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A WORD FROM OR SPONSOR

The Founder 60 Substack is the official newsletter of the Founder 60 pitch competition, where they roast, toast, and promote founders and venture capitalists. If you are an entrepreneur or just looking for some fun entertainment, this is the Substack for you. Click here to subscribe.

THE GAPING HOLE

“The big problem of any young person's life is to have models to suggest possibilities. Nietzsche says, 'Man is the sick animal.' Man is the animal that doesn't know what to do with itself. The mind has many possibilities, but we can live no more than one life. What are we going to do with ourselves?”-Joseph Campbell, The Power of Myth

We exist in a void. Lacking role models and stories to drive us, we instead follow influencers and gurus who are only interested in enriching themselves. Rather than provide value, they provide drama. Instead of caring about their message, they are obsessed with their follower count. With no other option, the masses follow and consume.

Yet we still continue to suffer.

This will continue until we restore our umbilical cable to our own myth. Without it, we are cut off from stories and characters that can drive us to the heights of our potential.

Myth plays a crucial role in personal development as it serves as a timeless reservoir of wisdom, guiding us through the complexities of life's journey. At its core, myth embodies universal truths, archetypal characters, and enduring themes that resonate across cultures and generations. By restoring our mythological connection, we can gain profound insights into the human condition.

This is needed now, more than ever.

We cannot allow ourselves to fall victim to the degenerate influencers and gurus who seek to provide value but are only trying to rob us of our time and attention. We cannot become lost in the sea of social media trivialities, where we lose valuable time and energy. We can no longer wait for a better moment to take charge of our lives.

The time is now.

“The tragedy of life is not that it ends so soon, but that we begin it so late.”-William Mather Lewis

RESTORE YOUR CONNECTION

“Man seems to be unable to live without myth, without the belief that the routine and drudgery, the pain and fear of this life have some meaning and goal in the future.”-Alan Watts

Myths provide a framework for understanding and navigating life's challenges. Through the narratives of heroes, gods, and mythical creatures, we can find inspiration and guidance in overcoming obstacles, confronting fears, and embracing personal growth. They open up a world of possibility for us. Myths often depict the hero's journey, a transformative process marked by trials, setbacks, and ultimately, triumph. This journey mirrors the individual's quest for self-realization and fulfillment, empowering them to embark on their own inner odyssey. 

This is what we need now.

Not the funds to travel to exotic locations or a career that allows us to do so. But the ability to travel to the deep undiscovered country of within, where our possibilities are still untapped and are waiting to be discovered.

Our myths serve as a source of inspiration and creativity, stimulating imagination and innovation in personal development. By tapping into the symbolic language of myth, we can unlock our creative potential, dream new possibilities and grow in ways we never thought possible.

The YouTopian Journey itself is a modern myth, standing on the shoulders of giants, where each and every one of us can push past the obstacles and live the life that we truly deserve.

It is my hope that it helps you rediscover your inner myth.

“Everybody acts out a myth, but very few people know what their myth is. And you should know what your myth is because it might be a tragedy and maybe you dont want it to be.”-Carl Jung

WHAT MYTH DO YOU RELATE TO?

What myth holds a special place in your heart? Is there one from your childhood that resonates deeply with you? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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Enjoy.

Let me know your thoughts in the comments. Do you prefer audio? The written word? Or maybe a video? Let me know what you like, what you don’t, and what you want to see going forward.

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Enjoy.

Let me know your thoughts in the comments. Do you prefer audio? The written word? Or maybe a video? Let me know what you like, what you don’t, and what you want to see going forward.

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Shaun

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A WORD FROM OUR SPONSORS

Inspirele, developed by Nareen Sidhu, a Harvard Business School alumna, is an educational platform for women taking unconventional paths to entrepreneurship (e.g. bootstrapping or starting a business part-time). Following a successful pilot, Inspirele is focused on building awareness & community this year through a free weekly newsletter featuring expert insights & 100 Stories of successful women entrepreneurs. Join the Inspirele movement by subscribing to this newsletter and social channels for updates, resources, and connections with like-minded women determined to shape their own destinies.

ONE SINGLE ACTION

“There is no reality except in action. Man is nothing else than his plan; he exists only to the extent that he fulfills himself; he is therefore nothing else than the ensemble of his acts, nothing else than his life.”-Jean-Paul Sartre, Existentialism is a Humanism

Nothing matters.

Not your hopes. Not your dreams. Not your ideals.

They are powerless without action behind them.

And you must take that action to change your life for the better.

Understand that one single action has the remarkable power to catalyze profound positive change in our lives, akin to a pebble creating ripples that extend far beyond its initial impact. Whether it is the simple act of pursuing a healthier lifestyle or taking a chance on a business idea, your one single action can make all the difference.

The journey towards a better life begins with a single decision. This one single action sets in motion a series of transformative events. By recognizing the potential impact of our choices, we can harness the power of intentionality to shape our destinies and create positive change that resonates far beyond ourselves.

How do I know this to be the case? Because I took action when I had the idea for YouTopian Journey.

I never had a newsletter.

I was not a content creator.

I simply wanted to do something positive and act on this idea I had, one which could change the world for the better.

Never did I think that my one single action would impact so many people nor could I have imagined that the YouTopian Journey would end up as a case study in a book, specifically this book.

I am beyond thrilled to see my Substack journey and content in a book that will be required reading for classes in universities around the world. All of this resulted from a single action to take the plunge into the unknown.

And you can do this as well.

No matter what it is that you are thinking about, nothing will happen unless you take action to make it real. People waste their lives waiting for the stars to align and the right moment to begin.

But there never is a right moment.

The economic circumstances aren’t favorable.

There is too much happening at work.

Life at home is just too busy.

People remain idle, rotting away in the hope that their perfect moment will arrive.

Don’t make this mistake.

Take action now and I promise your life will change for the better.

“I’m not in a contest with anybody, have no thoughts about immortality, don’t give a damn about it. It’s the ACTION while you’re alive. The gate springing open in the sunlight, the horses plunging through the light…the glory is in the motion and the dare. Death be damned. It’s today and today and today. Yes.”--Charles Bukowski

THANK YOU

Thank you so much for being here. Whether you are a new subscriber or you have been reading YouTopian Journey for years, I appreciate each and every one of you. There are a lot of amazing things on the horizon, including an animated series, a show focused on personal growth, and so much more. None of this would be possible without your support.

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THE WASTE LAND

“The Waste Land, then, is the land of people living inauthentic lives, doing what they think they must do to live, not spontaneously in the affirmation of life, but dutifully, obediently, and even grudgingly, because that is the way people are living.”-Joseph Campbell, Romance of the Grail: The Magic & Mystery of Arthurian Myth.

There are many ways to describe society today, none of them good. Our senses are assaulted with infinite information. The news never stops. People only seem to be getting worse. The world in general is not the place we thought it would be.

There is only one way to describe the world of 2024.

A waste land.

A waste land of opinions, wannabe thought leaders, gurus, influencers, bosses, clowns, and experts. All want your attention. All want to be right.

Make no mistake about it. We are living in a modern waste land.

Where society has become inauthentic.

Where people are driven by the same values.

Where you simply don’t belong.

But there is an escape.

The goal. The journey.

This is what gives you an escape.

It is a reason to step outside the comfort zone, to seek something larger than yourself, to forge your own path to a destiny of your own choosing.

It isn’t the result of some retreat or free e-book or mastermind session.

The journey is the result from something deep within, something that is stirring you to action, because you know you are meant for more.

You understand that something isn’t right. You begin to see through the falsehoods that have been perpetuated for as long as you could remember. More importantly, you realize that nothing will change without you taking action.

Nothing will happen for you unless you take the leap of faith.

The world will not change its ways for you.

Only you can change yourself.

Only you can begin the journey to become who you are meant to be.

“The modern world will not be punished. It is the punishment.” -Nicolás Gómez Dávila

NAVIGATION NEEDED

“They thought that it would be a disgrace to go forth as a group. Each entered the forest at a point that he himself had chosen, where it was darkest and there was no path. If there is a path it is someone else's path and you are not on the adventure.”-Joseph Campbell, The Hero's Journey: Joseph Campbell on His Life & Work

Beginning the journey through the waste land is no easy task. You must forge your own path through the darkness and this requires an important skill, one that you were never taught.

The ability to navigate.

You must possess this skill.

You must know how to navigate people. Like hazards at sea, you need to know who to avoid and who to seek out. You need to flee from the toxic harbors and instead seek shelter where you can resupply and prepare for the oncoming storm.

You must know how to navigate careers. With the pace of technological advancement, you must be prepared to navigate between future opportunities and obsolete industries. You need to know which port is safe for you to sail to.

You must know how to navigate ideas. We are bombarded with ideas from our screens, from our peers, and from our authority figures. It is madness to adopt them all. You must navigate these ideas, following your internal compass and your own direction. Take in what you think is useful and discard the rest. This is more difficult than it sounds.

