The phrase is a linguistic monument to a learning curve. It acknowledges that we were seduced by the "start"—the glamour and the quick returns. It admits that the "end" (or the current state of stagnation) was a letdown.

Now we arrive at the most powerful part of the keyword: (Only 2024 is better). This is not a prediction; based on the first half of 2024, it is a statement of fact.