Why Delegating Your Business Vision Isn't an Option /  by Alexander Lyadov

After I published an article on the role of a founder on LinkedIn, a reader asked me, 'Do you think direction and vision can be delegated sufficiently?' I think this is an important question because every owner/CEO is tempted to do so from time to time. No one admits it, but in the face of life's hardships, even the strongest and most resilient individuals can sometimes feel a childlike urge to ask an adult to pick them up. Wouldn't it be wonderful if someone said, 'You take a break. I guarantee that I'll do what's most difficult, scary, or unbearable for you.' Of course, there are no such wizards, but the dream of them is indelible. And since there is a demand, there are many who promise to meet it.

But whoever gives in to temptation will inevitably be disappointed. It doesn't matter who the choice falls on — a top manager, advisor, or business consultant, what are their awards, and do they have an Ivy League diploma. Even if their efforts produce an impressive product, it will never take root in the company, like a tropical flower in Ukrainian black soil. Why? Like personal meaning, love, or curiosity, the company's vision is formed from the inside out, not the other way around. In other words, first the vision is present invisibly in the corporate body, and then it manifests itself explicitly in words. Isn't it funny to delegate this process to someone from the outside? And is it any wonder that attempts to do so waste resources, time and opportunity?

The formation of vision and direction requires the simultaneous presence of at least four conditions. Firstly, an intimate understanding of the vulnerabilities and strengths of the specific company. Secondly, entrepreneurial intuition regarding the window of market opportunities. Thirdly, the power to realize what's planned and receive feedback from reality. Fourthly, a readiness to take personal responsibility for possible failure (skin in the game). Note that many may meet one, two, or even three of these conditions, but only the company's founder can meet all four.

Yours sincerely,

-Alexander

You can help Ukraine defend itself and the World from Russian aggression here.

”Who are you and what do you do?"
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Finding Order in Chaos: The Benefits of Consistent Marketing /  by Alexander Lyadov

 

Marketing is not about originality, but about consistency.

No one can predict the next big thing.

However, it is always possible (and necessary) to build trust with your audience.

Trust is the fertile soil in which everything grows.

Uncertainty and unfamiliarity cause confusion, fear, and dislike.

On the other hand, frequent publications reveal the essence of the author, whether he wants it or not.

Additionally, chaos is present and increasing in everyone's lives.

Consistent content is an oasis of order in which the mind can rest.

When readers have trust, peace, and goodwill, there is a greater chance that a post will suddenly resonate with them.

This will be a bonus for your marketing efforts because the foundation has already been laid — a tribe of those who share your path.

Yours sincerely,

-Alexander

You can help Ukraine defend itself and the World from Russian aggression here.

”Who are you and what do you do?"
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"I have an important business decision to make. Can you help me?
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Efficiency in Swimming and Business /  by Alexander Lyadov

Unknown photographer

Seeing me swim, people usually complimented me. However, deep down, I realized that things weren't quite right because I taught myself to swim as a child. I could stay afloat and even look impressive, as I emulated good swimmers. But it's one thing to copy external form, and another thing to study the function that creates that form.

Understanding the difference in normal conditions, say, at the beach, is difficult. Everything changes when you need to swim for a long time, with waves, or in cold water. When life circumstances push a person to the brink of his or her abilities, the swimmer's efficiency characteristic — the coefficient of performance (COP) —becomes valuable. Just like in venture capital, proper movement and breathing technique allows for a return on investment of 10, 100, or 1000x. Just imagine the current record for the longest continuous swim, held by American Sarah Thomas. In 2019, she crossed the English Channel four times without stopping, covering a distance of 209 kilometers in 54 hours and 10 minutes.

What distinguishes a black belt from a white belt? And a seasoned wolf from a clumsy puppy? The absence of unnecessary movements and the ability to achieve colossal results from virtually nothing. That's why observing a Master's work elicits awe and wonder in the average person. After all, it looks like superpowers, magic, or wizardry. Fortunately, the magic is quite accessible to anyone willing to devote n-number of iterations, not years, to learning the technique. I remember my amazement when, after taking on an experienced coach, my swimming style radically changed in just a few months of practice, and my COP increased as well.

And is it any different in business? All entrepreneurs learns to swim on their own. The best of them are not satisfied with just staying afloat. They tirelessly seek out Leverage, i.e. carriers of technology and sources of knowledge that will ensure their business doesn't lose anything, but gains everything.

Yours sincerely,

-Alexander

You can help Ukraine defend itself and the World from Russian aggression here.

