Curiosity Over Fear /  by Alexander Lyadov

Is there any point in forcing yourself to eat disgusting food? Wear shoes that rub your feet raw? Have sex with someone who doesn’t excite you? Try to fall asleep at night with the lights still on?

You might say, “That’s absurd. It’s pointless violence.”

And yet this is exactly what people do when they are not doing their own work, living someone else’s life, ashamed to show their “unacceptable” self.

I know this feeling well. I’ve been there more than once. The reasons don’t matter. Achievements, money, knowledge, recognition—none of it made up for one simple truth: I am betraying myself.

All those signs of success only made the angst worse. As if to say, “How dare you not be happy when you have everything—A, B, C, and D?”

The opposite is also true. The moment I turned — even slightly — toward the vague pull of curiosity, something inside me came alive. Faith returned that life could still hold beauty, harmony, and meaning.

If that’s the case, why not just keep following your interest?

Because it’s scary.

This is the territory of the unknown. There is always a lack of information, skills, and guarantees. One careless step—and reality bites.

That’s why new possibilities excite us—and scare us. They are like a rope stretched over Niagara Falls: cross it and you’re a hero; make the smallest mistake and you fall screaming into the hungry water.

You can’t be half yourself. Not even 95 percent. Life asks questions that are answered not by the mind or will, but by your whole being.

It is much easier to watch real life through a crack in the wall.

But one day, even that will grow old.

Curiosity will teach you to move through fear.

What becomes valuable is what opens up when you begin...

Sincerely yours,

-Alexander

As a business therapist, I help tech founders quickly solve dilemmas at the intersection of business and personality, and boost company value as a result.

Stuck? Your business grows when you do. I’m your business therapist to guide your shift. See testimonials ​here​. Ready? ​Book your Catalyst session​.

Just Be /  by Alexander Lyadov

Have you ever watched a ​gorilla​ or ​bear​ eat? It’s hard to look away.

Or seen a mushroom release its spores, a bumblebee pollinate, an orca glide through the water?

There is nothing extra in their movement. It’s precise. It’s right.

The creature is absorbed in life and in harmony with itself.

There is no posing. No strain. No pretense.

That deep absorption in being is what makes it irresistible.

You look the same to others—when you forget about them completely.

But with time, it becomes harder to enter that state. Even alone, you feel a critical gaze inside. It cuts the game short, gives a lecture, points out your “mistakes.”

And still, there are activities where the critic has no place: grappling, dancing, sex, reading a book, deep conversation, creating, meditating, riding a motorcycle, building a business, gardening, cooking, surfing.

Each person has his own way to stop performing—and simply be.

Know this: in that moment, you are divinely beautiful.

Sincerely yours,

-Alexander

As a business therapist, I help tech founders quickly solve dilemmas at the intersection of business and personality, and boost company value as a result.

Stuck? Your business grows when you do. I’m your business therapist to guide your shift. See testimonials ​here​. Ready? ​Book your Catalyst session​.

Library of Curiosity /  by Alexander Lyadov

I have a library… of unread books.

Whenever I find something intriguing, I tell my AI, “Add it to my library.”

No matter how I try to cut it down, the list keeps growing like a snowball. One great author points to another, who leads to a third. The avalanche begins.

The themes can be sorted in different ways. For example:

  1. How things fall apart.

  2. How things get stuck.

  3. How things transform.

  4. How things are restored.

  5. What it all means.

No wonder I created the course “​Ritual of Transformation​” — and not another.

The truth is, we don’t know why we are pulled in a certain direction. At best, the meaning of our obsession reveals itself years later. For now, the body turns toward whatever has captured our attention—some unknown X.

Each new book is added on impulse. But once you have 60 or 70, the pattern starts to speak. It doesn’t tell you who you are right now. It tells you who you secretly long to become.

Want to know your essence? Watch your curiosity.

Sincerely yours,

-Alexander

As a business therapist, I help tech founders quickly solve dilemmas at the intersection of business and personality, and boost company value as a result.

Stuck? Your business grows when you do. I’m your business therapist to guide your shift. See testimonials ​here​. Ready? ​Book your Catalyst session​.

