Question on the path to growth:

What if your path is a spiral?

One of my favorite quotes comes from Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse:

"We are not going in circles, we are going upwards. The path is a spiral; we have already climbed many steps."

There are many moments on your journey where you'll feel stuck—in a rut, like you're just spinning your wheels, going in circles. Your lack of perceived progress sows the seeds of self-doubt. Anxiety and tension build.

You push harder, spin the wheels faster, in the hopes that you'll break out.

But inevitably, in these moments, I'm reminded of the Law of Reversed Effort, a phrase coined by author Aldous Huxley:

"The harder we try with the conscious will to do something, the less we shall succeed."

Instead of pushing, pause to create space. Zoom out and consider this:

What if your path is a spiral?

What if you're not really going in circles, but going upwards?

What if things are exactly as they are meant to be?

Quote on embracing inevitable change:

"The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance." - Alan Watts

Change is inevitable—the only constant of life.

Embrace. Adapt. Thrive.

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Framework on the journey to mastery:

Shu Ha Ri: The 3 Stages of Mastery

The Shu Ha Ri model comes from traditional Japanese martial arts.

It breaks down the journey to mastery into three stages:

1. Shu (to obey): Learn to operate according to the rules.
2. Ha (to break): Begin to challenge and adapt the rules.
3. Ri (to transcend): Create new rules.

The first stage (Shu) is about learning the existing conventions. This is an essential stage as it creates the foundation off of which mastery is built.

The second stage (Ha) is about beginning to challenge those existing conventions. You test the boundaries, bend, and innovate in context-specific ways. You are still using the existing rules, and just manipulating them on the edges.

The third stage (Ri) is about complete separation from the existing conventions. You are creating your own conventions beyond the frontier of what was previously understood or possible.

Neo's journey in The Matrix is a perfect illustration of the model:

1. Neo learns the rules: Training, jumping across buildings, etc.
2. Neo breaks the rules: Storms in to rescue Morpheus, dodging bullets from the agents and realizing he can move just as fast as them.
3. Neo creates his own rules: Stopping bullets in midair.

So, where are you on your journey to mastery? Is it time you started breaking a few of the rules, or are you ready to create your own?

How to take advantage of that lucky break:

Legendary chess champion Garry Kasparov has a brilliant quote on luck:

"The phrase 'it's better to be lucky than good' must be one of the most ridiculous homilies ever uttered. In nearly any competitive endeavor, you have to be damned good before luck can be of any use to you at all."

Luck is floating around everywhere, but the ability to capitalize on it is rare.

I love the idea that there are four types of luck:

1. Blind Luck: Truly random occurrences.
2. Luck from Motion: Created through hustle, movement, and collisions.
3. Luck from Awareness: Created through specific skill that makes it easier for you to spot the lucky events.
4. Luck from Uniqueness: Created through unique combinations of skills that attract luck to you.

The central point: You may not be able to control what luck you encounter, but you can certainly prepare to take advantage of it.

Only the skilled are ready for their luck...

Video on silencing the doubters:

​Do What You Can't​

Someone recently sent me this old Casey Neistat video and I immediately felt its energy.

The most meaningful achievements are those that come after someone tells you that you can't do it.

Do what they say you can't.