”Who are you and what do you do?"
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"I have an important business decision to make. Can you help me?
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The Paradox of Addiction: How Studying Your Obsessions Can Lead to the Top /  by Alexander Lyadov

Unknown photographer

I won't forget the words of a drug addict: 'You wouldn't understand. The high I get from a dose is such an otherworldly pleasure, compared to which everything in normal life is empty and gray nothingness.' Once the addiction to the source of artificial nirvana takes hold, who would willingly want to leave the Garden of Eden?

But it seems that there are no people completely without addiction. Since the awakening of consciousness, a person feels a gaping hole inside. Essentially, it's an existential fear of death, although it takes many forms - fear of illness, old age, loneliness, punishment, consumption, rejection, pain, guilt, madness, helplessness, etc. This "black hole" can't be completely closed, but it can't be left open either. If nothing is done, there is an inexorable slide into the abyss. It's no wonder that in desperation, people cling to anything that promises salvation, even if only temporary. By chance, genetics, environment, and upbringing, people find different "hooks" to cling to life, allowing them to function — learn, work, start a family, do business, etc.

So it turns out that one cannot live without addiction, but as we know, the thirst for pleasure also destroys a person. The way out of the impasse is paradoxical - one's specific addiction needs to be studied, understood, and systematically replaced. The worst form of addiction is narrow, rigid, and material. Examples include sweets, gambling, porn, drugs, and alcohol. It's better if there are several obsessions, and they are lightweight, such as ambitious business, intense creativity, and competitive sports. The ideal is to transform one's addiction from solid to liquid, and then to a gaseous form. So philosophy, art and religion are not mere whims, but the surest way to gain a foothold and rise to the highest possible heights.

Yours sincerely,

-Alexander

You can help Ukraine defend itself and the World from Russian aggression here.

”Who are you and what do you do?"
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"I have an important business decision to make. Can you help me?
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The art of selling without selling /  by Alexander Lyadov

It is a popular belief that in order to sell a complex and expensive service, one needs either strong arguments or clever manipulation of the client's perception, if the arguments are weak. In the first case, it seems that simply listing the benefits of the service with bullet points is enough and any reasonable client will be instantly convinced. In the second case, the efforts are directed towards creating a short-term illusion just to close the transaction, with little regard for what happens next.

Apart from immorality, the problem with a manipulative approach is also in the low lifetime value (LTV) of the client. LTV is the profit earned during the entire joint life with the client. In business, the maximum cash flow in the future acquired at a minimal price is valued. The ideal situation is when the purchase of the service happens again and again, seemingly by itself. As for the hoax, it's a one-off stunt. However, convincing with arguments is not an optimal strategy either, as the more complex and specific the client's problem is, the less response standard blind arguments will generate.

It is much more effective to abandon any attempt to convince at all. True expertise is not demonstrated by statements, but by questions. By going through many cases, an expert becomes not a keeper of an archive of dusty answers, but a Master of the Process of developing custom solutions for the client. Each question from the expert, like a blow of a sculptor's chisel on a stone, cuts off everything unnecessary, revealing the essence. That is why, after just a few questions from the expert, the client should feel surprise, relief, and trust: "How well I am understood. I am in good hands." This is a hint that the synthesis of the solution is already in full swing. Wait, what about the sale? There isn't one, but buying a service is. Such is the paradox.

Yours sincerely,

-Alexander

You can help Ukraine defend itself and the World from Russian aggression here.

”Who are you and what do you do?"
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"I have an important business decision to make. Can you help me?
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The Power of Local Order in the Midst of Market Chaos /  by Alexander Lyadov

 

It's no secret that in business, there are as many unpredictabilities as there are fleas on a stray dog's fur. But just as a doctor needs sterility from bacteria and microbes to perform an operation, certainty (reliability, stability) is extremely important for a company's growth. Market chaos itself is not frightening to an entrepreneurs if they they have an island of local order on which they can confidently rely, catch their breath, and regain strength no matter what happens in the world.

What steel threads are woven into a chainmail of this order? Undoubtedly, it is a proven business model, streamlined processes, know-how, intellectual property, diversified customer base, reliable team, shareholder consensus, liquidity reserve, etc. However, the starting point is always the attitude with which the founder looks into the abyss that terrifies everyone else to death. Like a silkworm, an entrepreneurs continuously produce a thread from which they then weave their cocoon in which the caterpillar transforms into a pupa. And just as others cannot obtain silk without a silkworm, no one is needed to create for an entrepreneur.

This by no means suggests that an entrepreneurs are all-powerful and invulnerable. A cascade of unfavorable factors can crush their cocoon. Knowing this, the founders obsessively seeks opportunities to strengthen their system's resilience. In this sense, as a partner, employee, investor, or service provider, you can provide tangible benefits to the entrepreneurs. All that is required is to become a source of predictability for them, that is, also to be an island of local order. Trust me, today, in the turbulent stream of change, this is already a lot.