The Inner King /  by Alexander Lyadov

Is America a democracy? Yes—compared to others.

What’s more, it was born from a rebellion against royal power.

So why are monarchic expressions so common in the U.S.? Czar. King. Crown. Throne. Kiss the ring. Bend the knee. Royal treatment.

This isn’t new. The historian David Cannadine argues that the U.S. presidency has functioned as an “elected monarchy” since 1776.

You see the same pull toward royal symbols in other countries that have had no kings for generations. In everyday life, people light up when they hear, “Oh, queen!” or “Our king.”

Monarchs have been beheaded, their power limited, the institution abolished, mocked in every way. Yet the phenomenon changes shape and continues to live on in modern culture.

This is not an accident. Carl Jung pointed out that the Queen and King archetypes live in the psyche of each of us. Their role is to hold order, to nourish, and to bless.

If a person “forgets” his inner king, it returns in distorted form: chaos, indecision, detachment—or tyranny and the urge to bow before someone else.

So how do you work with this archetype in practice? One way is to study art, films, and books where the true image of a queen or king is revealed—and those who refused their power.

The world is stable when the center is not outside, but within you.

Sincerely yours,

-Alexander

As a business therapist, I help tech founders quickly solve dilemmas at the intersection of business and personality, and boost company value as a result.

Stuck? Your business grows when you do. I’m your business therapist to guide your shift. See testimonials ​here​. Ready? ​Book your Catalyst session​.

Doing is Being /  by Alexander Lyadov

At the highest level, doing is being.

This is how a child laughs.
How a jaguar hunts.
How a willow drops snow.

Your action becomes the truest expression of who you are: “Yes, this is me.”

The leap, the gesture, the sigh happens by itself — naturally, precisely, gracefully. Not a single joule of energy is wasted.

This is where your full potential unfolds. And right behind it—the potential of your business. But how? Why? When?

Inside you, there are fewer contradictions blocking life. And more clarity about why you got up this morning. Opportunities are no longer somewhere far away—they are within reach. More return. Less effort.

Unfortunately, you cannot reach this state once and for all. You need to renew yourself regularly at the point where your Business and your Personality meet.

That’s why I created the course
“The Ritual of Transformation: How to (Re)Breathe Life into Your Company.”

It will be a turning point for those who are ready for real change.
Is that you? ​Join the waitlist for the English version.​

What participants from the February cohort said:

“In this course, I found the answer to the question: ‘How do you change anything?’ There is no magic pill. But there is a method you can rely on—and increase your chances of success.”
— Vitalii Shkyl, Co-founder & CEO, ​Mathema.me​

“What stood out most was the unusual approach to business transformation—‘one foot in chaos.’ It’s about connecting with what is real but not obvious, about bringing in parts of the founder beyond intellect. I absolutely recommend this course. It’s a unique approach.”
— Strategy Consultant (anonymous due to corporate policy)

“Would I recommend this course? Of course. Entrepreneurs need to hear that they are not alone with their problems and challenges. And that by looking a bit inside—and a bit beyond—you can build a clear way forward.”
— Andrii Ryzhohin, CEO at ​Ardas​, Software Development

Sincerely yours,

-Alexander

As a business therapist, I help tech founders quickly solve dilemmas at the intersection of business and personality, and boost company value as a result.

Stuck? Your business grows when you do. I’m your business therapist to guide your shift. See testimonials ​here​. Ready? ​Book your Catalyst session​.

The First Spark /  by Alexander Lyadov

Unknown Artist

The great mystery of the universe is how Something is born from Nothing.

Imagine that moment.

All around is the darkness and silence of non-being. Every force in the cosmos — inertia, gravity, entropy — whispers the same thing: “Let everything stay as it is.”

There is not a single reason for anything to change.

And then — a spark. A burst. A flash.

What appeared cannot be understood. And yet it cannot be ignored. The Other breaks free from the background.

This new phenomenon can grow into anything. You can help it. Or simply watch.

The “after” is as clear as the “before.”

The only mystery is the transition.

How did it happen? For what?

And most of all—who is the Author?

You are.
(Whenever you want to.)