You must know how to navigate opportunities. You cannot remain still, rotting away until something extraordinary happens to you. Nothing extraordinary will happen unless you take action to make it so. Opportunities are available, provided you can navigate your way to the ones which are right for you.

You must know how to navigate the fraudsters, gurus, and influencers who attempt to beckon you with their false promises. Don’t be sucked into the latest crypto coin, stock, forex, course offering, or whatever the latest scheme is. You will save yourself the inevitable grief and financial loss you will encounter.

You must know how to navigate the endless opinions of others. People will always comment. They will always share their thoughts on your journey. They will be quick to offer an opinion but nothing else. These opinions are like the sirens of myth, beckoning you to come close, only to become broken and scattered amongst the jagged rocks.

Ultimately, and most importantly, you must know how to navigate the bullshit. With an election taking place this year here in the U.S, you must be able to navigate the narrative that is being shoved down your throat. Navigate the social media algorithms, the alternative facts, the fake news, the clickbait articles, and the constant stream of filth that awaits.

If navigating life is such an important skill, why were we robbed of it? Why wasn’t it taught to us?

Simple.

Because people are easier to control when following a path provided to them. Instead of taking action and creating their own narrative, their own path, facing danger, risking resources, it is far simpler just to remain on the assembly line of life.

Conform.

Submit.

Obey.

Know your place. Know your student number. Your employee number.

Know where you belong in the hierarchy. Know where you fit in the status quo.

There is a structure to the manufactured life. Don’t you want to follow? Sure you may face doubt, anxiety, dread, and burnout. But that is the price for fitting in.

Don’t you want to pay that price?

Above all, don’t navigate too far from the beaten path.

Because if you do, you may face certain obstacles and uncomfortable truths. Stay in the light. Stay where it is safe. You don’t want to travel through the dark wood.

Who knows what could become of you?

The ability to navigate not only ignores this question, but rejects it. It allows for the formation of new thought processes and ideas that can truly change your life and the lives of others. These new thoughts and ideas could even transform society at large.

But only if you know how to navigate!

“For me the world is weird because it is stupendous, awesome, mysterious, unfathomable; my interest has been to convince you that you must assume responsibility for being here, in this marvelous world, in this marvelous desert, in this marvelous time. I want to convince you that you must learn to make every act count, since you are going to be here for only a short while, in fact, too short for witnessing all the marvels of it.”-Carlos Castaneda, Journey to Ixtlan

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The Guts To Act

“There is no reality except in action. Man is nothing else than his plan; he exists only to the extent that he fulfills himself; he is therefore nothing else than the ensemble of his acts, nothing else than his life.”-Jean-Paul Sartre, Existentialism is a Humanism

It’s 2024.

Do you have the guts to make this year a miracle year?

Because that is what it is going to take.

You no doubt have hopes and dreams.

These are legitimate.

But so does everyone else.

Everyone wants something.

Everyone wants to be someone.

Why are you any different?

What makes you so special? So capable over the countless multitude?

You need an edge. You need an advantage. You need something to make you persevere and go forward.

Forget courage. Forget fortitude. Forget grit.

You need guts.

Only guts lets us take action. Only guts is what will save us.

And guts, my friends, are lacking in our society.

The guts to stop questioning yourself and your abilities.

The guts to ignore what everyone else is saying.

The guts to begin.

The guts to fail at something.

The guts to invest in yourself.

The guts to create.

The guts to get back up and keep going.

The guts to endure the long period of uncertainty.

The guts to live an original life, something that you can truly call your own. This won’t be easy. Not in 2024. Not today. And certainly not tomorrow.

But if you have the guts and the goal, then you have everything you need.

“The world makes way for the man who knows where he is going.”-Ralph Waldo Emerson

Are you original?

“If you don’t try at anything, you can’t fail… it takes back bone to lead the life you want.”-Richard Yates, Revolutionary Road

People are many things but an original human being is not one of them. We are conforming creatures who have a need to belong. The need to be a part of the pack is something which provides safety but at the cost of your own originality.

This is never a fair trade.

Your original authenticity is what makes you truly remarkable, truly unique, and truly your own being. By giving that up, you are exchanging the best part of yourself for safety and comfort.

And this is no time for safety or comfort.

This is 2024.

A new year.

A year for many new opportunities and experiences.

A year for you to embrace who you are and more importantly, who you can be.

If you have the guts to be an original.

This is more difficult than it sounds.

We think we are being original but we are merely conforming to the status quo. We are conforming to who we follow on social media. We are conforming to our peers. We are silencing the inner voice and we are refusing the call.

It takes guts to break free from all of this.

The guts to look your friends in the eye and disagree.

The guts to stay committed to your task while everyone else is out partying.

The guts to not get distracted by the endless news feed of life.

The guts to be an original.

The guts to grow!

No one else can live your life for you. Others may make the attempt to manipulate and control your actions, but no one can live through your experiences and feelings.

You are a unique being who has never existed before and will never exist again.

Your authentic existence is your own and can only truly be defined by you.

If you have the guts!

“I may not be better, but at least I am different.”-Jean Jacques Rousseau

It takes guts to leave the shore

"We must be willing to get rid of the life we've planned, so as to have the life that is waiting for us. The old skin has to be shed before the new one can come."-Joseph Campbell

You won’t find your future by remaining on the shore. You will find safety and routine. Above all, you will find all the trappings of comfort.

And these trappings are difficult to escape. They lull you into a false sense of security. They prevent you from achieving your true potential. There is no need to have guts because there is no need to take action. There is no need for a risk.

You will be able to find everything you need in this land of comfort.

But you won’t find the future you deserve.

Understand that nothing extraordinary will ever happen to you unless you take action.

Unless you have the guts to leave the shore.

There is a huge world of opportunity out there. You can’t see it. But it is there for the intrepid individual who wants to set sail into the unknown and has the guts to take on whatever may come their way.

The unexpected.

The unpredictable.

The unknown.

Is that you?

Are you that individual?

Do you possess the guts to go after what you truly desire?

There is no better time than now. No better year than 2024.

People will say a lot of things about your sudden change. But I promise they won’t say that you are gutless. They won’t say you are cowardly. And above all, they won’t say that you played it safe.

And that is exactly what you want to be known for! A brave soul who is going after what they want, despite what others may think or say.

Go forward!

“So we shall let the reader answer this question for himself: who is the happier man, he who has braved the storm of life and lived or he who has stayed securely on shore and merely existed?”-Hunter S. Thompson

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COWARDICE EVERYWHERE

“If the highest aim of a captain were to preserve his ship, he would keep it in port forever.”-Thomas Aquinas

I want to pose a series of simple but important questions.

What exactly are you waiting for?

Circumstances to be better?

Resources to be plentiful?

The stars to align?

Fortune to bless you?

Some savior to arrive and rescue you?

Or simply just an easy life of endless sunshine?

These are nothing more than excuses! An avoidance of taking on the responsibilities that await you. This kind of thinking is not only futile but could prove dangerous.

This is no time to wait for some miracle over the horizon. The cavalry isn’t coming to the rescue so don’t count on it. There is only your action, your beautiful and daring action!

This is the time to get to work. To make moves. To get going. To set yourself on the journey to achieving the life that you desire, not the one that society has set for you to live.

The time is now.

The time for action.

The time to dare!

The time to be fearless.

We all have thoughts and opinions, but these are worthless in comparison to taking daring action. To go after what is meaningful, even though it may prove difficult and may even seem impossible, is all that matters. This fearless action is required.

Let me repeat that:

This fearless action is required!

Know that opinions and thoughts don’t change anything. Action does. The esteemed do not respect those who have dreams without action and thoughts without a voice. The world is full of countless people who spend their time poorly, wasting hours on social networks and offering their opinions and thoughts. Not a single one of these opinions ever changed the mind of another. But action does. The will to act is powerful. The will to act on your work is the combination of greatness of the mind and the body. Act now!

“He who has overcome his fears will truly be free.”-Aristotle

BE FEARLESS

“The only calibration that counts is how much heart people invest, how much they ignore their fears of being hurt or caught out or humiliated. And the only thing people regret is that they didn’t live boldly enough, and that they didn’t invest enough heart, didn’t love enough. Nothing else really counts at all.”-Ted Hughes

I have written on the importance of boldness before. My stance and opinion has not changed. In fact, it has only strengthened in the face of the personal challenges that I have faced. Understand that boldness is a key trait for success, regardless of professional industry or personal challenge. This boldness is needed now more than ever, especially in the face of our fears, which have only continued to grow.

Why?

Because fears are implanted in your mind and these are difficult to remove with timidity. These fears have become magnified by your peers, the media, rumors, and perhaps your own research. But many people will do anything to escape the notion that boldness is the cure for the disease of fear. They will try breathing exercises, mountain yoga, hypnosis, hire a confidence coach, listen and watch motivational and inspirational videos on YouTube, look to influencers for answers, and pray for relief. None of this matters in the face of a personal choice to boldly attack your fears, to roll the dice and take a chance to personally grow and transform.

