Beginning My Journey To Mastery

Rock Bottom: The Turning Point

Just over a year ago, I hit rock bottom. My business ran out of capital, I was out of money, and I had been betrayed by people I once considered friends. I lost not just money, but also my sense of meaning and direction. What I once thought was my world crumbled before me, revealing its shallow and fleeting nature. My confidence in myself, my work, and my gifts was replaced with feelings of betrayal, hopelessness, and doubt.

I was hurt and frustrated, carrying narratives and justifications about how others wronged me. I dabbled in self-reflection but mostly played the victim. Deep down, I knew I was heading in a direction I didn’t want to go. I was merely throwing rocks at my goals, dreams, and problems—sometimes hitting the target, but never with lasting impact.

Searching for Direction

I had so much I wanted to achieve, but I lacked a clear map to guide me. I was sticking to my rhythm, occasionally polishing it, but only seeing slight growth. My dreams, visions, and destiny were always just out of reach.

In my quest for growth, both internally and externally, I began writing down what mattered to me. These topics of interest and challenges slowly started to take shape into frameworks and concepts—mental models, principles, and blueprints. I realized that the answer I was seeking wasn’t a single, concrete solution. It was a lifelong path, a journey of continuous evolution.

A Moment of Reflection and Decision

In a moment of deep self-reflection, I realized that the patterns of immense highs and lows, and surrounding myself with what felt real and special but ended up being short-lived and superficial, had to stop. I decided to do things differently.

Rock bottom gave me the gift of clarity. I saw what was real and what was false, and I had what felt like all the time in the world to start over. I thought to myself, "I might as well take it seriously and design who I need to be and become to live the life I want, now and throughout my life."

The Frameworks That Guided Me

As I compiled these insights, I noticed that life’s problems and challenges became teachers, and the journey itself was the lesson. The quick fix, I realized, didn’t exist. If anything, quick fixes often led to regression rather than progression. They offered immediate safety, pleasure, and validation but rarely provided lasting value. I decided to escape this cycle and commit to a path of deeper understanding.

So, I began to develop frameworks to guide my life. I wrote a book called Not a Quick Fix, aiming to share my approach to life and work, and to track the systems and frameworks that had guided me.

The Aspects of Self

One of the frameworks I developed is called the "Aspects of Self," which helps me think about who I am and how I can establish a command center for myself—my human OS. I imagine different control panels, different lenses through which I view life:

• Mind: Thoughts, physical self, and the world around me.

• Mission: Purpose, vision, clarity of action, and clarity in acting.

• Skills: The technical, foundational, and mastery-level skills I need to develop to experience a better life.

• Systems: How I stay productive, creative, and consistent—how I maintain a rhythm that brings everything to life.

This framework ties together my mind, body, and spirit, supporting the development of my communication, emotional awareness, and relationships. It’s a living system that evolves with me, guiding me as I continue on this path.

Creating a Life of Fulfillment

I wanted a life where each day is fulfilling, where I can truly witness my development both in the short and long term. A life where my projects are completed, my goals are reached, and the relationships and interests I cultivate last and provide reciprocal value, compounding exponentially.

With a clearer sense of what I was seeking, I began contemplating how to develop a system that would help me live an optimal life, both now and over time. I started to see myself and my work within frameworks that I could return to, evolve within, and expand upon.

The Path of Self

I developed another framework called "The Path of Self," a continuum that represents the efforts and states of being that shape who we are:

• Practices, Ambitions, Tasks, Habits: These are the daily efforts that drive us forward.

• Purpose, Awareness, Tranquility, Healing: These represent our state of being, the essence of our existence.

By balancing these efforts and states, we can clearly see how we develop as individuals. Our daily practices directly impact our sense of purpose, awareness, tranquility, and healing. It’s a cycle of growth that compounds over time.

Bringing Frameworks to Life

With these frameworks in place, I committed to bringing them to life through action, effort, analysis, and awareness. I started sharing my journey through blog posts, audio sessions, and other creative outlets. This practice not only held me accountable but also allowed me to refine and define what works for me.

Packaging and Sharing Ideas

The process of packaging ideas into final forms—whether through writing, speaking, or creating—became crucial. It’s not just about having ideas but about bringing them to life in a way that can be shared and leave a legacy. The act of taking something from concept to final form is where true growth happens.

Experimenting and Evolving

I began experimenting with my systems, refining my approach, and sharing my results. The concept of "Contemplations" emerged from this process—a practice of recording my thoughts, refining them over time, and eventually bringing them to final form. This practice allowed me to accomplish multiple goals at once, developing my mind, body, and spirit in harmony.

Looking Ahead

The person I am today is far more advanced than the person I was a year ago. And I know that a year from now, I’ll be even further along this path. My systems, tools, and practices are continuously evolving, and so am I. The journey is ongoing, and there is always more to learn and achieve.

The Selfless Path

Focusing on the self is often seen as selfish, but in reality, it’s the most selfless thing you can do. By working on yourself, you become better equipped to serve others. It’s like putting on your oxygen mask first before helping others—you can’t give what you don’t have.

As I continue to develop these frameworks and share my journey, I’m reminded that the path of self-mastery is never a quick fix. It’s a lifelong pursuit, filled with growth, learning, and evolution. And through this process, I aim to create a life that is fulfilling, impactful, and truly my own.

Thank you for joining me on this journey. I look forward to sharing more insights, lessons, and stories as we continue to grow together on the path to mastery.