Sincerely yours,

-Alexander

As a business therapist, I help tech founders quickly solve dilemmas at the intersection of business and personality, and boost company value as a result.

Stuck? Your business grows when you do. I’m your business therapist to guide your shift. See testimonials ​here​. Ready? ​Book your Catalyst session​.

Your Dark Advantage /  by Alexander Lyadov

In one of the Zatoichi films, there is ​a powerful scene​.

He is suddenly surrounded in a closed room by a huge crowd of enemies. It looks bad — one man against many. It looks even worse because he is blind.

Zatoichi fell gravely ill and lost his sight at the age of eight. Since then, he has lived as a wandering masseur. He still remembers the world, but he lives in darkness.

Zatoichi seems like the perfect victim, doesn’t he?

Even though he taught himself the art of drawing a sword, sharpened his hearing, touch, and that mysterious “sixth sense,” the odds are clearly against him.

“What can a blind swordsman do?” the enemy boss shouts. “Drive him into a corner and cut him down!”

But then something unexpected happens.

Zatoichi begins slicing through the candles one by one. Their day turns into his night.

“In the dark, I have an advantage,” the master says calmly. “It turns you all into blind men. If you want to throw away your life, come right on in.”

The boss explodes in rage: “Damn it! Can't any of you kill one lousy blind man? Go get him!" But his army melts away.

Zatoichi wins because of his flaw, not in spite of it. He accepts the curse as a gift and pushes it to the limit. Then he pulled everyone else into the world he had already mastered. His enemies rejected the new condition and lost.

What was supposed to destroy the master became the key to his victory.

Sincerely yours,

-Alexander

As a business therapist, I help tech founders quickly solve dilemmas at the intersection of business and personality, and boost company value as a result.

Stuck? Your business grows when you do. I’m your business therapist to guide your shift. See testimonials ​here​. Ready? ​Book your Catalyst session​.

Still Typing /  by Alexander Lyadov

Today it feels so heavy there are no words. Nothing comes out. No ideas arrive. Just a dead end and a heavy sadness. It seems nothing good will ever happen again.

I want to freeze in place and calmly watch everything fall apart. The form is unpredictable, but the essence is clear. Like staring into a fire where you are the log.

There are no rational reasons for hope. It feels as if Being has surrendered and Thanatos has taken over the cosmos.

But then why are these words appearing? What’s the point? It makes no sense. It’s stupid. Strange. Irrational.

And still, a fact is a fact. My fingers keep typing anyway. Against it. In spite of it. The act is small, but deeply symbolic.

I remember this kind of hopelessness. I’ve been here many times before. Different circumstances, same darkness… right before the turn.

Yes, every single time I’m struck by this impossible flip. As if someone grabs reality and shakes it hard, turning it inside out.

Non-being cannot withstand the persistence of being. It backs away and disappears.

I can’t prove this. I can’t even fully describe it. And yet something inside me is certain it will happen again this time.

Do you know that certainty?

Sincerely yours,

-Alexander

P.S. Out of nowhere, a kind person from the distant past called and warmed me: “We think of you often. Wishing you all the best. See you soon!”

As a business therapist, I help tech founders quickly solve dilemmas at the intersection of business and personality, and boost company value as a result.

Stuck? Your business grows when you do. I’m your business therapist to guide your shift. See testimonials ​here​. Ready? ​Book your Catalyst session​.

Healer Check /  by Alexander Lyadov

“How many years have you been in therapy yourself?" Make this your first question when you meet a new psychotherapist.

If the answer is, “At my level, that’s not necessary,”—that’s a red flag. There’s a real risk that his “help” will create more problems than it solves.

Why?

Ego inflation. Arrogance. Pride. He has decided there is no one above him. He may be a brilliant specialist—but that won’t save you.

He won’t notice when the forces of his unconscious start twisting his intentions and his advice. The worst part? He’ll be completely convinced he’s doing you good.

You, meanwhile, will trust the authority in the white coat. By the time your doubts grow strong, the damage will already be done. That’s exactly what happened to me.

I asked the question, but back then I didn’t know the answer was a diagnosis. So I endured the discomfort for a long time. Maybe you won’t have to.