Yours sincerely,

-Alexander

You can help Ukraine defend itself and the World from Russian aggression here.

”Who are you and what do you do?"
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"I have an important business decision to make. Can you help me?
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Scientific Approach: Falling In Love With The Beauty Of The Problem To Solve It /  by Alexander Lyadov

In his book "Realism and the Aim of Science," one of the most influential philosophers of the 20th century, Karl Popper, wrote: "I think that there is only one way to science — or to philosophy, for that matter: to meet a problem, to see its beauty and fall in love with it; to get married to it, and to live with it happily, till death do you part - unless you should meet another and even more fascinating problem, or unless, indeed, you should obtain a solution. But even if you obtain a solution, you may then discover, to your delight, the existence of a whole family of enchanting though perhaps difficult problem children for whose welfare you may work, with a purpose, to the end of your days."

Isn't it an unexpected view of the phenomenon of the problem? In our culture, this word is overloaded with negative connotations like, "Oh, these problems are so annoying! I don't have the strength to solve them anymore. I just want harmony and peace. How much longer must I wait?" At best, the attitude towards the problem is like a parachute jump, as if one must gather the will to take a step into the abyss. But to admire the beauty of a problem, to fall in love with it, and to devote one's life to it — well, few of us are ready for that. And the point is not in the difficulty of the challenge, because real scientists deal with fundamental puzzles that the scientific community has tried to solve many times in the past, only to give up. No, the essence of a scientist's attitude towards a problem is that it lures, invigorates and inspires him, like how a performer waving their sleeves motivates a Belgian Malinois dog.

I suppose that scientists approach problems differently than ordinary people, for several reasons. Firstly, they voluntarily choose the problem, meaning they practice the mentality of a hunter, not a victim. Second, they appreciate the reward — the cocktail of hormones (adrenaline, dopamine, endorphins) that the body produces, and even more so when they successfully find the key to the cipher. Thirdly, scientists perceive problem-solving not as a painful burden, but as an enviable privilege bestowed on only a few. And fourthly, the deliberate practice over many years has allowed them to master the scientific method, so they have a strong confidence that there are no unsolvable problems at all. If you think about it, in terms of the attitude towards problems, there is no difference between a scientist and an entrepreneur.

Yours sincerely,

-Alexander

You can help Ukraine defend itself and the World from Russian aggression here.

”Who are you and what do you do?"
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.

"I have an important business decision to make. Can you help me?
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What personal meaning has to do with shareholders disputes? /  by Alexander Lyadov

"Why do I need this?" is a question I increasingly ask myself when faced with an offer, request, challenge, or temptation from outside. Until the question is asked, the answer seems obvious: "Well, of course! Here are reasons #1, 2, and 3." And so, the transition to action usually happens on its own. But if I lower the question's bathyscaphe to the bottom instead of sliding on the surface, it turns out that the proposed action makes no sense to me. On the other hand, the interest of the other side usually shines like a neon sign at night. My own and other people's experiences have taught me that no one will benefit from the project if there is no agreement, which, according to witty classics, "is a product with complete non-resistance of the parties."

This is most pronounced in business during disputes between shareholders. It is believed that the inability to put oneself in the opponent's shoes is the main obstacle to resolving a dispute. This is undoubtedly true because without wanting to know what the other person wants, it is impossible to find not only an optimal solution but even an acceptable compromise. Studying business mediation and helping co-founders negotiate with each other, it became clear to me that despite being prepared to fight a long and costly battle in court, participants have difficulty clearly answering my direct question to them, "What are you trying to achieve? What is your ultimate interest?" It is easy to guess that the lack of clarity on such an important aspect is one of the reasons why friction arose between co-founders and contradictions escalated into a dispute.

Therefore, it is essential to ask this question as early as possible — ideally, before someone knocks on your door with an offer, initiative, or demand. The more precisely you define your personal purpose, the less time and effort you will waste on pointless meetings, senseless arguments, and escaping from dead-ends.The fact that colossal efforts are still being wasted everywhere only underscores how challenging the search for personal meaning can be.

Yours sincerely,

-Alexander

You can help Ukraine defend itself and the World from Russian aggression here.

”Who are you and what do you do?"
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"I have an important business decision to make. Can you help me?
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The Power of Consistency: an Instructive Ritual of My Dog /  by Alexander Lyadov

My Australian Heeler can sleep like a log in the corner while I make myself breakfast. But as soon as I get up from the table, he's already at my feet, like saying, "Look, I'm ready." I don't remember how it happened, but the dog decided we have a ritual where he gets a treat in exchange for a short training session. Sometimes I'm not in the mood or don't have time for these games, so he doesn't get anything. Nevertheless, every day the dog persistently performs its part of the ritual, like a shaman. And you know what, his approach works because I respond much more often than I would have thought. With his readiness, he seems to say, "My offer is always on the table. Take it or leave it."

