Paradise Paradox /  by Alexander Lyadov

In this picture, you see paradise. Doesn't it seem that way? Maybe the dirt, the creatures, and the stagnant swamp water throw you off?

But these are perfect conditions to thrive safely... for frogs. If a person saw this, it would be the moment before he or she sank.

We're just too different from tailless amphibians. Their paradise is our hell. And vice versa.

All frogs desire the same thing. But what about people?

Take liberals and conservatives, for instance.

Liberals love blurring boundaries—traditions, territories, and terms. It promises them endless potential for creativity, growth, and joy.

Conservatives feel disgust at such initiatives. Their world is like a body whose boundaries must be protected at all costs. Otherwise, germs, fungi, and crazy ideas will destroy it.

How can they understand each other? Their ideals are just too different.

This is an innate difference in personality types, especially in the traits of Openness and Conscientiousness. Liberals have the former in spades, while conservatives excel in the latter.

There will always be high tension between them. In the worst case, this tension will erupt into conflict. But what about the best case?

That's why the Garden of Eden is paradoxical. Opposites exist, but without contradiction. This is the true ideal.

Sincerely yours,

-Alexander

About me:
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.

How can I help you?
If you've long been trying to understand what is limiting you and/or your business and how to finally give important changes a push, then The Catalyst Session is designed specifically for you. Book it here.

Grateful Mindset /  by Alexander Lyadov

What does it mean when you hear words like these?

"I could handle it if I had more:

  • time,

  • people,

  • funding,

  • opportunities,

  • support from the top, etc."

These are all excuses. Exceptions are rare.

Look at how a person handles what he (or she) already has. If there are signs of carelessness and waste, the diagnosis is clear.

He will squander, miss, or drink it all away, no matter how much you give him. But every time, he won’t be to blame—his enemies or circumstances will be.

It's different when someone has a system that accounts for every cent. There are criteria for selecting projects. Mistakes are analyzed and learned from. Every bottleneck is squeezed dry.

Such a person doesn’t whine about what he doesn’t have. He’s too busy boosting efficiency, margins, or ROI by a few more percentage points.

Interestingly, such a person doesn’t have to look for resources. Capital, people, and opportunities come knocking at his door. In negotiations, he doesn’t sell anything; he just states the facts.

Why? These individuals are scarce in any society.

Their personality is a perfect blend of:

  • conscientiousness,

  • responsibility,

  • attentiveness,

  • creativity,

  • humility,

  • and gratitude.

Sincerely yours,

-Alexander

About me:
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.

How can I help you?
If you've long been trying to understand what is limiting you and/or your business and how to finally give important changes a push, then The Catalyst Session is designed specifically for you. Book it here.

Lose to Win /  by Alexander Lyadov

Maybe some people succeed right away. Whatever I try, I fall on my face the first, or even the second time.

It’s always been like that when I:

  • applied to university,

  • met new partners and clients,

  • closed my first big deal in an investment fund,

  • went to my first European Jiu-Jitsu championship,

  • navigated orientation week at business school, and so on.

Every time, the reason is the same — I live in illusions. This shows in carelessness, laziness, and naivety: "Maybe it'll work out somehow."

Reality then hits me hard. I feel shocked, hurt, ashamed, frustrated, and then angry.

Then something inside switches to "On." Suddenly, focus, excitement, and aggression appear out of nowhere.

This burst of energy is often enough to get into university the next time, win the championship, or turn a profit on an investment.

Losing "inspires" me to do the work I tried to avoid. A mountain of delusions burns away in the flames of negative emotions.

In the end, failure makes me better, there's no denying that.

Now, I scold myself less for losing the first fight. It's just the cost of learning, the end result of which will be a win.

The ideal is to bring this cost to zero. For example:

  1. Extract all possible benefits from every failure.

  2. Notice patterns among individual episodes.

  3. Learn from the costly mistakes of others.

  4. Experiment more often in your mind.

  5. Make the cost of failure laughable compared to the upside.

Sincerely yours,

-Alexander

About me:
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.

How can I help you?
If you've long been trying to understand what is limiting you and/or your business and how to finally give important changes a push, then The Catalyst Session is designed specifically for you. Book it here.

Be Like Water /  by Alexander Lyadov

Who creates the most value? The one who works as Himself.

This means he's at peace with his "curse."

Many see their gift as a curse. So, they rush to devalue it and look enviously at others.

