The rise of Web3 is attracting a growing number of professionals seeking new opportunities. As a lawyer specializing in the new economy and Web3, I have engaged in in-depth conversations with over 30 individuals considering such a transition in the past six months. While their questions often begin with legal risks, the underlying discussions consistently reveal anxieties about their current careers, a desire for breakthrough, and deep uncertainty about the future. **Voices from Different Generations: Why the Appeal of Web3?** Consultants’ motivations vary by generation, highlighting distinct pressures: * **Gen Z (00s):** For digital natives, Web3 represents a potential “home ground”—a space to escape traditional career structures and leverage digital fluency, community influence, and creativity for rapid recognition. * **Millennials (90s):** Often mid-level professionals in Web2, they seek a “value breakthrough” from feelings of being instrumentalized. They are drawn to Web3’s promises of flatter collaboration, token economies, and global remote work as a path to regain control and achieve multifaceted growth. * **Gen X (80s):** Facing career ceilings and family responsibilities, they view Web3 as a potential “value reconstruction”—a way to leverage extensive experience into roles like investors or advisors, transitioning from “player” to “coach” to stay relevant. Despite generational differences, common drivers include the aspiration to become “super individuals” with economic and creative autonomy, and a desire for new, consensus-based collaborative models over traditional hierarchical structures. **Four Motivations for Transition and Their Potential Pitfalls** Based on consultations, motivations generally fall into four categories, each with specific challenges: 1. **Seeking Professional Breakthrough:** Typically Web2 experts attracted to solving novel problems in Web3 (e.g., RWA, AI-crypto integration). Challenges include adapting established skills to new, fast-paced paradigms, global competition, and the paramount need to assess the legal compliance of the underlying project. 2. **Pursuing Wealth Opportunities:** Drawn by high salary potential and token incentives. Risks involve high volatility (with compensation often tied to unstable token values), job insecurity, and the “opportunism trap”—chasing trends without building durable, transferable skills. 3. **Exploring Career Possibilities:** Younger individuals see Web3 as a low-barrier entry point via community or content roles. They may face a disconnect if speculative hype overshadows technological substance and a lack of clear career progression paths, leading to directionlessness. 4. **Holding a Transitional Mindset:** Viewing a Web3 offer primarily as an exit from current dissatisfaction, lured by high pay and remote work. Warnings include the temporary nature of these benefits, the high opportunity cost of not building substantive skills, and the risk of falling into a cycle of escape that breeds new burnout. **Caution: The Industry’s Influence on Individuals** Family members of prospective transitions often express concerns less about the technology and more about the industry’s potential psychological impact. The 24/7, high-pressure environment can normalize high-risk behavior and desensitize individuals to market turbulence and loss. The industry’s historically speculative and “wild west” atmosphere, filled with narratives of extreme wealth and ruin, can erode idealism and foster浮躁. **Decision Framework: Three Essential Assessments Before a Web3 Transition** A decision to transition should follow a multi-layered, cautious evaluation: 1. **Project Risk Assessment:** Objectively evaluate the legal risk of the specific project based on domestic policy and judicial precedent. Roles involving blockchain as a tool for non-financial,实体 industry applications within China carry relatively lower risk. Conversely, involvement in tokenized finance (e.g., RWA issuance/funding) or providing services (tech, marketing, community management) to overseas virtual asset exchanges carries significantly higher legal risks, even if performed remotely from within China. 2. **Personal Capability and Trajectory Assessment:** Honestly evaluate whether this is a short-term transition or a long-term career commitment. Define clear goals, skill development paths, and a 3-5 year direction. 3. **Family Unit Assessment:** Consider family attitudes and risk tolerance as a critical factor. Family concerns often relate to job stability, personal well-being, and the potential impact of high-pressure, irregular work schedules on life quality. The significant economic and emotional stress on a family in case of legal complications cannot be overlooked. A rational, controlled decision can only be made after carefully working through these factors.