From 100 Days to 250 Weeks: My New Security Researcher Challenge
Back in January, under the nickname 0xAlexSR, I kicked off a personal experiment: “100 days to join the Cantina fellowship.”
It was my entry into the world of smart contract security — a crash course of daily learning, finding vulnerabilities, and sharing the grind in public. By the end of those 100 days, I did it: I reached the fellowship.
But the journey wasn’t a straight line. After months of pushing hard, life forced me to pause. I took a break, reset, and came back with fresh eyes and a clearer plan.
Why 250 Weeks?
Five years is roughly the time it takes to earn a university degree or a master’s, which sounds like a good amount of time to build a real deep expertise.
The 5-Year Roadmap
I split my challenge into Main Quests (career-defining goals) and Side Quests (personal growth). Here’s how I see it unfolding year by year.
Main Quests
Year 1: Foundation & Consistency
Sharpen fundamentals in Solidity, EVM internals, and common vulnerabilities.
Start participating in ZK contests.
Start competing in contests regularly (1-2 per month).
Publish the first few articles to build writing momentum.
Target: 2–3 top rankings, 3+ published articles.
Year 2: Breakthrough
Push for consistent high rankings in contests.
Contribute to open-source tools or research.
Target: 5+ top rankings, 6+ total published articles.
Year 3: Recognition
Join a respected audit firm or team.
Lead or co-lead audits.
Publish in-depth technical write-ups that gain traction.
Target: 10+ top rankings, 12+ articles.
Year 4: Mastery
Establish myself among the top auditors in the field.
Handle complex, high-stakes audits.
Possibly start teaching or running workshops.
Target: 12–13 top rankings, 16+ articles.
Year 5: Legacy & Leverage
Hit the “15+ top-1’s” milestone.
Complete 20+ published articles.
Reach $1M+ in gains.
Cement a position in a top firm or run independent audits at scale.
Side Quests
Learn Bulgarian 🇧🇬
Five years is enough to go from zero to fluent. Already living in Bulgaria for 2 years but still knowing only the basics - what a shame! I want to belong here.
Sustainable Growth
No more sprints that end in burnout. I want progress to feel like compound interest: slow at first, exponential over time.
Closing Thoughts
The 100 days challenge proved that I could sprint. The 250 weeks challenge is proof that I can build something that lasts.
This isn’t just about smart contracts. It’s about learning how to learn, committing for the long term, and designing my own education.
The next 5 years are mapped. The quest begins Monday, 1st September 2025.
— 0xAlexSR