Flaws and talents are two sides of the same coin. The nature of all phenomena is ambivalent. Benefit and harm depend on whose hands it's in and their attitude.

Imagine you're water. Not earth, fire, or air. You can't change your formula (H2O). At best, you might have a cosmetic effect, but your nature stays the same.

But H2O isn't just water—it's also steam, dew, snow, and ice. Choose the best state for your goals and life's circumstances. Water is unbeatable.

The key word is "choose," meaning management and control. You can't master what you don't understand, appreciate and love.

So, it all starts with one "heretical" thought:

There is something inherently good in me that casts a shadow.

You just need to study yourself more deeply.

Sincerely yours,

-Alexander

About me:
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.

How can I help you?
If you've long been trying to understand what is limiting you and/or your business and how to finally give important changes a push, then The Catalyst Session is designed specifically for you. Book it here.

Ideal Action /  by Alexander Lyadov

There is no point in furiously attacking a serious problem head-on. Especially if it arose a long time ago and refuses to disappear.

This hints that the problem is systemic. It's deeply integrated into the context. For example, cutting down an old oak tree isn't hard, but try uprooting the stump!

It's clear why we crave to free ourselves with one strong pull. There's hope: "Maybe it’ll work? Maybe it's not that bad." There's also irritation: "Why the heck is something ruining my plans?!"

But hysterical thrashing only entangles the dragonfly in the web, while signaling the spider. The spider isn't there by accident. It's an integral part of the environment.

So, your first step isn't to act, but to observe. Load your processor with enough data.

Then, understand the type of problem you're facing. Your issue is unlikely unique. This means a solution template already exists.

Next, form several solution options. You want to attack the problem indirectly, focusing all your power on the point where the problem is most vulnerable. You need Leverage.

Then, the impregnable fortress collapses like a house of cards. And you didn't even break a sweat. You made one decisive move at the right moment.

The main work happened inside. You have successfully rethought and perhaps reframed the problem.

The right question isn't "What to do?" but "How to think about it?"

Sincerely yours,

-Alexander

About me:
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.

How can I help you?
If you've long been trying to understand what is limiting you and/or your business and how to finally give important changes a push, then The Catalyst Session is designed specifically for you. Book it here.

To Act Is to Think /  by Alexander Lyadov

There is no point in furiously attacking a serious problem head-on. Especially if it arose a long time ago and refuses to disappear.

This hints that the problem is systemic. It's deeply integrated into the context. For example, cutting down an old oak tree isn't hard, but try uprooting the stump!

It's clear why we crave to free ourselves with one strong pull. There's hope: "Maybe it’ll work? Maybe it's not that bad." There's also irritation: "Why the heck is something ruining my plans?!"

But hysterical thrashing only entangles the dragonfly in the web, while signaling the spider. The spider isn't there by accident. It's an integral part of the environment.

So, your first step isn't to act, but to observe. Load your processor with enough data.

Then, understand the type of problem you're facing. Your issue is unlikely unique. This means a solution template already exists.

Next, form several solution options. You want to attack the problem indirectly, focusing all your power on the point where the problem is most vulnerable. You need Leverage.

Then, the impregnable fortress collapses like a house of cards. And you didn't even break a sweat. You made one decisive move at the right moment.

The main work happened inside. You have successfully rethought and perhaps reframed the problem.

The right question isn't "What to do?" but "How to think about it?"

Sincerely yours,

-Alexander

About me:
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.

How can I help you?
If you've long been trying to understand what is limiting you and/or your business and how to finally give important changes a push, then The Catalyst Session is designed specifically for you. Book it here.

Fight For Your Attention /  by Alexander Lyadov

Gustave Doré (1865)

Every day, people spend an average of seven hours online. During this time, countless companies fight for our attention.

In this battle, the odds are not in our favor. You're alone, with limited resources and many worries. On the other side are teams of the world's top specialists in neurobiology, psychology, design, etc.

Worse still, their efforts are rewarded with salaries, bonuses, and stock options. Your resistance is punished because when you refuse news and stories, you miss out on the familiar micro-bursts of dopamine in your brain.

Considering what's at stake, it's clear that attention is the number one value in the world.

Let's recall the 12th-century BC Babylonian creation myth, "​Enuma Elish​". The supreme god Marduk was the only one who could defeat the chaos dragon Tiamat, who threatened to destroy the world.