One of the most underrated qualities in business is consistency. Usually, people are so consumed by the desire to achieve something that they are willing to make one energetic sprint, hoping to become a queen in one move. But such excessive desire scares or confuses others, and despite the superhuman effort, the rewards people seek may remain out of reach. If these false starts happen often, anyone will feel trapped by irritation, despair, and fatigue.

It's much more productive to leash your desire and distribute your energy in small doses over a long horizon. Then each small but inevitable movement lifts the load higher, like a winch or jack. There's no epic in such efforts that inspire writers and poets, but this is how the most significant changes happen in nature, like the movement of tectonic plates. Nothing convinces customers, employees, investors, and competitors of your superpower like the consistency of your efforts, day after day, in spite of everything. In a world filled with so much artificiality, fakery and insincerity, only time allows us to recognise those who simply cannot be anything but themselves. Consistency signals authenticity.

Yours sincerely,

-Alexander

You can help Ukraine defend itself and the World from Russian aggression here.

”Who are you and what do you do?"
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"I have an important business decision to make. Can you help me?
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Harnessing Asymmetry: How to Gain the Edge in Business /  by Alexander Lyadov

In the wild, there is no justice, only the efficiency of survival. The head of a lion pride doesn't engage in a noble battle against a powerful alpha bull to decide the fate of a buffalo herd. Instead, a group of lions stages a sudden hunt for the weakest individual to guarantee food and simultaneously reduce the risk of injury. Any trick is employed, including surprise, numerical advantage, and cunning traps, to create asymmetry that gives the predator an edge over its prey.

What could a naked, slow, clawless and fangless human do in response? Right, the same asymmetry, but pushed to the extreme. A rock in the hand or a spear with a pointed end is undoubtedly useful, but controlling the release of thermal energy is orders of magnitude more effective. The mastery of fire by ancient humans occurred, according to different estimates, from 400 to 2 million years ago, and became a turning point in human evolution. Since then, the diversity of forms of energy harnessed by humans has steadily expanded, from oxidation to nuclear fusion, making the "fire tamer" so powerful that he now poses a threat to himself.

The further I go, the more I am convinced that the best lever to create asymmetry is when there is no physical lever, but functionally, it exists. This means that figuratively, your mind is both a laser beam, an electric arc, and a flame. Maximum asymmetry arises not when a trembling hand grasps a stone, but when a person shapes their attitude towards the "predator" (problem) that tries to catch them off guard. Judging by my work with business founders, the return on investment of effort at this point is so colossal that, to be honest, I don't see the point of doing anything else.

Yours sincerely,

-Alexander

You can help Ukraine defend itself and the World from Russian aggression here.

”Who are you and what do you do?"
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.

"I have an important business decision to make. Can you help me?
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A Paradoxical Similarity Between An Artist And An Entrepreneur /  by Alexander Lyadov

When communicating with actual entrepreneurs, I am always struck by the paradoxical combination of two seemingly incompatible traits. On the one hand, they have a sharpened attentiveness and a greedy interest in new information, even if it is camouflaged by skepticism. On the other hand, they unconditionally and totally trust themselves, that is, their interpretation of the world, as if they had a pitch pipe in their stomach that allows them to evaluate the sound of the standard pitch. They are not misled by the aplomb of authority, nor do they care about the popularity of a new social fad. However, if they detect truth in someone else's words, they instantly change their cast-iron position to the opposite, as if they have no ego at all.

Surprisingly, entrepreneurs have a lot in common with artists. Despite superficial differences, they are driven by a force that they value above all else in life. Its names will differ depending on what discourse we use — philosophical, religious, mystical, or scientific. But in any case, both the founder and the artist, by their behaviour, confirm the existence of something much greater than themselves. This phenomenon is difficult to talk about and cannot be taken in hand, but for some people, its call drowns out everything. In their perception, the harmony of what can potentially be is so beautiful that it is absolutely impossible not to realise it in life. Interestingly, such a 'modus operandi' significantly increases their degrees of freedom, as many artificial dilemmas are naturally resolved. However, it is fair to say that the path of a true entrepreneur or artist is not an easy one by any stretch of the imagination.

Rick Rubin, one of the most famous and productive music producers, put it well: "When you make something and you have an idea of what it is, and then other people engage with it and may have different ideas of what it is and they like it for a different reason than you did or dislike it for a different reason than a reason you like it. We can't control any of those things. The only part of it that we can control is how we relate to the thing that we make. And any external information that undermines the clarity of that connection is probably bad for the art. All I ever tried to make were something I like and something I thought was missing as a fan that I wanted and nobody was making it. So I would make it. It was always in the service of: "I love this thing, I want something like this, no one else is making one, I have to make one."

