to adopt a different mindset. This is where McKeown’s concept of Essentialism becomes critical: “Essentialism is not about how to get more things done; it’s about how to get the right things done.”
It’s about cutting the noise and focusing on what’s truly essential—community, utility, and systems. Let’s break it down.
Feed Off Community to Cultivate Your Core Values
Your community becomes your circle of frens, who tell when you're out of sync or when you've lost the way.
In Web3, the community isn’t just an important feedback loop—it’s your lifeline. It's your connection to the real world.
Yet so many founders treat their community like an afterthought.
They launch a project, dump a Discord server into existence, and hope for the best.
That’s FAFO energy, and it shows.
To move into FOCUS, you need to treat your community as your foundation. As McKeown would say, “If you don’t prioritize your life, someone else will.” In the same vein, if you don’t prioritize your community, they’ll find another project that does.
In the project I mentioned earlier, once they switched gears and built a focused community strategy—one that prioritized real engagement, feedback loops, and user-driven governance—they saw retention soar.
People weren’t just passive participants anymore; they were actively involved in shaping the future of the project. That’s the power of focusing on community.
How to FOCUS on Community:
FAFO says “experiment and see who shows up.
”FOCUS says “nurture the people who are already invested in your vision.”
Utility: Build for Purpose, Not Hype
FAFO loves hype. It’s all about what’s flashy, what’ll pump up token prices, and what’ll grab people’s attention. But here’s the thing: hype fades, the utility doesn’t. McKeown’s Essentialism emphasizes the power of deliberate choice, of focusing on fewer things with greater impact. This is what building utility is all about—choosing to build fewer, more meaningful features that serve your users long-term.
I’ve seen countless projects launch with great fanfare, only to fizzle out because their shiny new features didn’t provide any real value. The founders were in FAFO mode—more interested in capturing attention than providing utility. Compare that with another protocol I know that spent months building out one key feature—an automated yield strategy that worked. They weren’t chasing trends; they were building with intention.
Spoiler Alert, they're gonna make it.
The result?
A loyal, growing user base that kept coming back because the utility was there.
How to FOCUS on Utility:
FAFO says “launch it fast, fix it later.”
FOCUS says “build with utility in mind from day one.”
Systems: Structure for Scale
FAFO thrives in chaos—no systems, just vibes. But at some point, if you want to scale, you need structure. Systems are the backbone that turn ideas into reality. As McKeown writes, “If it isn’t a clear ‘yes,’ then it’s a clear ‘no.’” Systems help you make that distinction—whether it’s deciding what projects to pursue, what features to prioritize, or how to grow your team.
Take the example of a Web3 gaming project I consulted for. They had incredible talent and vision, but their internal systems were a mess. Teams were working on different timelines, there was no clear communication strategy, and nobody knew who was in charge of what. Classic FAFO. Once they started putting systems in place—setting up project management tools, automating routine tasks, and creating a clear org structure—their productivity skyrocketed. They went from chaos to clarity.
How to FOCUS on Systems:
"FAFO says “we’ll figure it out as we go"
”FOCUS says “we’ve got a system for that.”
Why Moving from FAFO to FOCUS Matters
If you’re building in Web3, you’re not just part of a trend—you’re shaping the future of the internet. But here’s the thing: you can’t build the future by fucking around forever. At some point, you have to get strategic. You have to move from FAFO to FOCUS—from reactive to proactive, from hype to utility, from chaos to systems.
FAFO got you through the door, but FOCUS is what gets you to the top of the mountain. It’s time to build with intention, to make deliberate choices about what really matters. It’s time to go from just surviving in the space to thriving in it.
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So Are You Willing to Make the Shift?
If you take anything away from this, let it be McKeown’s core principle from Essentialism: “Only once you give yourself permission to stop trying to do it all, to stop saying yes to everyone, can you make your highest contribution toward the things that really matter.”
It’s time to make the shift—from FAFO to FOCUS.
From chasing the next shiny thing to building something that matters. From being a founder who’s just getting by to being a leader who’s building the future.
Make the shift, and watch how quickly everything changes.
? Waging War Against Distraction: ??
A 7-Day Challenge for Web3 Founders ??
In Web3, we love the chaos, the experimentation, and the thrill of FAFO (Fuck Around and Find Out). But if you’re serious about taking your project or company to the next level, it’s time to shift gears—from FAFO Fuck Around, Find Out to FOCUS: Feed Off Community, Utility & Systems.
