As 2025 comes to an end, I can say this has been one of the toughest years since I began building products back in 2008.
I used to think things would get easier after more than 15 years in the game. They didn’t.
But I learned a few things that matter far more than most people admit.
Making money is not the hard part — not if you’re early and willing to take risks.
The real challenge is keeping your reputation clean, compounding long-term value, and continuing to build even when nobody is cheering for you.
Short-term gains are addictive.
Shortcuts are everywhere.
And in this “no one cares” era, many people get rewarded for things they don’t deserve.
Until the cycle flips.
But this year, I realized something important:
Some people do care.
Not many — just the right ones.
People who respect builders who don’t quit.
People who choose long-term over hype.
People who hold their values even when no one is watching.
My journey as a self-taught developer → to building TicketX.vn with over 64,000 users → to creating blockchain mini-apps… hasn’t been fast or flashy. But it’s deliberate. And it’s real. That’s the way I prefer to build — quietly, consistently, without shortcuts.
More than once this year, I asked myself:
“Why not just do what everyone else is doing?”
Because I can’t.
It’s not in my wiring.
I’ve never sold allocation from any startup I contributed to — even when it made zero sense financially.
I don’t take insider deals.
I don’t touch pump-and-dump games or easy memecoin money, even though I could’ve made a lot.
Bad financial choices?
Maybe.
But at least I can sleep at night.
If someone is loyal to me, I return it 2x.
Some people abused it, but others became lifelong relationships.
2025 gave me many chances to take the fast path.
I walked away from all of them.
Not because I’m noble.
But because I believe in something very simple:
Reputation compounds.
Shortcuts don’t.
When TicketX hit rough waters, we chose to make users whole out of our own pocket — completely against “business logic.”
But that’s the decision I wished someone had made when the UST collapse wiped me out years ago.
So that’s the standard I hold myself to.
This year drained me more days than I can count.
But I can still walk forward without lowering my eyes.
I may have lost in many ways, but I didn’t compromise.
And that matters to me.
Whenever a small win happens, I remember every person who helped me survive the lows — I literally keep a notebook of names.
When I win big, they’ll understand why kindness compounds.
I often tell the people close to me:
“I know I’ll be a billionaire one day — and I’m not risking that long-term shot for a cheap win today.”
Most of my decisions come from that belief:
You only need one real win.
But you need integrity to deserve it.
So I’m clear with myself:
No one cares about your story until you win.
So win.
But win clean.
These past months, I’ve put all my energy into building — TicketX, blockchain mini-apps, creator tools, and the roadmap for 2026.
I’m seeing good signals, but this is just the start.
The chip on my shoulder is still heavy.
A lot of people had a brutal year.
It’s hard to keep your values when you watch the wrong people win big.
I don’t blame anyone who takes shortcuts — survival is real.
But for me, life feels clearer with a North Star.
And North Stars don’t change.
I’d rather fail repeatedly than lose the joy of winning the right way.
Keep shipping.
Keep playing the long game.
And when the time comes — win.