Finding your healer is not easy—whether it’s a therapist, an orthopedist, a shaman, or a priest. One is arrogant, another’s method doesn’t suit you, and with the third the chemistry just doesn’t click.

I found my psychotherapist on the fourth try. That was in 2018. She immediately told me about her teacher and her spiritual father. Those are different people.

A master is someone who always remains a student.

Sincerely yours,

-Alexander

As a business therapist, I help tech founders quickly solve dilemmas at the intersection of business and personality, and boost company value as a result.

Stuck? Your business grows when you do. I’m your business therapist to guide your shift. See testimonials ​here​. Ready? ​Book your Catalyst session​.

Inner Volcano /  by Alexander Lyadov

Unknown photographer

The hardest thing is to endure your true self.

Inside each of us, forces boil like a volcano and a tsunami.

So people hide from themselves. And then, of course, they suffer.

One lacks the aggression to defend her boundaries. Another feels guilty when vitality bursts out of him. A third plays the naive fool at the first sign of pressure. A fourth is afraid of her own throne.

Since ancient times, people knew these forces exist—and that you must learn to live with them. Otherwise, life withers, both in a person and in a community. Illness, conflict, and misfortune follow.

Carl Jung went further and called them archetypes. Once you can tell these forces apart, you can work with them. And often it comes as a shock: “Wow. This is in me too? I didn’t know myself at all.”

How an archetype shows up can inspire—or terrify. Like nuclear energy, it needs a solid container, skill, and safety.

Don’t go into these depths alone.
These forces quietly seize control.
Someone should be there to hold the rope and call you out when necessary.

But if you can endure this unknown version of yourself —
the impossible becomes possible.

Sincerely yours,

-Alexander

As a business therapist, I help tech founders quickly solve dilemmas at the intersection of business and personality, and boost company value as a result.

Stuck? Your business grows when you do. I’m your business therapist to guide your shift. See testimonials ​here​. Ready? ​Book your Catalyst session​.

Magical Inefficiency /  by Alexander Lyadov

A decade (1995-2006) in advertising taught me to value “inefficiency.” It was the secret behind most of our true Wow ideas.

How did it work? A client would explain his problem. I’d write a brief and rush to pass it to the creative team. Great—the process had started.

And what did the art director and copywriter do? They might laugh about something in a meeting room, flip through fresh magazines, or go for a walk in the park.

From a manager’s point of view, they were slacking. Wasting time. When I asked nervously, they just shrugged: “Nope. No ideas yet.”

The deadline kept getting closer, and I began to panic. I pictured myself standing in front of the client with… a blank sheet. Shame and disgrace.

But every time hope left me, those magicians would appear at the door. They showed work that left me speechless.

The miracle happened so often that I almost got used to it. “Almost,” because the anxiety never fully left: “We’re screwed. The magic is gone.”

When I became CEO and co-owner of the agency, the temptation was strong — track every hour, count team budgets, allocate overhead, all of it. Business must be efficient, right?

Of course, I cared about P&L and revenue per employee. But I no longer had the illusion that profit comes from timesheets.

No. The agency grew and got richer precisely when I killed “efficiency.”

I canceled timesheets. I stopped managers from pulling on the creative team. I focused on the quality of ideas, not team discipline.

We also worked hard to build a nourishing environment:

  • subscriptions to cutting-edge magazines,

  • a dedicated budget for brainstorms,

  • wild parties we still talk about years later,

  • and unusual outings like the “drunk bus.”

But none of this would matter if we hadn’t learned how to sell our ideas:

First, we knew exactly which client we wanted most. Second, we tied our reward to their results. Third, we poured ourselves fully into every project.

Sincerely yours,

-Alexander

As a business therapist, I help tech founders quickly solve dilemmas at the intersection of business and personality, and boost company value as a result.

Stuck? Your business grows when you do. I’m your business therapist to guide your shift. See testimonials ​here​. Ready? ​Book your Catalyst session​.

Courage to Be /  by Alexander Lyadov

Every entrepreneur has been at the point of despair at least once.

You’ve tried everything. The breakthrough never comes.

It feels as if fate has decided to destroy everything you hold dear.

Chaos rarely limits itself to business. It devours everything. So it wrecks your relationships, your health, and your faith in yourself.