This 7-day challenge will help you break free from distractions, boost your productivity, and build with intention. No hype, no bullshit, just action.
Let’s get into it.
Day 1: Fighting 21st Century Brain Melt
You’re not alone—our brains aren’t built for the barrage of social media, Slack notifications, and email pings. It’s like trying to focus in a casino where everything's designed to pull your attention.
Your Challenge: Track every single distraction for 24 hours.
Anytime you get derailed, write it down.
This will make you painfully aware of how often your focus is hijacked.
Turn your phone to airplane mode during focus blocks.
Day 2: Overwhelm Assassination
Overwhelm kills momentum. You’ve got 100 tabs open, messages piling up, and too many tasks competing for your attention. No wonder you’re stuck.
Your Challenge: Write down the top three things overwhelming you right now.
Pick one and attack it with everything you’ve got today.
The rest?
They can wait.
Stop that shit like Neo in the Matrix.
Pro Tip: Use the Eisenhower Matrix to sort tasks into urgent, important, and distractions. Stop playing whack-a-mole with your to-do list.
Day 3: Battling Distraction & Defending Attention
On Day 1, you saw how much brain melt you’re dealing with. Now, it’s time to defend your focus like it’s your greatest asset—because it is.
Your Challenge: Block out three 90-minute focus sessions today. These are sacred—no interruptions allowed. Dive into your most critical tasks during these blocks.
Pro Tip: Use Notion or Trello to organize tasks, but remember, today’s about execution, not planning. Get to work.
Day 4: Severing Technology’s Attention Tentacles
This space is impossible to keep up with. It's a casino on steroids mixed with Maco economics, global regulation, politics, hype, hope, scams and success stories.
That said, since the casino never closes, it's up to YOU to take breaks - touch grass, and balance the time spent with digital detoxes.
Your notifications, dopamine drips, and addiction to the algorithm end up pulling the strings—you need to know when to cut those ties. Be the puppet master, not the puppet.
Notifications, email pings, and social media are controlling you.
But this doesn't have to be the case - not anymore.
Your Challenge: Go on a digital detox rampage. Mute notifications, uninstall apps and set boundaries with your tech. The goal is to reclaim your mental space.
Pro Tip: Set your phone to “Do Not Disturb” and batch-check emails. Use RescueTime to track where you’re wasting time. Clean your digital environment like you’d clean your desk.
Day 5: Escaping Technology Slavery
You’ve started cutting tech’s tentacles, but now it’s time to take back control completely.
If you’re glued to your phone, you’re not running your company—your phone is.
Your Challenge: Commit to a two-hour tech detox. No phone, no laptop, no email. Use this time to think deeply, strategize, and ideate.
Pro Tip: Grab a notebook and brainstorm. The clarity you get from unplugging can’t be found in your inbox.
Day 6: Assembling Your Temple of Flow
You’ve cleared the distractions, now let’s build your fortress of focus. Flow is where the magic happens—where billion-dollar ideas are born, during your moment of Zen.
Your Challenge: Optimize your workspace. Clear the clutter, set up ergonomic furniture, and create an environment where deep work can happen easily.
Pro Tip: Get inspiration from minimalist desk setups and consider ergonomic upgrades. Your environment shapes your productivity.
Day 7: Taking Stock
Congrats—you’ve made it to the end of the week.
Now it’s time to assess what worked, what didn’t, and how you’ll keep this momentum going.
Your Challenge: Write down three things that helped you the most this week. Plan for how you’ll carry these forward into next week.
Pro Tip: Set up a weekly “distraction audit” every Sunday. Focus is a muscle, and like any muscle, it needs consistent training.
Moving From FAFO to FOCUS
Distraction is the enemy of progress. If you want to make real moves in Web3, it’s time to stop FAFO and start FOCUSing—on community, utility, and systems. You’ve fought back distractions this week, now scale that focus into your everyday routine.
Bonus: Want to dive deeper? Check out Cal Newport’s Deep Work and The Flow Genome Project to keep leveling up and Founders Hub Network, to provide you with the FOCUS on Community, Utlity and Sysems.
So here’s the real question: What will you build with a focused mind?
Time to stop fucking around and find out.
Thanks for reading, see you next week.?? ??
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