Your act of facing your fears is the result of your boldness to do so. The timid are too weak and too squeamish about the prospect. They forever remain caged by fear and this is sad, for the cage is self-made and has no lock. You cannot make this mistake. You must boldly go forward in spite of your fears, attacking them one by one. You must be prepared for the results, despite what they may be.

This could mean facing misfortune.

This could mean facing loss.

This could mean facing ridicule.

This could mean facing the feeling of defeat.

This could mean facing the notion that you have to start over and begin again, despite all of the energy and effort you put forth.

None of these options can be mitigated and they are a requirement for the mandatory metamorphosis of a person who chooses boldness over fear.

How do I know this to be the case? Because like you, I faced many fears.

I faced the prospect of defeat and actual defeat.

I faced ridicule when beginning and loss when experienced.

I faced a lack of resources when I needed them most.

I faced watching the time run out, ever so slowly and always painful to witness.

Ultimately, I faced myself before I took the stage on national television. Fearful, weak, and trembling, I didn’t know if I could go forward, even though a lifelong goal was just moments away. I knew that if I gave up then and gave into my fears at the moment of action, I would regret it for the rest of my life. I would have never forgiven myself for my cowardly and safe decision. I pushed forward past the anxiety and fears that seemed to envelope my entire body. It was the best decision and absolutely worth it.

Now it is your turn.

Your future awaits you. It is legitimate. The path that you are creating with each and every step, each small action, had led you to this. The objective is in sight. Will you stop? Will you pause? Will you turn back? Or will you face your fears, despite how giant and towering they may appear?

The choice is yours. You have come so far. Just by being here, taking time out from your day to read these words instead of wasting your time on something trivial, you are proving a point.

You want to be more.

Become more.

Are more.

Don’t let these fears hold you back.

Endeavor to boldly become braver, stronger, and better than you are today. Your fears will diminish in the face of such courage. You will grow because of it. And looking back on your actions, you will realize just how powerful you are.

Go forward and do what you are afraid to do!

“There is nothing with which every man is so afraid as getting to know how enormously much he is capable of doing and becoming.”-Søren Kierkegaard

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Hi friends. Welcome to the YouTopian Journey. Today’s issue discusses why you must leave mediocrity behind as we enter 2024.

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YOU CANNOT STAY MEDIOCRE

“The danger of the past was that men became slaves. The danger of the future is that men may become robots.”-Erich Fromm, The Sane Society

2023 is ending. We are entering a world where AI will be omnipresent, geopolitical changes will be constant, economic troubles may only increase, and the future is uncertain.

In other words, the status quo.

The only way to break free from this status quo is to cut the chord of mediocrity. To end average. This is paramount for not only being successful, but maintaining a measure of sanity.

And to break free from the chains of mediocrity, you must leave the mediocre majority behind. This herd will only hold you back. Call it what you want. The herd, the tribe, the mob, the masses of conformity that make up the majority of society. The people that tell you to play it safe, to follow directions, to stay in your lane, to never rock the boat. They don’t have a path because they are too busy blindly following the path of others. If they are not in a position of authority, they appoint themselves to one. The “Karens” who insist, the mediocre who desire a position of power but do not have the skills to obtain it. The mentally fragile who believe themselves strong. The cowards who think themselves brave. The stupid who think themselves intelligent. They must have their voice heard, even when their words cut like a knife to the one who seeks to walk their own path. This is often the result of unlived life, of chances untaken, and of gifts not properly used, a dangerous and potent mix. 

Yet, leave them behind you must.

The world is only going to get more difficult. Competition is only going to increase.

2024 will belong to those who leave average behind. Who desire to be more.

Who don’t wish to be defined as mediocre.

Is that you?

If so, you must be prepared for the road ahead.

"The more stupid and mediocre the masses, the more mercilessly do they persecute those who are simple enough to strive to mitigate their mediocrity and stupidity"-Charles Richet, The Follies of Mankind

STRIVE FOR MORE

"The man who fears ridicule will never go far, for good or ill: he remains on this side of his talents, and even if he has genius, he is doomed to mediocrity."-Emil Cioran

If you want to be more, then you must act the part.

Success doesn’t come easy. There is a cost. The road you pave is filled with obstacles. The tolls you encounter must be paid.

There is no negotiation.

You must pay.

This price cannot be avoided. It cannot be faked. It cannot be postponed.

The mediocre believe it can. They buy followers. They use AI to generate their thoughts. They make themselves look like experts.

But this quickly falls apart when they encounter friction of any kind.

Understand that you cannot cut corners with excellence. Only the average want shortcuts. You however, do not.

If you want to be an expert, then you will need to accumulate knowledge.

If you want to be successful, then you will need to work for it.

If you want to be known for something, then you will need the accomplishments to back it up.

Leaving mediocrity behind requires countless hours dedicated to your goal. This means sacrificing leisure time, hobbies, and personal relationships. It means focusing on your work while everyone else is having fun. It means staring at the blank screen rather than scrolling through social media. Late nights, early mornings, and weekends spent working become the norm. While you can outsource much of the work, you cannot mitigate all of it. Your new squad will bear the names, stress, anxiety, and burnout. Your new colors will be black and blue.

2024 demands this of you. If you aren’t up to the task, I can promise you that someone else is.

Someone else wants to be at a different place in their life, their career, and their world.

Someone else isn’t binging their life away.

Someone else isn’t scrolling to oblivion.

Someone else isn’t making excuses.

Someone else isn’t setting limits to the frontiers of their possibilities.

Someone else isn’t waiting for the right circumstances.

There is nothing stopping you from becoming the person that you are meant to be.

Don’t wait until January 1st.

Begin today.

You will be better for it, I promise.

“The difference between genius and mediocrity is that genius looks at work through a telescope, mediocrity through a microscope; the one sees only possibilities, the other sees only limitations.”-Edward E. Purinton, Efficient Living.

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BEING BUSY IS NOT HONORABLE

"Of all ridiculous things the most ridiculous seems to me, to be busy."-Soren Kierkegaard

It’s everywhere. The busyness of a hectic life. People running from one meeting to the next, filling their calendars with endless activities. Waking up before dawn is preferable to being well rested. Filling the day with work is considered admirable rather than relaxation and deep thought. Ten Zoom meetings is better than three.

They believe a hectic schedule is honorable and that the busiest person is the successful person.

Unfortunately, this isn’t the case.

In the relentless pursuit of tasks and deadlines, people may find themselves trapped in a perpetual cycle of doing, leaving little room for introspection and self-discovery. Their busyness becomes a barrier to the lives that they truly desire.

It leads them on a road with no clear destination.

Understand that being busy can stunt personal growth, meaningful relationships, and can prevent true and transformative work. Rather than being busy in the pursuit of something meaningful, the majority of people are busying themselves with the trivial.

Meetings and calls. Slack channels. Mastermind groups and social media debates.

Nothing of merit is achieved. Nothing noteworthy is built. Many are left feeling mentally fatigued and burned out.

As we end 2023, this behavior needs to stop.

It simply isn’t sustainable.

We must focus on what truly matters to us. We must spend our time like the precious resource that it truly is. We must stop our addiction to the overwhelming schedule, putting what is most important to the side.

Your health and wellbeing depend upon it.

"It is not enough to be busy. So are the ants. The question is: What we are busy about?"-Henry David Thoreau

UNBUSY YOUR MIND. LIVE IN THE MOMENT.

“No pursuit can be successfully followed by a man who is preoccupied with many things, since the mind, when distracted, takes in nothing very deeply, but rejects everything that is, as it were, crammed into it. There is nothing the busy man is less busied with than living.”-Seneca

When you are constantly busy, your own creativity and capacity for personal innovation becomes stifled. The appointments, deadlines, projects, and late nights take the place of deep thinking and reflection. Breakthroughs, personal breakthroughs, come from the free moments. These moments are when the mind is at ease.

Busyness deprives you of this advantage. More importantly, it removes the present moment. The present moment is the only time that we can truly act. It is the only time we can live.

We are too busy to appreciate the present moment.

Too busy to take advantage of the present moment.

And unfortunately, too foolish to use the present moment.

All from our busyness. A busyness that results in a barren life and a barren mind.

I don’t know about you, but when I am asked about 2023, I won’t be praising meaningless meetings. I won’t be bringing up the busy work that resulted in nothing. I won’t be excited or nostalgic for the busy mornings that later turned to busy afternoons.

But I will be proud of the real work I accomplished. I will be happy with the memories. The trips. The books read. The new relationships that were formed. The steps that were taken to a new future.

As you head into 2024, I hope this new mindset will serve you well and unbusy your life and your mind.

“Being too busy has this result: that an individual very, very rarely is permitted to form a heart; on the other hand, the thinker, the poet, or the religious personality who actually has formed his heart, will never be popular, not because he is difficult, but because it demands quiet and prolonged working with oneself and intimate knowledge of oneself as well as a certain isolation.”-Soren Kierkegaard

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A WORD FROM OUR SPONSOR

Startup Shinobi is a new substack whose goal is to help entrepreneurs and investors navigate the startup landscape via comedy.

If you are in the startup world or are just looking to be entertained, I highly recommend subscribing. Learn, laugh, and level up.