Whatever support you reach for falls apart like paper in the rain.

And yet the darkest moment hides an insight:

When everything breaks into pieces, one fact remains—you are still here.

This is Being resisting Nonbeing. The courage to be, against all odds, stands at the center of the work of the theologian and philosopher Paul Tillich.

A man chooses to be, even without strength, hope, or meaning. More precisely—he does not retreat. And through that, Life speaks its “Yes.”

Nonbeing attacks, but only forces Being to affirm itself.

It brings to mind an old parable:

A warrior came to a monk, raised his sword, and said, “I can cut you down without blinking.”

The monk replied calmly, “And I can be cut down—and not blink.”

Sincerely yours,

-Alexander

As a business therapist, I help tech founders quickly solve dilemmas at the intersection of business and personality, and boost company value as a result.

Stuck? Your business grows when you do. I’m your business therapist to guide your shift. See testimonials ​here​. Ready? ​Book your Catalyst session​.

Never Bored Inside /  by Alexander Lyadov

Dreams teach me to trust the unknown inside me.

For example, I used to try to forget a nightmare as fast as I could. Now I watch with curiosity to see what happens next.

The thing is, dreams are unpredictable. Even if someone’s head gets torn off, a moment later it turns into a gnome or a mushroom.

Meaning opens to the one who is not scared of a frightening form. It’s as if the subconscious is testing you: “Do you really want to know the truth?”

It reminds me of fairy tales where the hero is turned into a monster. To break the spell, you must see the human through the fur and fangs.

In many ways, it’s a matter of skill. I’ve recorded and analyzed hundreds of dreams. Over time, the valuable insights pile up so much that it becomes hard to suspect the unconscious of having evil intentions or just producing nonsense.

Still, I won’t claim that exploring yourself is safe. In the dungeon, they chain up a dragon, not a Yorkshire terrier. And yet it is your beast—which means you are the one who can tame it.

You really won’t get bored exploring yourself.

Sincerely yours,

-Alexander

As a business therapist, I help tech founders quickly solve dilemmas at the intersection of business and personality, and boost company value as a result.

Stuck? Your business grows when you do. I’m your business therapist to guide your shift. See testimonials ​here​. Ready? ​Book your Catalyst session​.

Fertile Mess /  by Alexander Lyadov

In symbol drama, I live through images—and then I draw them.

I already have many pictures. Some are so-so. Some are good.

Usually, a finished piece stays in front of me for a few days. While I work or read, I keep glancing at it. And often I notice something new—as if, trusting me more and more, it opens its depth.

But recently I realized that I look at this particular painting longer than any other. Strangely, I never considered it a real painting. It was just a spoiled sheet I used to wipe excess paint off my brush.

One day these scribbles “asked” to become the background for Buddha. And it became clear — yes, this works much better.

The colorful chaos now looks like fragments of his feelings, memories, and thoughts. Or like the mad outer world in which he sits in silence.

That’s how my unconscious created a symbol of the desired state. Everything familiar, dear, and habitual begins, to put it mildly, to change its form. And in this whirl, I lose and regain the center—without which there is no life.

You could call it a meaningless smear that makes you feel sad and sick. Or you could see it as a set of primary colors.

A sentence—or an invitation to create. That choice is ours.

In any mess, there is an abyss of sensations, meanings, and ideas.

And vice versa.

Sincerely yours,

-Alexander

As a business therapist, I help tech founders quickly solve dilemmas at the intersection of business and personality, and boost company value as a result.

Stuck? Your business grows when you do. I’m your business therapist to guide your shift. See testimonials ​here​. Ready? ​Book your Catalyst session​.

Your Abyss /  by Alexander Lyadov

There’s a powerful ​scene​ in the movie The Abyss (1989). They need to disarm a nuclear warhead at a crazy depth of 2 miles. There’s an experimental diving suit. One small detail — you have to “drown” by filling your lungs with liquid.

No matter how strong the arguments are, the body resists: “This is the end!” In reality, it’s the beginning—a man gains a new ability.

I remember my first parachute jump. I stood in the open door of the plane, gripping the edges, waiting for the instructor’s command. Suddenly, I realized my life had reached a fork in the road — everything was now possible.