Yours sincerely,

-Alexander

You can help Ukraine defend itself and the World from Russian aggression here.

”Who are you and what do you do?"
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.

"I have an important business decision to make. Can you help me?
Reserve a time on my calendar that is convenient for you to meet with me. We'll clarify your request and discuss options for how you can help.

What to Do if It Seems Like Your Business is Doomed? /  by Alexander Lyadov

How to tell if a system is doomed? When the speed of problem-solving fails to keep up with the speed of their emergence. As soon as the "processor" becomes overloaded, errors start to accumulate like a snowball, depleting the system's strength. Then even a minor shock can become fatal, only exacerbating panic and the futile use of remaining resources.

Therefore, to defeat a business competitor or opponent in sports, your task is to either increase the pace of changes that catch them off guard or slow down their reaction time to what's happening, for example by exacerbating contradictions in their system. When malevolent people or unfavorable circumstances attack you, the same strategy works, but it's turned inside out. Knowing that the main problem is not their surprises but your delay in giving a relevant response, you fight to preserve the clarity of your mind at any cost.

How? By focusing on the main thing and turning a blind eye to the secondary. Fortunately, in complex interdependent systems such as a company or a person, a tiny number of factors are responsible for the majority of negative symptoms. Therefore, even modest effort can produce a colossal effect if the leverage application point is chosen correctly. By making informed decisions, you not only confidently survive under pressure but also create space for a counterattack. And nothing demoralizes an opponent more than futile attempts to inflict pain on you. He has not realized it yet, but victory is already yours.

Yours sincerely,

-Alexander

You can help Ukraine defend itself and the World from Russian aggression here.

”Who are you and what do you do?"
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.

"I have an important business decision to make. Can you help me?
Reserve a time on my calendar that is convenient for you to meet with me. We'll clarify your request and discuss options for how you can help.

What makes partnership in business so powerful? /  by Alexander Lyadov

Unknown artist

Partnership, when it is productive, is the best thing that can happen to you in business. The logic is simple: in a medium-sized business, the bottleneck is not the market, team, or capital, but the founder himself (or herself). However strong his qualities, like an anchor holding a yacht to the bottom, it is his weaknesses and vulnerabilities that hold the business back. Strengthening the system at this point is a priority, as everything else is less important.

In a fight, you can't hold your opponent's hand with one of her own hands. The opponent will simply twist his wrist towards his thumb. But if you grab your opponent's hand with both of your hands, forming a closed circle, you can hold even a strong person for a long time. How? Your right hand compensates for the weakness of your left hand, and vice versa. As a result, the strength of your grip grows not linearly, but exponentially.

Like the right and left hand, people must be different enough to have significant benefits, but at the same time similar enough to have common goals, concepts, and meanings. It's clear why not all business co-owners become partners — this is too formal a criterion. Conversely, sometimes the best partners are not necessarily co-founders, such as the CEO and COO.

I have had both destructive and constructive partnerships. In the case of the former, I regret not leaving them immediately when yellow and especially red flags appeared. In the case of the latter, I mourn not realizing at the time what a rare and generous gift fate had given me. If you have a business partner, you should admit to him or her: "It's so cool that we've been together for so long. Thank you!"

Yours sincerely,

-Alexander

You can help Ukraine defend itself and the World from Russian aggression here.

”Who are you and what do you do?"
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"I have an important business decision to make. Can you help me?
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Why hug a cactus? /  by Alexander Lyadov

When Robert Downey Jr. was awarded by the American Cinematheque, he chose his friend Mel Gibson to present the award and  said : "When I couldn’t get sober, he told me not to give up hope, and he urged me to find my faith. It didn’t have to be his faith or anyone else’s, as long as it was rooted in forgiveness. And I couldn’t get hired, so he cast me as the lead in a movie that was actually developed for him. He kept a roof over my head, and he kept food on the table. And most importantly, he said if I accepted responsibility for my wrongdoings and if I embraced that part of my soul that was ugly — “hugging the cactus” he calls it — he said that if I “hugged the cactus” long enough, I’d become a man of some humility and that my life would take on a new meaning. And I did, and it worked."

Addiction to anything, whether it's alcohol, gambling, anger, or anxiety, is dangerous in its inexhaustibility. No matter how hard you fight it, it will always remain with you and wait for your vigilance to lapse. The insatiable need will never be satisfied, because there is no bottom to pleasure. When something cannot be eliminated, but it is impossible to live with it, what remains? In Theory of Inventive Problem Solving (TRIZ), there is such a maxim: "Let the harmful factor start bringing benefit...". But to extract benefit from a hated factor, one must stop hating it. It a catch-22.

