In grim medieval Europe, a brutal torture was all the rage. They pinned a man to the ground, placed a cage of rats on his belly, then heated it. The crazed rats, naturally, gnawed their way out through his flesh.
Guess what? Many people put themselves through this torture. A Beast devours their insides just the same. It has many names: the unconscious, an archetype, untapped potential, the Self.
Some folks think this Beast is a cuddly pet, like a neutered housecat. Archetypes sound mystical, romantic, right? It’s got my back, doesn’t it?
Yes and no. The Beast cares about the Future You, not the current you (the Ego). Those two only partly align. The first is the embodiment of your true essence. Your Ego? It’s stuffed with nonsense: illusions, delusions, lies.
So, a clash brews between the conscious and the unconscious. The Ego craves safety and comfort. The Self demands rapid growth and radical change. Yet their strengths don’t match.
Can a shell hold a fully formed chick? It’s like trying to plug Iceland’s Fagradalsfjall volcano. Block your potential too long, and in the dark, the Beast becomes a Dragon. In fairy tales, it appears from nowhere, smashing everything in its path.
Unexplained illnesses, bad luck, sudden depression, paralysis. “There are no accidents,” Master Oogway wisely said. The trap? You don’t expect betrayal from within.
But who betrayed whom? The Beast, fighting for the acorn’s right to become an oak grove? Or the Ego, wanting to encase the acorn in plastic, a trophy on the wall?
Only you can stop this pointless war.
Here’s what it takes:
Study your Beast’s nature and habits closely.
Start clearing your Ego of illusions and lies.
Learn to forge a healthy bond between Ego and Self.
Even the smallest step in this direction brings harmony to your life.
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.
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