After stepping into the Void, my control would shrink to a tiny piece of cloth. Right now, I could still turn back to the familiar and safe path. But…

The difference would be a new experience—something I wanted and could have, but had not yet lived.

It’s a strange choice. The worst risk is clear. What you will gain is completely unknown. Stories from others about the jump carry none of your personal meaning. It’s like a virgin listening to tales about sex.

Inside, there’s only a vague promise: “Trust me, this is worth it.”

Whoever whispered that to me was right. When the parachute opened, the sun smiled at my joy—no, not joy. Ecstasy.

Those few minutes between sky and earth are hard to describe. You can catch that feeling again whenever you want something badly, feel afraid, take the step anyway, and survive.

Here’s the conclusion:

Even the greatest fear will not stop you if the desire for a new experience has already been born inside you. Action then flows on its own.

And vice versa.

Sincerely yours,

-Alexander

As a business therapist, I help tech founders quickly solve dilemmas at the intersection of business and personality, and boost company value as a result.

Stuck? Your business grows when you do. I’m your business therapist to guide your shift. See testimonials ​here​. Ready? ​Book your Catalyst session​.

Love the Tension /  by Alexander Lyadov

We often see stagnation across all kinds of organizations. People mock them. They say it was foolish that company A, once a leader, failed to change in time—and now companies B and C have taken the new market.

Outside critics don’t understand how hard transformation really is.

A structure is only as stable as its boundaries are strong. In fact, the opposite of structure is chaos—confusion, breakdown, nonsense.

Now imagine something strange appears inside the structure. It seems familiar, yet foreign. Recognizable, but carrying something new.

There’s no problem when the difference is obvious. You can label it “gaijin” and keep it on the edge. No threat to order.

But it’s the ambiguity that creates anxiety. The “both-and” dissolves привычные категории and cancels labels. The structure feels like it’s losing itself. It melts like a jellyfish in the sun.

So the lynching of the dangerous element happens almost by reflex.

Now structure A can breathe again...

…while the fast-growing new market is being divided by B and C.

Their secret?

They love the conflict between the current order and what is new.

Sincerely yours,

-Alexander

As a business therapist, I help tech founders quickly solve dilemmas at the intersection of business and personality, and boost company value as a result.

Stuck? Your business grows when you do. I’m your business therapist to guide your shift. See testimonials ​here​. Ready? ​Book your Catalyst session​.

Ego on a Leash /  by Alexander Lyadov

Umma, a Blue Heeler (Australian Cattle Dog)

A walk with a pet can be a joy—or a source of irritation.

You’re in a rush to get somewhere, and the dog, as if on purpose, slows down at every bush, like he’s rewriting the history of the whole neighborhood.

You can understand him—he’s been waiting for this moment all day inside four walls. Give him full freedom, and he’ll remember home only when hunger wakes him at night.

The goals of a human and an animal don’t match. Tension appears. A quiet struggle: who leads whom. Especially if the dog is strong and has character.

In the same way, a person’s Ego and the Self move through life together—the Self being the center of the collective unconscious, the conductor of all archetypes. They, too, are tied by a leash. And it’s a big question who is really the boss.

Of course, the Ego thinks it’s in charge. But it quickly sobers up when the Self suddenly disappears — and with it, the energy to live. Or the other way around: the Self swallows the Ego, and the man loses his autonomy, his conscience, and his mind.

Their interests often diverge. They can’t get rid of each other. The choice remains: learn to negotiate, or keep ruining the relationship.

But if the partnership works, such a person is unstoppable.

Sincerely yours,

-Alexander

As a business therapist, I help tech founders quickly solve dilemmas at the intersection of business and personality, and boost company value as a result.

Stuck? Your business grows when you do. I’m your business therapist to guide your shift. See testimonials ​here​. Ready? ​Book your Catalyst session​.

Alone No More /  by Alexander Lyadov

Sometimes I get very scared.

For someone specific, for myself, or for all people at once.

“What do you do with fear?” my therapist asked me.