P.S.- I am also a contributor based on my experience so I would truly appreciate the support.

Now onto the good stuff.

INFERIOR THOUGHTS

“It is spiritless to think that you cannot attain to that which you have seen and heard the masters attain. The masters are men. You are also a man. If you think that you will be inferior in doing something, you will be on that road very soon.”-Yamamoto Tsunetomo

There is another plague upon us, one that is widespread and insidious. This is not a virulent bacteria but a mental disease that there is no vaccine for.

The proliferation of inferior thoughts, infecting our every action and causing us to be filled with fear and anxiety. Something has changed us. Something has crept into our minds and formed halls of hesitation and fields of doubt. We are easily able to put our faith in another person and their promises (which may seem impossible to achieve), but have become incapable of doing this for ourselves.

We are our own worst critics and biggest doubters, when the opposite should be the truth. Whereas others may believe in us, we find it impossible to believe in ourselves.

We come up with excuses before we even begin.

We lack the resources.

We lack the experience.

We lack the education.

We lack the connections.

We lack the intelligence.

We lack the confidence.

Ultimately, we lack the ability to pursue something meaningful in the face of what others may think of us. We sabotage ourselves before we ever begin the journey.

This is dangerous and could be fatal. When people consistently believe they are inferior or unworthy, they undermine their own efforts and opportunities for growth, both personally and professionally. This self-sabotage can manifest in various ways, such as avoiding challenges, not pursuing goals, refusing to take action, or settling for less than they deserve. Ultimately, it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy, where the inferior thoughts reinforce inferior outcomes.

Thinking inferior thoughts can have a detrimental impact on mental health. Constantly berating oneself and dwelling on perceived shortcomings can lead to anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues. The cycle of negative thinking can become deeply ingrained, creating a persistent pattern that is challenging to break. This negative mental state not only affects your emotional well-being but also your ability to cope with stress and navigate the complexities of life.

Rather than taking responsibility, we begin to blame our circumstances. We blame ourselves, our peers, our coworkers, anyone and everyone that could play a role in our inferior way of thinking.

Understand that it is up to you and only you to change your manner of thinking.

And you must change it immediately.

Because inferior thoughts will not lead you to your goals or dreams. They will not lead to the promised land. Instead, they will lead to ruin.

All great successes stemmed from those who believed they could be achieved. It was the optimists, the people with superior thoughts, who were victorious. Societal progress and innovation requires individuals to have confidence in their abilities and the courage to challenge the status quo. If you think that you are inferior, you not only stifle yourself, but your community. 

“Never accept an inferior position to anyone. It is the strongest spirit that wins, not the most expensive sword.” Miyamoto Musashi

BECOME SUPERIOR

“There is no deed in this life so impossible that you cannot do it. Your whole life should be lived as a heroic deed.”-Leo Tolstoy

You have something legitimate that you want to bring to life, to accomplish and achieve. It may be difficult for you and it may seem downright impossible for others but this should not stop you from going after it.

Those thinking inferior thoughts will give in and give up. They will weigh the pros and cons, coming to believe that nothing of that magnitude can be achieved. They will put it on the back burner and come back to it at a later time. Sadly, they rarely do.

Now the individual motivated by superior thoughts is different. They are more powerful than the common person. They have deep energies within them that will allow them to not only engage in risky behavior, but to keep trying when they fail.

Again, and again.

For what seems like forever.

Until the mountain is climbed. Until the wall is broken through. Until the siege is lifted. Until the goal is reached.

Something must keep one going forward. Something must energize the body and the mind. Something must say yes when everyone and everything says no.

That is a superior way of thinking.

Taking the step forward when others would shudder at the thought. Jumping across the gap when others would shirk at the obstacle. Believing in yourself when you are the only one. Staying positive when the world is negative. Continuing to hope when hope has become an impossibility.

That is the power of superior thoughts.

That is the power that will change your life.

You have this power.

Use it!

“All men are the same except for their belief in their own selves, regardless of what others may think of them.”-Miyamoto Musashi

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THE VOID

"Man would rather have the void for his purpose than to be void of purpose" - Friedrich Nietzsche

We all face it.

The inner hole that must be filled. The missing piece of the puzzle. Something that can’t be seen but that can be felt, the weight of which seems to grow heavier by the day.

The void.

The void may stem from unmet needs, unresolved traumas, or a lack of connection to one's true self. It's a subjective and deeply personal experience, making each individual's void unique.

Not a single thing drives us as much as filling the void. We will do anything, no matter how ridiculous, to fill this void. The alternative, the sense of emptiness and dissatisfaction, is too painful. Left alone, this void will impact all aspects of our lives. Relationships, careers, and our self-esteem.

We will join movements that we know nothing about just to belong.

We will enter careers that don’t reflect what we truly want in order to have something to do.

We will flood social media with our opinions, no matter if we are right or wrong. We must be heard.

We will lose ourselves in virtual worlds, killing time with entertainment.

We will drink until we can’t remember in an attempt to break free from the clutches of the void.

We will do everything in order to escape these feelings. Everything except the hard work required that could properly make us whole.

Self-discovery.

Introspection,

Intentional actions aimed at aligning our life with our own values and aspirations.

Values and aspirations defined by us.

To do so is to become a void walker, and ultimately, a void shaper. Failure to do so and one faces the chaos that results from an unmet need. Chaos that plays out in our lives.

“All sins are attempts to fill voids.”-Simone Weil

BECOME A VOID SHAPER

"There are three musts that hold us back: I must do well. You must treat me well. And the world must be easy."-Albert Ellis

To shape and fill our inner void, we must have the ability to dare. We must go forward, no matter the difficulties. We must understand our innate ability to shape and transform our inner void, turning it into a source of personal empowerment and growth. We must be proactive and intentional, or else the emptiness will eat us. A true YouTopian recognizes that the inner void is not a fixed state but rather a malleable aspect of one's psychological and emotional landscape.

As a void shaper, you must take charge of your inner narrative and actively engage in the process of self-discovery. This involves mapping the vast and unknown territory within. Only through this discovery can you begin to understand the origins of your dissatisfaction, confronting the underlying fears, and embracing your personal vulnerabilities. This is unique to each and every one of us.

You must set and pursue meaningful goals that contribute to a sense of purpose and fulfillment. By crossing the void, you uncover hidden powers and in order to unlock these powers and truly grow as a person, you must leave your comfortable life behind.

This isn’t as simple as it sounds.

You must accept looking like a fool because you may not have the answers.

You must face defeat because you lack experience.

You must leave behind the familiar for the unknown.

This is how our inner treasure is discovered. An entire galaxy that can be uncovered and brought into the world. This galaxy will not only benefit you, but your peers, your community, and even your society.

In essence, being a void shaper is about taking an active and empowered stance in the face of inner emptiness.

This is the only way to resolve the void and avoid the emptiness and chaos of life.

You must cultivate your resilience.

You must change your mindset.

You must focus on yourself.

And you must possess the courage and the guts to do so.

The result is a fulfilling and purpose-driven life that will yield more rewards than any momentary attempt at filling the void.

Seek to become a void shaper and I promise you will be better off because of it.

“We become aware of the void as we fill it.”-Antonio Porchia

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Did you use 2023? Or did you waste it?

“Most people these days are so spiritless, so deserted by grace. Lost in this life they cling to this life, out of nothing they become nothing, their life is a waste.”-Soren Kierkegaard

In less than two months, 2023 will be over.

Gone.

Finished.

The future becoming the past.

It takes with it the possibilities of tomorrow. It leaves you with questions. Painful quandaries that the multitude avoids.

But that you cannot.

What did you do this year? How did you spend it? Did you make choices that benefited you? Your career? Your future? Or did you squander it? Did you waste the year in the pursuit of the illusory? Did you make choices that had no effect and made no difference at all?

These may be difficult questions to answer. After all, no one wants to reflect on investments that didn’t pay, but cost.

And time is the biggest and most important investment we could ever make.

These questions will be uncomfortable.

They will make you question your actions, your past, your present, and your future.

Yet, answer them, we must!

Our time is the only true resource we have and that we can properly use. But so many people waste it. They delay and delay and delay. But you cannot and must not delay forever.

It will catch up to you.

And then what?

What is left?

Regret. Depression. Anger.

No positive feelings and nothing that can help you move forward. After all, it is hard to climb out of the abyss, especially if you are the one responsible for arriving there.

It is a hard thing to admit. We will protect our reputations, our careers, our friends, and our families. We will fight for king, for country, for our property, and our way of life.

But our time is rarely defended. It is given freely when it should be protected at all costs. We busy ourselves, falsely believing that productivity equals time well spent. Constantly on the move, we never take a moment to truly think about what we want and need. There is always some task, some meaningless objective, some meeting that we must attend.

We think this will result in a good use of our time, one that will lead us closer to our goals.

It doesn’t.

Instead, it only feeds the beast that stalks us all.

Think about it:

How many meetings this year actually made a difference in your life?

How many activities truly benefited you? Your health? Your life?