From the psychotherapeutic practice of Focusing, I once learned that there is a third way — to be close to the "source of evil". This means to be located at the closest, but tolerable distance from it, to study it carefully and with genuine interest. If you hug the cactus long enough in this way, then in addition to the obvious negative qualities, something else will inevitably manifest. There is a favorable side to any phenomenon, even when the very thought of it seems sacrilegious to a person. Following the surprise of discovering new properties, the perception of the phenomenon becomes more holistic. By being both harmful and potentially beneficial, the complexity of the factor evokes, if not sympathy, then certainly interest. As you master and integrate it, what stubbornly tried to destroy you for years becomes your faithful guard dog, obediently waiting for the owner's command: "Bite!". Such an ideal is worth the effort, isn't it?

Yours sincerely,

-Alexander

You can help Ukraine defend itself and the World from Russian aggression here.

”Who are you and what do you do?"
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.

"I have an important business decision to make. Can you help me?
Reserve a time on my calendar that is convenient for you to meet with me. We'll clarify your request and discuss options for how you can help.

The Great Secret that each of us carries within /  by Alexander Lyadov

"You are tougher than you think" — these words would be worth making a default mobile melody or printing on store receipts. Why? Most critical thinkers regularly experience self-doubt. And that's understandable, because a person's mind relies on what is familiar and known to him or her. Yet, truly challenging life situations are often caused by events of which our mind knows little or nothing.

"If a man is unintelligent and immature, he simply don't notice danger and press the gas pedal equally, whether it's a green or red light. Conversely, as one gains experience and reflects, insight grows: "What do I really understand? Essentially, nothing!" Because this is true, artificially boosting self-esteem and bravado for an intellectual when faced with chaos is not an option. He cannot help but see reality, and lying is fundamentally alien to him.

The way out of the impasse is to oppose the beneficial chaos inside to the destructive chaos outside. All individuals contain infinitely more than what is already present within them today. However, since all of this is hidden and implied, it requires a different kind of relationship, understanding, and skills for an individual to reveal his or her potential. It's clear why this exercise requires Another. Someone who can see the bubbling magma within your personality and then find the right words to help you recognize the primal power within yourself."

Yours sincerely,

-Alexander

You can help Ukraine defend itself and the World from Russian aggression here.

”Who are you and what do you do?"
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.

"I have an important business decision to make. Can you help me?
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The X Factor: How One Unknown Element Can Transform Your Business /  by Alexander Lyadov

 

"Depression is rage turned inward," explains a smart psychotherapist to the head of a mafia clan in the tragicomic TV series " The Sopranos ." One could say that anger is energy that should flow freely and with direction. But what if the object of the anger is under a sacred prohibition? In that case, the impulse is constantly present, but there is no way to act on it. All that power begins to erode, destabilize, and explode the system from within. Realizing that your own energy is working against you is doubly frustrating. It's impossible to resist, but it's also impossible to overcome yourself. One thing is clear – in such a struggle, resources are wasted in vain, dissipating into space.

If you're an experienced entrepreneur, you know what we're talking about. You've either seen something like this happen to a business partner or struggled with it yourself. In addition to being harmful to the owner's health, the "unsolvable paradox" inevitably harms everyone around him (or her) - family, partners, employees, and of course, customers. Since a part of his resources is lost, the founder gives the business everything he has, but it's just crumbs. Yes, the leader is still shaking hands with clients, smiling at investors, and sitting at the head of the table, but one cannot help but feel that instead of him, there's only a shadow, a hologram, a ghost. Over time, this mischief infects the entire company, turning it into a zombie. The attempts of the most stubborn employees to change something are admirable, but they usually have no effect. The intervention of an investor is also unproductive, unless the business has become large, and the investor is a resolute Private Equity fund.

But you know what strikes me the most when I see this bouquet of symptoms once again? The mismatch between the hopelessness with which the situation appears to all participants before X and the freedom that appears immediately after X. It seems that it will require a tremendous amount of time and money to build a bridge over this chasm. But no, it's not about the magnitude of the effort, it's about its point of application. This is what X is. By the way, according to one unconfirmed version, in 1637, Descartes introduced the variable X as a transcription of the Arabic letter ش, the first letter in the word شيء‎, which means "something".

Yours sincerely,

-Alexander

You can help Ukraine defend itself and the World from Russian aggression here.

”Who are you and what do you do?"
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.