"Four were his eyes, four his ears, Flame shot forth as he moved his lips. His four ears grew large, And his eyes likewise took in everything."

Attention was Marduk's main weapon against darkness, decay, and entropy. What was true then is true now.

The mindset of an entrepreneur can help us. It's about making a deal with reality.

We focus our attention on one thing, saying “No!” to everything else. In exchange for this sacrifice, over time, reality gives us what we need. Sometimes, it even gives us more—things we never dreamed of.

Reclaiming our attention is the task for each of us.

Sincerely yours,

-Alexander

About me:
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.

How can I help you?
If you've long been trying to understand what is limiting you and/or your business and how to finally give important changes a push, then The Catalyst Session is designed specifically for you. Book it here.

Entrepreneur, Manager, and CEO /  by Alexander Lyadov

What's the difference between an entrepreneur and a manager?

On the surface, they might look alike. A top manager could be so charismatic, knowledgeable, and business-savvy that you'll think, "This is a real businessman."

Entrepreneurs are often too diverse to fit a single mold. Some are reserved, others outgoing. Some are methodical, others creative. They can be modest or aggressive.

But there's one way to tell them apart.

One relies on what's already there, the other on what's not yet there.

Top managers usually care about:

  • Strategies

  • Concepts

  • Risk analysis

  • Quality control

  • Financial reports

  • Power distribution

  • Organizational structures

  • Legally sound contracts

  • Internal policies, procedures, regulations, and more.

Entrepreneurs focus on different things. They're driven by:

  • Value

  • Vision

  • Return

  • Timing

  • Meaning

  • Synthesis

  • Opportunity

  • Creative solutions

  • Vague but promising trends, and more.

For a founder, Function is sacred. For a manager, it's Form*.

That's why few managers become entrepreneurs. It takes not a tuning of the worldview, but a shift.

That's why a strong CEO is a treasure. Not just a manager, but not quite an entrepreneur.

CEO is the bridge between two very different worlds.

Sincerely yours,

-Alexander

P.S. *Sure, this is a simplification. The question lies in the ratio between the two.

About me:
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.

How can I help you?
If you've long been trying to understand what is limiting you and/or your business and how to finally give important changes a push, then The Catalyst Session is designed specifically for you. Book it here.

Mastery Without Effort /  by Alexander Lyadov

What sets a master apart from a novice? The field doesn’t matter—be it investments, politics, or jiu-jitsu.

A master sees everything where a novice sees nothing.

Like a forest animal sensing prey or danger from a single scent molecule.

People exclaim, "Is such a miracle possible?!"

In reality, he simply acts timely and appropriately. He neutralizes danger in its infancy. He spots opportunities before anyone else.

His wisdom lies in being close to the source of good and evil. That’s why his effort seems laughable, but his results are colossal.

Mastery sometimes looks like doing nothing (無為). In truth, it’s the highest form of work. Like a filament, the master’s mind burns tirelessly, showing the optimal path (道).

But those who seek a cheat code to turn a pawn into a queen are mistaken. Mastery is a stalactite formed by billions of drops of tears, blood, and sweat. The task is to ensure not a single drop is wasted.

Thus, a master is a novice who constantly reflects on his mistakes.

Sincerely yours,

-Alexander

About me:
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.

How can I help you?
If you've long been trying to understand what is limiting you and/or your business and how to finally give important changes a push, then The Catalyst Session is designed specifically for you. Book it here.

Games of Owner and CEO /  by Alexander Lyadov

Unknown photographer

The business owner and the hired CEO often play a strange game.

The owner complains that few CEOs are willing to think like an owner, to take responsibility, and go the extra mile. He says if he could find such a CEO, he would make him rich.

The CEO complains that owners don't want to share power. All key decisions are still made by the owner, and the CEO has only a nominal role. Well, forget the bonus if there is no business breakthrough.

Notice the asymmetry:

For the owner, the problem is the CEO's lack of responsibility. He has no issues with power. But the CEO's complaint is a lack of power, yet he strangely stays silent about responsibility.

They both created and maintained this vicious circle. Each is convinced that the problem lies with the other. As long as this is so, they will keep dreaming about the perfect owner or the perfect CEO.

Is there a way out? Yes, if one starts the change with himself.

For example, the owner admits that he is paranoid about losing control over the asset he built for so many years. Then, he answers the question: under what specific conditions would this fear diminish?