How many connections were life changing?

This cannot stand.

It isn’t too late to change.

It isn’t too late to make a choice and make a stand.

To decide on what you want and take action to get it.

To stop confusing the busyness of life with the business of life.

To take back your time and make sure that 2024 will be the best year of your life.

It is that simple and that difficult. Ultimately, only you can do it. Only you can take responsibility.

Here is how.

First and foremost, you must stop wasting your time.

Focus on what is most important to you and give that all of your attention.

Stop wasting away on the trivial. Stop constantly questioning yourself and your actions.

No more binging shows you aren’t interested in. No more following the herd. No more wasting time on meetings that won’t result in anything fruitful.

No more living for some ideal that social media promotes but that doesn’t exist.

Instead, create your own ideal.

Decide on what you want and take action.

Become the person you want to be, utilizing every moment of your time to get there.

It won’t be easy, but it will be worth it.

“Can you remember who you were, before the world told you who you should be?” -Charles Bukowski

The VOW of NOW

"From this instant on, vow to stop disappointing yourself. Separate yourself from the mob. Decide to be extraordinary and do what you need to do – now.”-Epictetus

There will never be a better time than the present moment to act. Circumstances may change, but that is to wait for sunshine on a cloudy day and we need every available moment.

The multitude foolishly continue to waste their most precious resource. They squander it at every turn. They want to free themselves of the responsibilities of a troubled existence, but at the same time remove the opportunities and possibilities that are found within those troubles.

It is far easier to march along with the herd. To wither away. To waste your time on the trivial. To take the long walk into oblivion, never to return.

Next week you will start.

Next month will be the perfect time.

Next year, I promise.

On and on, forever remaining still.

Do not make this mistake. This path is comfortable and easy, but it is never a worthy exchange for a life where you can command your time and use it for something worthwhile.

Take a vow of now and act!

You don’t need to wait until the clock strikes midnight on New Year’s Eve.

You don’t need to wait until your friends are ready.

And you certainly don’t need to wait for permission.

It begins at this moment.

Forget the excuses.

Forget waiting for the right circumstances, they don’t exist.

Forget the holidays and the season and the weather.

All that matters is your ability to act in the present moment, in spite of the difficulties.

The future we desire is legitimate. Our goals are legitimate. But it requires acting in the present, at this very moment, to bring that future to reality.

It comes down to you and where you stand.

Do you stand in the present moment? Are you ready to take action and use your time? Will you be able to continue even though the investment of your time may result in failures? Setbacks? Anxiety and misfortunes? And ultimately, the possibility of success and victory?

Begin now, and together, we can transform your present into a future that you deserve.

“Although this may be a most difficult thing, if one will do it, it can be done. There is nothing that one should suppose cannot be done.”-Tsunetomo Yamamoto, Hagakure: The Book of the Samurai

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LIVE YOUR OWN LIFE

“It’s a hell of a responsibility to be yourself. It’s much easier to be somebody else or nobody at all.”-Slyvia Plath

Growing up, one of the insults I would always hear would be to “get a life.” While childish and meaningless, this was a cause of real concern as all of the “good lives” were already taken and being lived.

This left only one course of action, to accept the reality of the situation.

You have to live your own life.

This can be daunting.

You cannot emulate someone else. Try as you might, you cannot be a carbon copy of another individual.

You must live your own life.

Not the life according to your parents, your peers, or even your society.

But the life that you desire.

This isn’t an easy path. In fact, this will be one of the most difficult things one can do. It is precisely why so many people avoid the responsibilities of reality. The requirements are too difficult and too daunting.

And what are those requirements?

Grit.

Movement.

Desire.

And most importantly, COURAGE.

These requirements, especially courage, are hard to come by in our age of lethargy and conformity. Where our movements and actions are broadcasted to the world, where strangers judge us and our friends and family may not even offer their support. Nevertheless, you must possess these requirements. This is worth repeating.

You must possess them!

The greatest among us have always gone against the culture that birthed them and forged their own path. They understood the burden of responsibility that came with this course of action. They faced loneliness, ridicule, insults, and worse.

But they kept moving forward.

And you can as well.

But you must have the courage to accept the reality that is before you. You cannot escape into the world of fantasy to avoid your responsibilities. You must keep moving forward. Eventually, your actions will bear fruit.

You will come to see the results of your actions.

You will come to realize that your reality is malleable and that your future can be altered by the course that you set. Thus, you must set a good course and have the courage to follow it through until the end.

“Life is a series of collisions with the future; it is not the sum of what we have been, but what we yearn to be.”-Jose Ortega y Gasset

AVOID COWARDICE AND LIVE NOW

“You are capable of more than you know. Choose a goal that seems right for you and strive to be the best, however hard the path. Aim high. Behave honorably. Prepare to be alone at times, and to endure failure. Persist! The world needs all you can give.”-E. O. Wilson

One of the major themes of YouTopian Journey is taking action.

Why?

Because action is what alters reality. The actions you take today will change what happens tomorrow. The vows you make, the thoughts you act upon, all have an effect on your future. But if this is the case, why do so many lack action? Why are so many taking a passive approach to life?

Cowardice.

Our society is based on cowardice. Its institutions are based on it. We give children participation trophies so there is no need for real risk. We transform minor wins into world altering victories so that we can feel better about ourselves. We encourage safety over risk-taking behavior. We fence in the horizons, replacing the loftiest goals with minor achievements and meaningless awards.

You must not fall prey to this.

You are more powerful than you know.

You can alter your reality in ways that you never thought possible.

You can not only bear the burden of the responsibilities placed upon you, but can lighten the load for others.

You have this power.

Take up the mantle of responsibility and go after what you desire.

Do not give into the pressures and comments of the crowd.

Dream big and act on those dreams.

Accept the reality of your situation and responsibility for your life and actions. No one else can and no one else will!

And above all, don’t let it all slip through your fingers.

“Man has it all in his hands, and it all slips through his fingers from sheer cowardice.”-Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Crime and Punishment

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THE BATTLE THAT IS LIFE

“I don't quite know what we're doing on this insignificant cinder spinning away in a dark corner of the universe. That is a secret which the high gods have not confided in me. Yet one thing I believe and I believe it with every fibre of my being. A man must live by his lights and do what little he can and do it as best as he can. In this world goodness is destined to be defeated. But a man must go down fighting. That is the victory. To do anything less is to be less than a man.”-Walker Percy, The Moviegoer

The clock is winding down.

Not just on this quarter.

Not just on this year.

But on our lives.

This is a sunset that will not have a dawn.

All we have is now. All we have is the battle.

Years ago, I introduced the concept of the Time Eater, the Chronophage, the beast that stalks us all.

This is just one of the many villains we face. Yet this figure serves as the memento mori of not just YouTopian Journey, but of our existence.

And is the primary villain that we must all fight.

Including you.

Understand that your time is fleeting. It will slip through your most protective defenses and easily become harvested, never to return. Most never even make an attempt at having such defenses. What should be protected by high walls and impregnable defenses is left wide open and given freely. The multitude lose their most precious resource and have little to show for it except old age and regret.

This is the battle.

And you must not lose.

YOU MUST NOT.

You must set your goals and go after them. You cannot become trapped in the endless cycle of distraction.

You are more than capable of fighting such a battle. Even more encouraging, you are more than capable of winning. So many people have fought the very same battle, going against the opinions of their peers, the obstacles in their path, and the distractions and obligations that seek to rob them of their time.

They have emerged victorious.

You can emerge victorious.

The future we desire is legitimate. Our goals are legitimate. But it requires acting in the present, at this very moment, to bring that future to reality. It requires an acceptance of the battle that must be fought.

And you must fight it!

So many understand this yet fail to act on this understanding.

They refuse to fight the battle and lose the war. They put off to tomorrow what needs to be done today. They engage in meaningless tasks in order to have the illusion of meaning. The busyness and sameness of everyday life replaces the inner striving and inner conflict that is required to not only fight the battle, but win.

It is far easier to boast, brag, and fake your life than to fight the required battle. This is why social media is so harmful and yet paradoxically so popular at the same time. It shows people a life they could have without the blood, sweat, tears, effort, and sacrifice that is required to obtain that life. Much better and easier to avoid the fight, take a selfie, find an inspirational quote, and live for the moment.

Not act in the moment, but live for it. These are two different concepts.

Living for the moment only postpones the inevitable. Before you know it, your time will be gone, and your existence with it.

But acting for the moment allows for a reaction to take place. Action results in action, leading to new paths being forged and new opportunities discovered. It is only by acting in the present that you can have the future that you desire. This is how you will achieve your victory. Not by avoiding the battle, but by seeking it, acting upon it, and moving forward.

Cowards flee from the battle while the anxious put it off for another day. Yet the person who acts has the initiative and the power. The person who takes action for their future takes a role in shaping it.

Be that person.

Be the person who has a desire, a dream, a fantasy that they want to bring to reality. They know the battle that awaits yet they press forward.

Be the person who knows their time is limited and that every day must count.

Be the person who wants to look back on where they started and marvel at their own achievements, which were hard fought and hard won.