"I have an important business decision to make. Can you help me?
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The Power of Pressure: How System Edge Drives Clarity and Efficiency /  by Alexander Lyadov

 

An increase in temperature of 3 degrees or 10% seems insignificant in the abstract. But when it comes to the temperature of your body, such a change feels like you've been put in a centrifuge. Headaches, muscle aches, chills, and weakness are unpleasant but bearable. The bigger problem is the loss of energy and confused thought process. When the flu virus is dangerous, all the body's energy is diverted to fighting it, making it impossible to do any mental or physical work. Even if you muster all your willpower, it won't help because instead of a clear stream of consciousness, there's a muddy, dirty pond inside you. The product of your work will inevitably have a high percentage of catastrophic defects. That's why, for example, it's not possible to drive a car with a temperature of 39°C.

Extreme situations are useful because they help separate the wheat from the chaff. While everything in the system is more or less fine, it seems complicated and there appear to be a thousand important things. But as soon as the system is pushed to its limits, it becomes clear that its entire function depends only on one factor or two.

Knowing this allows you to focus on what really matters and stop wasting resources on anything else. For example, there are many frameworks for analyzing a company, and as a founder, you regularly try to study and apply each of them. It's all interesting, but it doesn't seem to lead to a breakthrough, does it? Perhaps it would be more beneficial to honestly answer two questions on a scale of 1 to 10: 'How energized is my organization?' and 'How effective is our decision-making process?' Although every company is afflicted by different energy-draining "viruses," one thing is certain: they don't infiltrate from outside.

Yours sincerely,

-Alexander

You can help Ukraine defend itself and the World from Russian aggression here.

”Who are you and what do you do?"
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.

"I have an important business decision to make. Can you help me?
Reserve a time on my calendar that is convenient for you to meet with me. We'll clarify your request and discuss options for how you can help.

The Power of Observing: Discovering Your Path to Mastery /  by Alexander Lyadov

I've been wearing glasses for so long that I can't even remember. However, I have recently discovered that I don't know the correct way to put them on and take them off. An old master explained to me that I should pick them up with three fingers instead of two and take them off forward, not sideways. My beloved titanium glasses have lasted through rough handling for many years, but one day even their super-strong temples gave out.

Expertise doesn't just come from repetition. A pattern of behavior must be observed for a long time by an inquisitive, not passive, mind. And what stimulates curiosity the most? There is no better motivator, than mistakes, oversights, and miscalculations — your own or others'.

It might seem simple -- just pass through your consciousness a multitude of mistakes and you'll become an expert in your chosen field. But there's a catch -- dedicating years to this exploration inevitably sacrifices an alternative path. All that time, instead of observing patterns, you could have been doing something else. For example, becoming a champion in all weight categories and entering the Hall of Fame. Or creating a new business, building it and selling it successfully.

One path does not automatically transform into another. Not every Olympic champion becomes an outstanding coach. However, it's also true that the best BJJ and MMA trainers in the world, like John Danaher and Firas Zahabi, don't have walls adorned with gold medals and belts. Sooner or later a person has to choose their own path.

The earlier a person recognizes their tendency, the easier their path will be. But sometimes these paths are inscrutable, and expertise is formed through observation-in-action, as it was in my case. I've worked in various roles in business: as a hired employee, department manager, CEO, co-founder, investor, and board member. Looking back, I fondly recall the whispers from my intuition that told me, "Aren't you tired of being in the middle of things? You're an Analyst. Your calling is to notice the hidden patterns that determine whether or not a founders business will grow rapidly or not."

Yours sincerely,

-Alexander

You can help Ukraine defend itself and the World from Russian aggression here.

”Who are you and what do you do?"
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.

"I have an important business decision to make. Can you help me?
Reserve a time on my calendar that is convenient for you to meet with me. We'll clarify your request and discuss options for how you can help.

Ignored Miracle: Regeneration and Entrepreneurship /  by Alexander Lyadov

We tend to admire the talent of doctors and the strength of new drugs, but rarely do we give credit to the organism. If you catch a virus, cut yourself, or break your arm, after the medical procedures, all you need to do is wait. The body will do the incredible work of bringing us back to order. Isn't it a miracle how systematic the healing process of a wound is? During the inflammation stage, the damaged tissue is cleared of harmful microorganisms and dead cells. During the proliferation stage, collagen is deposited, and the wound granulates and shrinks. Finally, during the epithelialization stage, excess collagen is removed, the wound matures, reshapes and completely heals. All this time, our mind doesn't do a thing. We take the fundamental process of regeneration as a given. I don't dispute that there are injuries and diseases when the body is helpless without doctors. But in the overwhelming majority of cases, the main work is modestly done by the organism itself.

There are similarities between regeneration and entrepreneurship. When a business becomes big, it suddenly has many mothers and fathers. Top managers, investors, creditors, consultants, and investment bankers all tout their involvement in LinkedIn, creating the impression that they are the ones who made the business a success. I've even heard these people make condescending comments, saying how much effort they had to put in to straighten out the chaotic business and civilize the founder-wild man.