Or the CEO might say to himself, "What if I run an experiment? I will choose a problem everyone in the company avoids and solve it with the resources I have. I will build trust and then discuss power."

Now, they start the real game of creating super-value for all.

Sincerely yours,

-Alexander

About me:
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.

How can I help you?
If you've long been trying to understand what is limiting you and/or your business and how to finally give important changes a push, then The Catalyst Session is designed specifically for you. Book it here.

Are You Really Hungry? /  by Alexander Lyadov

"A ​hungry mouse​ is ready to eat a cat" (Chinese proverb).

So, the question isn't about aggression, weight, or the size of fangs. The main motivator is desperate need. For what?

Let's say a person is safe, financially stable, and socially accepted. Why then might he or she feel desperate, powerless, and hollow?

This is an existential vacuum. The person's life lacks meaning.

Nothing in the world can fill this void. At best, it can be temporarily covered with a hand or a patch. Entertainment, alcohol, and drugs try, but they don't help in the long run.

Sounds grim, right? But the solution is right here.

Meaninglessness cancels out everything a person might have. So, meaninglessness nullifies everything a person may have. But equally true is the opposite. Herein lies a hidden source of strength.

The lack of meaning, like hunger, points to a shortage of "food." But a different kind of food that feeds the soul, not the body.

The question: Who will overcome human wickedness and the whims of fate?

The answer: The one who wholeheartedly pursues meaning.

Sincerely yours,

-Alexander

About me:
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.

How can I help you?
If you've long been trying to understand what is limiting you and/or your business and how to finally give important changes a push, then The Catalyst Session is designed specifically for you. Book it here.

What Makes You an Introvert? /  by Alexander Lyadov

Taking a test, I discovered a new perspective on extroverts and introverts. Typically, people think extroverts crave company while introverts long for solitude.

But why? Personality theorists say the difference lies in how we handle stimulation.

Introverts are more sensitive to external stimuli. Their sensors react to even the slightest signals. Simply put, they don't need to stick their heads in the pot to know what's cooking.

That's why introverts prefer small groups or one-on-one conversations. Their ideal is independent, analytical work that demands intense brainpower.

Extroverts are less sensitive to external stimuli. So, they seek more of it. They thrive in large gatherings. They are sociable and quick to assert themselves. In other words, introverts don't need to do dozens of interviews, sit through long meetings, or stay at parties until dawn. A few minutes of conversation, and they've got the gist.

Having gathered the data, introverts dive into analysis and synthesis. This is their strength and, of course, their weakness. They risk losing touch with reality, getting caught up in drawing intricate plans.

Changing oneself is hard, though a little fine-tuning is possible. That's why businesses thrive when partners are an extrovert and an introvert.

However, an alliance of opposites doesn’t form by itself. It demands constant and significant effort from both sides.

Why? The other’s difference can be frightening, irritating, and provoke conflict.

Only a mature person values the creative union of yin and yang.

Sincerely yours,

-Alexander

About me:
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.

How can I help you?
If you've long been trying to understand what is limiting you and/or your business and how to finally give important changes a push, then The Catalyst Session is designed specifically for you. Book it here.

Together Or Alone? /  by Alexander Lyadov

 

Disconnection from our context causes many human problems.

"I am an individual," declares the raindrop on a car hood.

Sure, each of us has a unique mind, body, personality, and so on.

But even your body isn't yours alone. It's a "joint venture" with microbiota. A 70 kg person has about 30 trillion body cells and around 40 trillion microorganisms [​​1​​].

A fish out of water stops being a fish. Photosynthesis in trees is impossible without CO2. The same interdependence exists between us and society, culture, nature, and the cosmos.

In this sense, the idea of a lone individual is nonsense or pride.

For me to write these words, it took the unseen efforts of countless people. They created, maintained, and developed the context—from myths and game theory to plumbing and laptops.

In turn, my words also impact others. Ideally, every person dances with their environment. And as we know, the point of dancing is not the dancers but the dance itself.

Our isolation leads to discord with our environment, i.e. loss of rhythm and stepping on our partner's toes.

For instance, conflicts arise in business when parts of it focus only on themselves. The parts are shareholders, departments, or employees. The company loses its vitality. The dance stops.

What's the solution? Forget yourself for a while.

Shift focus from self to system, environment, and context.

Sincerely yours,

-Alexander

About me:
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.

