I just read a story that made me think a lot. Erik Finman, at only 12 years old, realized that traditional school was not his path. During a walk with his brother in Germany, he saw a guy wearing a Bitcoin T-shirt and started asking questions. From that moment, it was all downhill into the world of cryptocurrencies.

The interesting part? He received $1,000 from his grandmother and turned it into about 100 bitcoins when the price was around $10 per coin. For three years, he focused only on trading and school, waiting for the right moment. At the end of 2013, when the price reached $1,200, he sold everything and made a bold decision: drop out of school.

But here’s the best part. Erik Finman’s parents set a condition: if he became a millionaire before turning 18, he could skip college. A teacher told him he had to give up his studies and find a job at McDonald's. Erik wrote a letter to prove he could do something bigger.

In 2014, he launched Botangle, an online video call lesson platform for students disillusioned with the traditional system. An interview with an Uber executive discouraged him, saying he would never win the bet. But a year later, he found a buyer who offered him $100,000 or 300 bitcoins. At that time, Bitcoin had fallen to $200, but Erik chose Bitcoin. He was right.

Before his 18th birthday, when the price surpassed $2,700, Erik Finman won the bet. He entered the top 5 of cryptocurrency millionaires in the world. At age 20, he owned over $5 million worth of Bitcoin and it kept growing.

Today, after about 10 years in the industry, Erik firmly believes that cryptocurrencies are the money of the future. In an interview with Business Insider, he said something that stuck with me: if you don’t become a millionaire in the next 10 years, it’s your fault. According to him, opportunities are plentiful; all you need is to know how to analyze where to put your money.

He is currently focusing on a new project: Freedom Phone, a completely uncensored smartphone that promotes free speech and privacy. Erik Finman’s story shows that sometimes, the courage to follow your instincts—even when everyone tells you no—can lead to surprising results.