It's often forgotten that all the services they offer are meaningless if there isn't a business to begin with. Someone had to take big risks, sacrifice sleep, and do things they never thought possible just to break through the asphalt and reach the sun. Furthermore, people don't realize how many managers were useless and actually harmed the company. Or how often business consultants gave good advice but only for other companies in different circumstances. Or how every force majeure caused nervous breakdowns among investors, threatening to ruin the business with inadequate decisions. Meanwhile, the entrepreneur was busy with regeneration - looking for new top managers, ignoring stupid advice from smart consultants, extinguishing investor hysteria, and doing a million other important but unnoticed tasks.

Just as regeneration is crucial for the survival of any organism, entrepreneurship is equally important for the survival of a society. I'm deeply concerned when I hear people dismiss entrepreneurship, whether it's at the government level or in everyday life. On the other hand, I feel reassured about a society where a founder is a role model.

Yours sincerely,

-Alexander

You can help Ukraine defend itself and the World from Russian aggression here.

”Who are you and what do you do?"
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.

"I have an important business decision to make. Can you help me?
Reserve a time on my calendar that is convenient for you to meet with me. We'll clarify your request and discuss options for how you can help.

Mastering BJJ: 13 tips that determine whether you grow fast in your new activity or quit /  by Alexander Lyadov

I began practicing Brazilian jiu-jitsu at the age of 43 and went on to become a two-time European Champion in my division. Recently, one of my former clients, a serial tech entrepreneur, asked me an unexpected question: 'Sasha, hi. Can you give me advice on how to start practicing BJJ the right way so that I won't quit quickly and can achieve something in a year or two? Thank you” This question illustrates the way a seasoned founder thinks. The request was well thought out and specific - how to avoid the most common problem and predictably get to a desirable future within a reasonable timeframe. With his permission, I am publishing an extended version of my answer. I think many points are applicable to different activities, beyond BJJ. There are even parallels with building one own business.

  1. Meaning. If not explicitly, at least at a gut level, find out why you need it. Otherwise, it's hard to endure the discomfort of an adult's ego being challenged, close physical contact, micro-traumas, etc.

  2. Survival. Accept that the first 6-12 months of training are not about domination, but simply survival. So the priority should be working on escape from bad positions, not attacks.

  3. Hygiene. While at work you are more likely to catch the flu, at the gym you can get a fungal infection of the skin - ringworm. That's why it's essential to wash with special shampoo, like Defense Soap or Head&Shoulders, after training and treat any cuts immediately with hydrogen peroxide.

  4. Smooth start. Treat warm-up (and cool-down) as a sacred ritual. Its absence is the cause of many pointless, and therefore disappointing, injuries.

  5. Vulnerability. Be paranoid in protecting your own and others' joints and ligaments: neck (top-down stacking), shoulders (kimura lock), elbows (armbar), and knees (leg locks and twisting the fixed leg around the axis). During grappling, pay attention to adjacent pairs, as unexpected danger comes from them.

  6. Recovery. If you are injured, give yourself time to recover (avoid fights). However, don't stop exercising other muscles, even if it's a different activity - swimming, yoga or walking.

  7. Core. Regularly strengthen your core muscles and joints (abs, lower back, press, spine, shoulders) using weights, resistance bands, or dumbbells. Simultaneously, increase your range of motion through stretching, especially for your hips. This helps prevent overuse injuries to your joints and muscles.

  8. Coach. Pick a gym based on the chemistry with the head trainer (and their right hand). Gym cultures can vary greatly, but always reflect the personality of their founder, i.e. their understanding of good and evil.

  9. Risks. Identify the "club psychopath" (1-2% in each community) and only fight them just before important competitions. During regular training sessions, politely but firmly say No.

  10. Insurance. Consistently train to willingly tap out often and early in compromised positions. Injuries set you back far. Also, BJJ is a lifestyle, not a million-dollar UFC fighter career.

  11. Moderation. Learn to roll, not fight like bulls every time. Your explosive movements are dangerous for all participants and speak more of desperation and technique deficiency than strength. The goal should be to maximize not the intensity of training sessions, but the amount of work done over a period (month, quarter, year).

  12. Partners. Find like-minded individuals within the club with similar goals and a reliable sparring partner. In BJJ, one necessarily needs another to progress.

  13. Horizon. Forget about the local result — who won or lost today — and remind yourself of the big picture — what you want to achieve in a year or two. This allows you to downplay what's happening in the present and focus on the long-term process of continuous improvement of your mastery.

Yours sincerely,

-Alexander

You can help Ukraine defend itself and the World from Russian aggression here.

”Who are you and what do you do?"
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.

"I have an important business decision to make. Can you help me?
Reserve a time on my calendar that is convenient for you to meet with me. We'll clarify your request and discuss options for how you can help.