How can I help you?
If you've long been trying to understand what is limiting you and/or your business and how to finally give important changes a push, then The Catalyst Session is designed specifically for you. Book it here.

Growth Against Entropy /  by Alexander Lyadov

Rest is only possible while the ball rolls by inertia.

You can safely drive over a bridge until it needs major repairs.

A business makes money as long as its model fits the market.

In other words, you always fight entropy, the measure of disorder.

Have you created something valuable?

Entropy immediately starts to break it down:

  • Friction slows things down.

  • Efficiency drops.

  • Bolts loosen.

  • Dust, debris, and errors accumulate.

  • Complacency, corruption, and conflicts arise.

But you still have some time left. Ideally, it's enough to recover, prepare, and strike the ball again.

If your effort matches entropy, the status quo remains. But progress in the future is only possible through sacrifice today.

An entrepreneur with a cash gap plans one day at a time. But the architect Antoni Gaudí planned the Sagrada Família decades ahead, beyond his death.

Thus, we have three sequential goals:

  1. Survive day by day.

  2. Methodically maintain what you already have.

  3. Create maximum value for the future, without rushing.

Sincerely yours,

-Alexander

About me:
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.

How can I help you?
If you've long been trying to understand what is limiting you and/or your business and how to finally give important changes a push, then The Catalyst Session is designed specifically for you. Book it here.

Fear Less, Learn Faster /  by Alexander Lyadov

If grapplers are too aggressive, training loses its meaning. Chaos increases the risk of injury. Fighting becomes conservative. As a result, learning slows down. Mastery doesn't grow.

In some pairs, aggression is off the charts. Either the desire to win is too strong, or the prospect of losing is unbearable.

In such cases, I suggest to my opponent: "Let's make it harder. In addition to trying to win, you have to tap out twice. If you don't manage to tap out, you lose."

The quality of the fight changes drastically. The fear of losing disappears. The match becomes dynamic, inventive, and exciting. We want to experiment. We help each other grow.

This is how paradoxical intention works. This is Viktor Frankl's method of logotherapy. It cures phobias through the attitude: "You must desire with all your heart what you fear most."

This method works in psychotherapy, sports, and business. When faced with something scary or challenging, set a goal: "I must make a specific number of mistakes."

You'll see—getting there will be easier and more fun.

Sincerely yours,

-Alexander

About me:
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.

How can I help you?
If you've long been trying to understand what is limiting you and/or your business and how to finally give important changes a push, then The Catalyst Session is designed specifically for you. Book it here.

Reboot Yourself /  by Alexander Lyadov

Before, when I felt low on energy, I'd quickly stimulate myself with whatever I could find. I used everything:

  • coffee,

  • alcohol,

  • auto-training,

  • sheer willpower,

  • guilt, and more.

Now, I do the exact opposite.

I dive headfirst into it: weakness, drowsiness, fatigue, and so on.

It seems like the dumbest idea. You think, give in and the body will shut down, drifting away for a day, a week, maybe even a month.

And yes, given the green light, your muscles relax, your mind turns off, and your “self” slips into the black depths.

You hear the famous Microsoft Windows XP shutdown ​tune​.

But instead of an endless fall into the abyss, you suddenly touch the bottom. This contact recharges you. You feel an impulse to rise.

This whole transformation takes only 10-20 minutes.

Notice, it required no effort from you. A wise ancient self-regulating mechanism did all the work.

You just needed to trust your body: "Okay, reboot yourself."

By the way, at first, it helps to follow the ​NSDR​ scientific protocol.

Sincerely yours,

-Alexander

About me:
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.

How can I help you?
If you've long been trying to understand what is limiting you and/or your business and how to finally give important changes a push, then The Catalyst Session is designed specifically for you. Book it here.

Daily Patterns /  by Alexander Lyadov

Some readers say this newsletter is a big deal for them. It’s like a little island of stability in a crazy world.

Every day, your inbox cheers you up: "You’ve got mail," just like in that wonderful 1998 film.

Sometimes it hits the mark, sometimes it misses. But a letter will definitely come. Here’s a secret—I need this newsletter just as much. It grounds me. It restores my balance. It partially neutralizes chaos.

Every day, something or someone tries to shake my micro-world. From everyday mishaps to global disasters.

A series of rituals keeps my ship afloat, like the mast, ropes, and sail. Prayer, sweaty workout, cold shower, hearty breakfast, and writing the article. Now, I'm ready for a challenge of the day.

