## Highlights To be clear, much of today’s essay is based on my own personal experience. I fully understand that not everyone has the luxury of having a roof over their head, food on the table, and an internet connection. Many people can’t afford the time to play the game. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01htknyr3pbphyt36rnd1drfmn)) But social media is just one piece of an interconnected game that spans online and offline spaces. The way you play in one area unlocks opportunities in others. Sharing ideas on Twitter might get you invited to a Discord, your participation in that Discord might get you invited to work on a new project, and that new project might make you rich. Or it might bring you more followers on Twitter and more Discord invites and more project opportunities and new ideas that you want to explore which might kick off any number of new paths. We now live in a world in which, by typing things into your phone or your keyboard, or saying things into a microphone, or snapping pictures or videos, you can marshall resources, support, and opportunities. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01htknz2aesa3vxxdwzna5q6ck)) Anyone can play. You can choose how to play given your resources and skills at the current moment. You can level up fast. Financial and social capital are no longer tied so tightly to where you went, who you know, or what your boss thinks of you. This game has different physics and wormholes through which to jump. It’s **exponential** instead of linear. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01htknzc77pj2add1j1nm5d4n5)) The **Great Online Game** is an infinite video game that plays out constantly across the internet. It uses many of the mechanics of a video game, but removes the boundaries. You’re no longer playing as an avatar in Fortnite or Roblox; **you’re playing as yourself** across Twitter, YouTube, Discords, work, projects, and investments. People who play the Great Online Game rack up points, skills, and attributes that they can apply across their digital and physical lives. Some people even start pseudonymous and parlay their faceless brilliance into jobs and money. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01htkp431v6bndchd4a503xmdw)) The Game rewards community and cooperation over individualism and competition. You get points for being curious, sharing, and helping with no expectation of reciprocation. By increasing your surface area, you’re opening yourself up to serendipity. For good actors, the Game has nearly unlimited upside, and practically no downside. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01htkp48b9cjp7x13wb37ecqbb)) You can jump into the Great Online Game at any point, whether as a total unknown or an accomplished person, and start building the world that you want to build. It can take you on any number of paths. We’ll explore a few. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01htkp4bjcg74wxwfh3kmycgtt)) > *There’s nothing I’ve done that anybody else can’t do. It’s about learning—**learning the code, learning how the game works, & creating. All you have to do is start.*** Start, follow your curiosity, build relationships, stay open to new opportunities, keep playing. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01htkp7em70c8fth4vwsej3bjx)) Anyone can play the Great Online Game. All you need is some knowledge and curiosity. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01htkpcez1jmht9xf3ndn11ed0)) A typical path into the Game starts out in one niche community -- maybe you start thoughtfully replying to a few people you respect in your field on Twitter, or hop into a crypto Discord and get a feel for things before asking questions and participating. Ask yourself: “What am I nerdiest about?” and then go find your fellow nerds. They’re out there. Over time, you go from consumer to creator. You write, make videos, lead discussions, build projects, collaborate on research, or just share your experience as a new player figuring it out. If you already have an offline reputation, maybe you skip the passive piece and jump right into activity. In either case, be yourself, but play with your character attributes. You can choose to be someone who’s a little good at a lot of things, or unbelievably good at one thing. Both work, and you can evolve your character over time. Play with the fearlessness of someone playing a game, because you are. These are internet strangers. At worst, they’ll ignore you, and you can keep workshopping and start over; at best, they’ll open up new doors. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01htkpcvw1es65nsqracpz4d2g)) The Meta Game here is your life and your career. The more you evolve and level up, the more opportunities you’ll have. If you build up a following, meet the right people, and get involved with the right projects, you’ll have put yourself on an entirely new trajectory. The fun part is, if you do it right, it really can feel like a game. Don’t take it too seriously. Don’t wait for the perfect moment to jump in. The vast majority of people reading this won’t want to quit your job and make a living entirely online; that doesn’t mean you can’t play. Play on the side, learn some things, build some new hobbies and relationships. Give yourself an insurance plan if things don’t work out in your job, and a supercharger if they do. You never know when it might come in handy, or what new path you might discover. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01htkpy2vmn43ne2zw47a0j0n9))