Be the person that can be the role model that this society needs.

Take action today and I promise you that you will have a better tomorrow, despite the obstacles and difficulties that lay in your path.

You deserve that future in your mind and we deserve you.

Prepare for battle!

Set aside the distractions that plague you. Remove yourself from the various news feeds that command your attention. Silence the notifications and alerts. Unplug yourself from a culture that demands your binging rather than creating. Focus on what is important. Win the battle within and I promise you that your future will be one full of promise and reward.

“Your battles inspired me-not the obvious material battles but those that were fought and won behind your forehead.”-James Joyce

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THE CHOICE

“In any given moment we have two options: to step forward into growth or to step back into safety.”-Abraham Maslow

Safety is something we all desire. Make no mistake, we want safe careers, safe relationships, safe knowledge, and safe environments.

But this desire for safety has an insidious effect on us.

It removes the risk taking behavior that is needed for personal growth, personal achievement, and a life that we can truly call our own.

Understand that no one who ever played it safe, who followed the rules, or who had a perfect attendance record, ever changed the world. They never did anything remarkable. They never got noticed.

Their existence remained a blank page in the dull book of life.

But the intrepid among us? Those who can see past the illusions of safety?

They are the heroic.

They seek not safety, but growth.

True growth that comes from making mistakes, appearing foolish, taking chances, and failing.

Failing more times than they can count. More times than many wish to admit.

Building resilience from these failures. Growing personally and professionally.

And the best part?

You can be heroic as well.

You can choose to be uneasy. Uncomfortable.

To venture into the unknown.

The choice is yours.

“Life is an ongoing process of choosing between safety (out of fear and need for defense) and risk (for the sake of progress and growth). Make the growth choice a dozen times a day.”-Abraham Maslow

THE PAST CAN’T BE CHANGED BUT THE FUTURE CAN

“To remain in the past means to be dead.”-Jose Ortega Y Gasset

Choosing to grow means choosing to take control of your life.

It means leaving the past behind.

This, however, can be difficult.

Why?

We like the past. We always long to return to a simpler time when life was easy and fun. In the past things made sense. In the present, things seem to be moving too fast and too chaotically. How can we get a grip on everything?

How can we overcome our past failures and start again?

Is growth even possible?

Yes.

It all begins with you.

By making a simple choice to begin and to focus.

You must focus on yourself. Your task at hand. Focus on the horizon and the stars. Focus on everything and anything that brings you one step closer to your goals.

Anything that diminishes you, that gives you cause for concern, that makes you hesitant, isn’t worth your time.

And your past failures, as much as you may have learned from them, aren’t worth your time.

Thinking about them constantly will only bring you pain and make you hesitate.

This hesitation begins to compound. Before you know it, you are stagnant, both in your life and your career. The world continues to turn but you have remained still. Not growing, but shrinking.

You cannot let this happen.

You must push forward and keep pushing, never letting your past failures determine your future successes.

You must keep pushing and not give in. The truly successful among us all have one trait in common. They kept going no matter the circumstances or what stood in their way. Their persistence overcame the resistance.

They grew into giants.

This is up to you and you alone. The true measure of a person is not their attitude and actions when a person is successful, but when they are facing the indomitable impossibilities that lie before them. It is easy to hop on the bandwagon when things are going well and the sun is shining, but what about when one is in the middle of the worst storm imaginable?

And make no mistake about it, the storms are on the horizon. Looking to the past, constantly reexamining yourself and your actions, will not help you face the storm in the present.

This storm is dangerous and transformative. It holds both the possibility of shipwreck and the opportunity for success in reaching your goals.

Do you flee into the safety of the past and watch the storm go by? A past where you refused to grow. A past where you have already failed and rather not face the coming storm.

Or do you bravely embrace the present moment and go forward? Using the learnings of your failures to reach the growth that will change your life for the better.

You know what to do.

Make the right choice!

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I wanted to share with you some of my favorite quotes. In these trying times, these quotes can truly elevate you and your perspective. More importantly, they can keep you on the path.

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YouTopian Journey requires a lot of research. I am constantly reading, both for knowledge and action. Whenever I find a quote that I believe is valuable, I add it to a Google document. I started this during the pandemic and the document is now 200 pages and growing. I quote everyone from philosophers to poets, psychologists to generals. Whatever I think could personally benefit you.

Feel free to copy them and use them however you want.

It is my hope that these quotes inspire, motivate, and ultimately allow you to take action toward your goals. They are in no particular order and if just one helps you, then my job is done.

BEFORE WE BEGIN

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QUOTES TO LIVE BY

“There is no reality except in action. Man is nothing else than his plan; he exists only to the extent that he fulfills himself; he is therefore nothing else than the ensemble of his acts, nothing else than his life.”-Jean-Paul Sartre, Existentialism is a Humanism

"I have had dreams and I have had nightmares, but I have conquered my nightmares because of my dreams."-Jonas Salk

“I am not afraid of storms, for I am learning how to sail my ship.”-Louisa May Alcott

“The best way to lift one’s self up is to help someone else.”-Booker T. Washington, The Story of My Life & Work

“A great pleasure in life is doing what people say you cannot do.”-Walter Bagehot

“Vacation means nothing till vocation means everything.”-Edward E. Purinton, Efficient Living.

“We hardly ever realize that we can cut anything out of our lives, anytime, in the blink of an eye.”-Carlos Castaneda, Journey to Ixtlan

“The language of society is conformity: the language of the creative individual is freedom. Life will continue to be a hell as long as the people who make up the world shut their eyes to reality.”-Henry Miller

“Do you believe in bravery? I like to see it anywhere, in animals, birds, reptiles, humans. Why? Why? It makes me feel good. It’s a matter of style in the face of no chance at all.”-Charles Bukowski

“There exists no more repulsive and desolate creature in the world than the man who has evaded his genius and who now looks furtively to left and right, behind him and all about him. He is wholly exterior, without kernel, a tattered, painted bag of clothes.”-Friedrich Nietzsche, Untimely Meditations

“Diogenes said that true pleasure lies in having one’s soul in a calm and cheerful state, and that without that, the riches of a Midas or Croesus will bring no benefit…”  -Diogenes, Sayings and Anecdotes

“Life is an unfoldment, and the further we travel the more truth we comprehend.”-Hypatia

“Everyone lets the present moment slip by, then looks for it as though he thought it were somewhere else.”-Yamamoto Tsunetomo

“Without deviation from the norm, progress is not possible.”-Frank Zappa

“It’s a hell of a responsibility to be yourself. It’s much easier to be somebody else or nobody at all.”-Slyvia Plath

“My life is more to me than all the wealth of Ilius”-Homer, The Iliad

“No pursuit can be successfully followed by a man who is preoccupied with many things, since the mind, when distracted, takes in nothing very deeply, but rejects everything that is, as it were, crammed into it. There is nothing the busy man is less busied with than living.”-Seneca

“The search is what anyone would undertake if he were not sunk in the everydayness of his own life. To become aware of the possibility of the search is to be onto something. Not to be onto something is to be in despair.”-Walker Percy

“It isn't necessary to imagine the world ending in fire or ice -- there are two other possibilities: one is paperwork, and the other is nostalgia.”-Frank Zappa, Zappa: A Biography

“To find joy in work is to discover the fountain of youth.”-Pearl S. Buck

“If you aspire to the highest place, it is no disgrace to stop at the second, or even the third, place.”-Cicero

“When one lives one’s own life, one must take mistakes into the bargain; life would not be complete without them. There is no guarantee-not for a single moment that we will not fall into error or stumble into deadly peril. We may think there is a sure road. But that would be the road of death. Then nothing happens any longer-at any rate, not the right things. Anyone who takes the sure road is as good as dead.”-Carl Jung, Memories, Dreams, Reflections.

“This is our purpose: to make as meaningful as possible this life that has been bestowed upon us . . . to live in such a way that we may be proud of ourselves, to act in such a way that some part of us lives on. ― Oswald Spengler

And let’s end it with a personal favorite of mine.

“Nobody who says,

‘I told you so’

has ever been,

or will ever be,

A hero.”

-Ursula K. Le Guin

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THE RAGING RIVER

“Nobody can build the bridge for you to walk across the river of life, no one but you yourself alone. There are, to be sure, countless paths and bridges and demi-gods which would carry you across this river; but only at the cost of yourself; you would pawn yourself and lose. There is in the world only one way, on which nobody can go, except you: where does it lead?”-Nietzsche

We all face it.

The raging river.

The moment when we have to leave the familiar behind and enter into the unknown.

This is what separates the authentic from the frauds. You can’t talk your way to the other side. You can’t fake it and make it.

There is only you and you alone. Your desire, your intelligence, your dreams, and your actions.

You will need them all to cross the Sword Bridge.

The Sword Bridge is from Arthurian myth. The hero, Lancelot, encounters it and has no choice but to cross. This is explained beautifully by Joseph Campbell.

We all encounter the Sword Bridge but not everyone has the ability or courage to cross it.

Why?