Rituals aren’t trivial—they're the hygiene of body, mind, and soul.

The criterion is simple: you feel better right after doing them. Think of rituals as warming up your engine on a frosty morning.

Add patterns of order when chaos builds up in your life.

Sincerely yours,

-Alexander

About me:
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.

How can I help you?
If you've long been trying to understand what is limiting you and/or your business and how to finally give important changes a push, then The Catalyst Session is designed specifically for you. Book it here.

Implicit Leadership /  by Alexander Lyadov

When people gather together, are they a group? No, they're just a crowd.

Anarchy, lawlessness, and chaos reign. This means suffering is at its peak.

The situation improves a bit if the crowd has a leader. Even if he is weak and many secretly despise him, bad order is better than disorder.

The next level is when the leader inspires fear in his followers. He holds power firmly and punishes the disobedient harshly. This increases the group's security and manageability.

But such efficiency is nothing compared to a Leader who commands respect and love. There's no friction between him and the people. They eagerly follow his orders, trusting his intentions and purpose.

But even this isn't the ultimate.

The true leader is the one who isn't seen but guides everyone.

Lao-Tzu expressed this ideal of leadership perfectly:

“A leader is best when people barely know he exists.
The lesser are loved and praised.
The even lesser are feared.
The least are despised.

Those who show no trust will not be trusted.

The vigilant leader spares his words.
He succeeds, completes his task,
And people say: ‘We did it ourselves."

Sincerely yours,

-Alexander

About me:
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.

How can I help you?
If you've long been trying to understand what is limiting you and/or your business and how to finally give important changes a push, then The Catalyst Session is designed specifically for you. Book it here.

Fruitful Void /  by Alexander Lyadov

No one knows where Wow ideas come from.

Well, people have a hunch, but they feel awkward saying it.

Ideas come from the Void.

Yes, if you think about it as a lack of anything, it sounds silly.

But if you consider it as the unmanifested, the invisible, and the formless, then the word "void" gains a profound meaning.

A blank page can become both nonsense and a masterpiece.

Rich soil can grow both weeds and wheat.

A pot's value isn't in its walls but in the space you can fill.

Nothing contains Everything.

That's why creative people stay connected to the source of the new.

Unlike "sensible" people, they don't cram their days full of "important" tasks.

Creators intentionally make time for doing nothing.

In those gaps, Ideas squeeze through from the Void.

It's thanks to them that worn-out Life gets renewed.

Sincerely yours,

-Alexander

About me:
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.

How can I help you?
If you've long been trying to understand what is limiting you and/or your business and how to finally give important changes a push, then The Catalyst Session is designed specifically for you. Book it here.

The Honest Deal /  by Alexander Lyadov

Pied de Sylvie Guillem, Paris, 1989 © Gilles Tapie 

Lies are like candy, drugs, or alcohol. In the short term, they help us get what we desperately want.

Examples are everywhere:

  • Turbo-boosting your social media profile.

  • Hiring a top HR Director to reduce conflicts.

  • Algorithms to seduce the opposite sex.

  • Miracle shots to turn a flabby butt into a nut.

The problem is, this deceives Reality. It's trying to seem, not to be. You can ignore gravity too, but only for a while.

Let's say black magic helped an impostor climb to the throne. But deep down, he knows he's a fraud, a manipulator, a cheat. This leads to fear of being overthrown and piling up more lies.

A person stops knowing what's fake and what's real. This break from reality turns mistakes into a snowball.

Disaster, or at least a hard landing, is inevitable.

  • An influencer frantically tries to please the crowd.

  • A CEO hears fewer complaints but loses power and control.

  • Sexual conquests don't fill the existential void; they widen it.

  • A BBL butt is making rich doctors.

What's the alternative? Make an honest deal with Reality.

A costly sacrifice today for a generous reward later.

  • Create the greatest value for a chosen few, not for everyone.

  • Identify the root cause of conflicts in the company.

  • Work on yourself to avoid needing to manipulate others.

  • Weave sports into your life to strengthen both body and self.

There are no guarantees; failure can leave even the best with nothing.

But no one offers you a better deal.

Sincerely yours,

-Alexander

About me:
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.

How can I help you?
If you've long been trying to understand what is limiting you and/or your business and how to finally give important changes a push, then The Catalyst Session is designed specifically for you. Book it here.