The list came out like this:

  • Walking in nature

  • Grounding in the body through meditation, breathing, or exercise

  • Watching the flow of feelings and thoughts

  • Active imagination, as Jung taught

  • Prayer

She listened and said, “In fear, there is no God.”

The phrase lit up inside me like a neon sign in the dark.

When I was sick as a child, the same nightmare came with the fever. Something tiny collided with something unbearably vast. The mismatch of forces drove me mad.

Compared to the Unknown, any of us is small, weak, and finite. It’s like trying to stop a tornado on your own. It would be strange not to feel fear.

Only the Absolute can meet such monstrous force.

At the point of despair, a man yields and calls for help—any help. I remember during the hardest psychedelic ceremony, I whispered “Help!”, even though I was sure I was shouting at the top of my lungs. Oops.

But if the call is heard, a Source opens inside you. Your limitation expands into infinity.

What is there to fear when God is with you?

If the word troubles you, choose another: Tao, Void, Cosmos, Self.

The main thing is this—you are no longer alone.

Sincerely yours,

-Alexander

As a business therapist, I help tech founders quickly solve dilemmas at the intersection of business and personality, and boost company value as a result.

Stuck? Your business grows when you do. I’m your business therapist to guide your shift. See testimonials ​here​. Ready? ​Book your Catalyst session​.

Pace Without Stress /  by Alexander Lyadov

The urge to change comes from a gap between what we want more of and what we have too little of.

The hell of the present burns from behind, while the heaven of the future pulls us forward. This double force makes us move, try, achieve.

But it comes with side effects — anxiety, confusion, stress. Fear: “What if?!” Despair: “It’s impossible!” And dismissal: “That’s it?!” — all of it pushes the tachometer into the red.

You may know the moment when the body suddenly turns off the lights. Enthusiasm fades. Desires shrink. Gray and black wash out every color.

This is a clear signal: stop forcing life. First — reduce the excess pressure: urgency, rush, strain.

Next — trust the natural course of things more often, especially when you want ten times faster, ten times more.

Like the seasons or the flow of a river, life — around and within you — moves in patterns. No need to push against them.

The body can’t withstand a fight with its environment (nature, context).

The mind struggles to admit that its plan is not reality, but a model. Its precision is needed to understand the world, not to nitpick deadlines.

When you understand your environment, your pace increases without stress.

Sincerely yours,

-Alexander

As a business therapist, I help tech founders quickly solve dilemmas at the intersection of business and personality, and boost company value as a result.

Stuck? Your business grows when you do. I’m your business therapist to guide your shift. See testimonials ​here​. Ready? ​Book your Catalyst session​.

Inner King and Queen /  by Alexander Lyadov

In every person’s psyche, there is both a masculine and a feminine part.

For some, this may sound strange, unpleasant, or even frightening.

Moreover, there will be no real harmony with the opposite sex in the outer world…

…until a person builds trust between these two polarities inside himself.

Otherwise, he will be haunted by conflicts, disappointments, and resentment.

That is why we see in society a constant struggle for power between the sexes. Their conflict is a desperate and often absurd expression of the thirst for love.

In alchemy, their union was the culmination of the Great Work:

  • Coniunctio oppositorum (the union of opposites)

  • Marriage of the Sun and Moon

  • Chemical Wedding

  • Hieros Gamos (Sacred Marriage)

Symbolically, Chaos surrounds the Cosmos — the ordered world. At the center of the Cosmos stands a throne, upon which sit the Queen and the King. They bestow stability, blessing, and care upon everything and everyone.

This is the deep center of your personality… in potential.

Of course, it takes tremendous inner work to find the opposite force within yourself, to get to know it, and to accept it as it is.

This is only one perspective, of course. There are others.

If you want to go deeper, ​listen to the lecture​ by Jungian psychoanalyst Dr. Robert Moore. By the way, at the end of the lecture, Robert shows how to connect with your own inner King and Queen.

Ask them, and they will remind you that the Source of everything is within you.

Sincerely yours,

-Alexander

As a business therapist, I help tech founders quickly solve dilemmas at the intersection of business and personality, and boost company value as a result.

Stuck? Your business grows when you do. I’m your business therapist to guide your shift. See testimonials ​here​. Ready? ​Book your Catalyst session​.