Because it’s painful. It hurts.

The pain is the result of the unknown, of leaving behind the normal world and the opinions of those who call you foolish, who don’t believe, and who say it can’t be done.

It’s dangerous. One misstep, one false move, and you fall into the raging river below.

You are swept away, drowned by your passions, never able to return to the path you were forging.

The Sword Bridge is only for the heroic.

Is it for you?

Because you cannot hope to achieve anything without the presence of danger.

Without the ability to act.

To bear the burden of the pain.

Failure to do so and you will remain on the shore.

Safe, yes. Comfortable, maybe.

But beneath yourself and what you could accomplish.

“There is a time when it is necessary to abandon the used clothes, which already have the shape of our body and to forget our paths, which takes us always to the same places. This is the time to cross the river: and if we don’t dare to do it, we will have stayed, forever beneath ourselves.”-Fernando Pessoa

MAKE THE JOURNEY

“Whatever there be a progress in life comes not through adaptation but through daring.”-Henry Miller

There is no other way.

No other alternative.

No easy way out.

And this is terribly frightening.

We have our own personas, identities we have established and cling to. We see this in our socials. We are professionals who have already achieved so much and have proven ourselves.

However, to cross the Sword Bridge, to make the journey, all of that means nothing.

That is difficult for the multitude to understand.

In the office, you have power. You have a track record. You have a reputation.

But when you are on the journey, you have none of that.

You aren’t an executive or a teacher or a professional in any capacity.

All you have is the journey. All you are is the journey.

And embarking on the journey is a mandatory metamorphosis for creating the future that you desire.

But it will be difficult. It will be dangerous. It will be damaging.

You need resources. You need a guide. You need the group.

You need help.

Nonsense.

The internet provides everything you could ever need. Every author, general, scientist, poet, philosopher and scholar is just a click away. Resources are there, provided you know how to rely on your own resourcefulness.

All that matters is that you take the very first step. And if you are already on your journey, keep moving forward.

No matter how slow you go, you keep moving forward.

The alternative is unacceptable.

Begin now.

“This is precisely the risk modern man runs: he may wake up one day to find that he has missed half his life.”  -Carl Jung, Practice of Psychotherapy

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THE QUEST AWAITS

“Action springs not from thought, but from a readiness for responsibility.”-Dietrich Bonhoeffer

There is a problem with our society. It is rooted deep and buried within us. It can’t be seen with the naked eye, try as we might.

It isn’t the economy or the government or inflation.

It isn’t the latest fad or technological disruption.

It isn’t the news which seems to get worse every single time we hear about it.

It is our powerlessness. Our feebleness. Our weakness. Our inability to act and our lack of readiness for the responsibilities required.

Ultimately, it is our inability to move forward in spite of the difficulties. We just don’t believe that we can unlock our potential and truly make a mark on this world.

Sure. We can get a new job or start a new career. We can act like we are experts and thought leaders and gurus. We can live the illusion and the falsehood.

Until we can’t.

Until we realize that life continues while we make plans.

Life ends while we are still trying to find out what we are supposed to be doing.

Not what we are told to do.

There is a journey waiting for you.

A QUEST.

And this quest is as old as our species. It lives within us. It awaits us to embark upon it.

To seek out new shores.

To leave our comfort zone.

To become lost.

To find the treasure so hard to attain.

To slay the dragon and become who we were meant to be.

Failure to do so is failure to truly live.

Do not make this mistake, the most costly of mistakes.

It begins right now with you.

Conquering fears, setting aside doubts, and going after that goal which has been there all along, waiting for you.

“Human reason grows rich by self-conquest.”-Publius Syrus, The Moral Sayings of Publius Syrus: A Roman Slave

LEAVE THE WASTE LAND BEHIND

“The Waste Land, then, is the land of people living inauthentic lives, doing what they think they must do to live, not spontaneously in the affirmation of life, but dutifully, obediently, and even grudgingly, because that is the way people are living.”-Joseph Campbell, Romance of the Grail: The Magic & Mystery of Arthurian Myth.

Make no mistake about it. We are living in a modern waste land.

Where society has become inauthentic.

Where people are driven by the same values.

Where you simply don’t belong.

The quest is what gives you an escape.

It is a reason to step outside the comfort zone, to seek something larger than yourself, to forge your own path to a destiny of your own choosing.

It isn’t the result of some retreat or free e-book or mastermind session.

The quest is the result from something deep within, something that is stirring you to action, because you know you are meant for more.

You understand that something isn’t right. You begin to see through the falsehoods that have been perpetuated for as long as you could remember. More importantly, you realize that nothing will change without you taking action.

Nothing will happen for you unless you take the leap of faith.

The world will not change its ways for you.

Only you can change yourself.

Only you can begin the quest to become who you are meant to be.

“The modern world will not be punished. It is the punishment.” -Nicolás Gómez Dávila

YOUTOPIA AWAITS

“They thought that it would be a disgrace to go forth as a group. Each entered the forest at a point that he himself had chosen, where it was darkest and there was no path. If there is a path it is someone else's path and you are not on the adventure.”-Joseph Campbell, The Hero's Journey: Joseph Campbell on His Life & Work

The dream you have is legitimate.

The feelings you have about your current situation are not wrong.

The goals you desire to accomplish can be realized.

A true YouTopian knows this. They don’t wait for things to happen but are the initiators of actions.

What is your quest? What is something that has been with you for as long as you can remember?

Perhaps it was to take a chance on yourself and move to a country whose culture you love but whose language was unknown and impossible for you to speak.

Or maybe it was a calling that others silenced because it didn’t lead to riches or stability.

Or it could have been to start a company, a brand, a movement, something that you talked yourself out of because you lacked the skills that everyone said were required for success.

Regardless, the time for waiting has come to an end.

The time for questing has begun.

To forge your own path and set out into the forest adventurous. To become a pilgrim of purpose. A seeker of significance. To leave behind the normal world and undertake the journey that awaits you.

It won’t be easy.

If it was, everyone would do it.

YouTopia awaits. But the doors are only opened to those courageous enough to blaze the trail, undertake the quest, and sacrifice safety and security for something larger than themselves.

It is only available to the YouTopian.

Go forward.

“If those committed to the quest fail, they will be forgiven. When lost, they will find another way. The moral imperative of humanism is the endeavor alone, whether successful or not, provided the effort is honorable and failure memorable”.-E. O. Wilson

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THE POINT OF ORIGIN

“Originality is the universal language of the soul. But we human midgets, with our near-sighted view of things, worship the conventionalized person whose instincts are dead, inspirations unborn, and emotions locked in a heart.”-Edward Earle Purinton, The Triumph Of The Man Who Acts

We all have it.

The moment of origin.

A fixed position in the story of your life where the branches lead you to destinations that you never thought possible.

A watershed moment.

The inciting incident.

The nexus point.

There is some time, some event, some moment in life where a decision must be made. Action must be taken. The nexus point becomes evident when we are looking back and we can trace the path of our lives. And if you have not found this yet, then it is still to come.

But the majority?

The majority have ignored this nexus point. They have dulled the call. They have ignored the inner yearning and replaced it with shopping, social media, conformity, and submission. They have accepted the status quo and their role in the world, a role that was placed upon them by others.

Why is this the case? Why ignore the nexus point if it is so paramount to our existence?

Because the nexus point is terrifying!

It requires a leap of faith. It requires trusting yourself with your life. It requires tossing the dice and taking a chance. It requires an investment into yourself that will pay you back with meager returns until it rewards you with something priceless.

This could be moving to a new country that you are unfamiliar with for an opportunity.

This could mean going to a distant university when you have never left the safety and comfort of your hometown.

This could mean starting a company with no experience.

This could mean learning a skill that offers no guarantee of a high paying job.

This could mean taking a chance on a new relationship.

Above all, this could mean loss. The loss of safety. The loss of conformity. The loss of familiar people and places. The loss of your self. And most importantly, the loss of the fallacies that you built up within your own mind. Faced with new situations and the unfamiliar, the autonomy and personal pride that one possesses shirks in the face of new challenges. This is too much for many to handle.

People are creatures of certainty. We want the familiar. We cannot exist provisionally. We must have a set goal with a set date and set rewards. But life doesn’t operate like that. Life operates under its own set of rules. The pandemic illustrated this. People couldn’t handle the uncertainty. They couldn’t handle the loss of the happy hours and summer trips. They couldn’t sacrifice the trivial to avoid a tragedy.

This is why so many seek the safety of the clan and hope for the triumph of their tribe. Whether it is an online group, political party, or even the safety of the office, all offer the same solution, the replacement of meaning. There, the meaning that they cannot personally find can be replaced by corporate dogma, hashtags, slogans, titles, and a hierarchy that they can follow, all within a safe space that they can call their own.

The nexus point is the opposite as it requires you to act without any set rules. There is no clan or tribe to cling to. You are given full freedom and autonomy, with only hope and your imagination. There is no safety net, just the abyss of endless possibilities that you must cross.

There is also the realization that the nexus point promises nothing and keeps its promise.

So why engage with it?

Because this risk-taking behavior is required for potentialities to be transformed into possibilities. This will set you on a path that few will ever understand, not even you at first.

And you will face opposition from the multitude, who cannot stand deviation from the status quo.

Questions will abound.

Why you?

Why now?

Aren’t you too old?

Aren’t you too young?

What experience do you have?

What are you doing?

Why are you doing this?

Why don’t you get a real job?

These questions are enough to deter the majority.

Do not let them deter you!

Do not let them stop you from attempting to walk the various paths that will result from the nexus point.

I know it will be frightening. I know it will be confusing. But when you arrive at the destination of your choosing, it will all make sense.

All that is required is you. Focus on what you must do and do it!

“Man is as much a slave to his immediate surroundings now as he was when he lived in tree-huts. Give him the highest, the most exciting thoughts about man’s place in the universe, the meaning of history; they can all be snuffed out in a moment if he wants his dinner, or feels irritated by a child squalling on a bus. He is bound by pettiness.”-Colin Wilson

A NEXUS POINT MEANS RESPONSIBILITY

“Action springs not from thought, but from a readiness for responsibility.”-Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Following the nexus point means you must possess a certain level of responsibility. You are no longer responsible to others or your boss or your teachers, but to yourself.

This could mean missing social events.

This could mean abstaining from parties and alcohol.

This could mean finding yourself alone on a Saturday night while the rest of your peers are out.

This could mean being thought of as an outsider (or a weirdo, or a workaholic, or whatever term comes to mind).

Understand that you are embarking on a path that you must be both leader and follower. You must be both student and teacher. This is more difficult than it sounds. As the nexus point is unique to each individual and every journey is different, it comes down to you.

You must make the hard choices.

You must accept any and all consequences.

You must face setback after setback.

You must contend with a world that will never support you (until you have found success, which then you will have supporters come out from the shadows).

You must maintain your course in the face of a society that seeks to stamp your originality and your ideas into oblivion.

And you must do this each and every day. This experience is stifling and painful. But is necessary for life.

Let me repeat that, it is necessary for life!

You must endeavor to live the life that the nexus point provides, holding yourself to a standard that is higher than you have ever experienced. You must study harder, work harder, and fail harder. You must follow the winding canyons deep into the dark abyss, only so that you can come out on the other side as a changed person.

This responsibility is not for the multitude. It is only for those who are willing to sacrifice, to put in the required work, and to question.

Yes!

Not question science or fact, but to question themselves. Because the individual who looks at their ceiling wondering what this is all about is much further along their true path than the drone who never questions a single thing about their life or future.

These questions are vital. They are part of the process. They test your mettle. They allow you to reach new conclusions and open up new opportunities where many only see obstacles.

The answers you seek will not come ready made and from the screen, but only from within. You must constantly be questioning, thinking, and then acting upon these thoughts. You must always be striving and growing, never giving into the conformity and submission that the status quo demands.

You are better than that.

Now prove it to the world!

“Hold yourself responsible for a higher standard than anybody expects of you. Never excuse yourself.”-Henry Ward Beecher

WHERE IS THE NEXUS POINT?

“In each one of you there is a hidden being, still in the deep sleep of childhood. Bring it to life! In each one of you there is a call, a will, an impulse of nature, an impulse toward the future, the higher. Let it mature, let it resound, nurture it!”-Hermann Hesse

The nexus point cannot be summoned. It is not an APP that is easily downloadable. Instead, it comes about when a choice must be made. It appears when one stops blaming their problems on their parents, their peers, their teachers, or their government. It manifests when one understands that their destiny is their own.

This moment of defiance and the acceptance of one’s own future is when the nexus point makes itself known. When the individual discovers that they have power, real power. When the difference between having no power and being powerless is distinguished. When one defies the odds and begins to rely on their own resourcefulness rather than resources.

This is difficult. We have all been weaned on the same tales. We need patrons, investors, scholarships, the stars to align, circumstances to be right, champions of our cause, countless supporters and so on.

Many give up before they begin.

This must stop.

So many ideas have been exterminated by the doubts and fears of others. So many dreams postponed into the abyss because many thought they weren’t ready. So many branching paths never walked because one lacked the courage to act on the nexus point.

Understand that the nexus point is not some grand idea. It is often simple. A decision to make a left instead of a right that leads to a new life. A choice to watch a film or attend a play that stirs something inside of you. An encounter with a person who makes you question your current path.

Small beginnings to big things. Choices that may seem trivial at first, but when looked upon from a later date, can be seen as world altering decisions that set you on a course that you didn’t know existed.

It is hard to make choices, even small choices, when you aren’t paying attention. You cannot have a nexus point when you are too focused on pleasing others, because the nexus point is about pleasing yourself, despite how difficult and how odd it may make you appear to others.

You must dive in. Explore. Open yourself up to new people, experiences, writers, and creators. See where it takes you. You may just find your nexus point and an entire new journey which will change your life for the better.

“The new being is born in us, just when we least believe in it. It appears in remote corners of our souls which we have neglected for a long time. It opens up deep levels of our personality which had been shut out by old decisions and old exclusions. It shows a way where there was no way before. It liberates us from the tragedy of having to decide and having to exclude, because it is given before any decision. Suddenly we notice it within us! The new which we sought and longed for comes to us in the moment in which we lose hope of ever finding it.” -Paul Tillich

A PERSONAL NOTE

“Walk tall, kick ass, learn to speak Arabic, love music and never forget you come from a long line of truth seekers, lovers, and warriors.”-Hunter S. Thompson

There are many points in my life where I had to make a decision that, while uncomfortable at the time, has resulted in boons beyond imagining. I believe that the most important nexus point for me was in 2003. I can trace all of my entrepreneurial and creative endeavors in the present day to a few key decisions in that year.

It is difficult to connect the dots looking forward but easy when looking back. I know for a fact that there would be no YouTopian Journey, or screenplays, or books, or speeches, or successes without the choices and the resulting difficulties from that year. I had no idea at the time that these simple choices would lead me to things I never even considered.

Look back on your own life, chart your own nexus point, and if you don’t have one, be ready for the opportunity in the future when it strikes. Because it will strike. It is there for you, waiting. It is up to you to find this point and chart your course. Embrace the difficulties, the pain, and the setbacks. Celebrate the successes, no matter how minor. This will all result in accomplishments that you never conceived of, let alone thought were possible.

Society is counting on you.

I am counting on you.

“Real generosity of the future lives in giving all to the present.”- Albert Camus

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See you next time.

Shaun

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THE MISSING PIECE

“Paul Gaugin was a perfectly prosperous businessman with a family and a house; then he became fascinated by what began to open up for him in painting. You start doodling with things like painting and they might doodle you out of your life – that’s what happened to Gaugin.”-Joseph W. Campbell, Pathways to Bliss

Previously we discussed whether or not to follow your passion. And it seemed to have resonated with many of you. If you haven’t read it, you can catch up here. But following your passion isn’t simply making a choice.

It is far more important.

For the true pilgrims of passion, it is a quest for the missing piece. This prize isn’t money or fame or social media clout. Instead, it is something intangible that can fill your soul and allow you to see stepping stones whereas everyone else sees mountains.

It won’t be simple to locate.

And in order to even begin the journey, you must hear the call. You must be willing to become seized by something bigger than you. This seizure of your mind and your body won’t be accepted by your friends and family.

It will be thought of as a phase.

As unrealistic.

As foolish.

But you will know it when you feel it. It will be a cause for concern because you will be throwing away what the multitude in our society strive for.

Survival.

Security.

Personal relationships.

Prestige.

Self-Development.

Someone who is seized by their passion, who has truly had an epiphany, will sacrifice all of this to fill that void. They will burn their ships to take the island. They will disregard whatever their peers deemed successful and look foolish for doing so.

They will look at these values and flee from them, gaining a reputation for madness.

Who in their right mind would love a job like that with steady hours and benefits?

Why on Earth would you throw away what you have worked so hard to gain?

Where will you go with that attitude?

How will you ever become successful with this foolish idea?

Understand that these values are what people strive for when they have nothing of their own to strive for. Nothing has truly awakened them. Nothing has caught them. Nothing has seized them with a mythic zeal that makes them challenge the status quo. Nothing has made them remarkable or worth talking to.

They are the bores of society and will transform you into a bore if you aren’t careful.

Don’t let this happen.

The opportunities are all around us.

You must discover them and in doing so, you may discover what seizes you.

Prepare for this.

“What is opportunity, and when does it knock? It never knocks. You can wait a whole lifetime, listening, hoping, and you will hear no knocking. None at all. You are opportunity, and you must knock on the door leading to your destiny. You prepare yourself to recognize opportunity, to pursue and seize opportunity as you develop the strength of your personality, and build a self-image with which you are able to live -- with your self-respect alive and growing.”-Maxwell Maltz

ZEAL REQUIRED

“All of the great cathedrals of Europe were built during this lunatic century between 1150 and 1250. People didn’t have enough money then to buy two cows, let alone two cars. What were they living for? And you mustn’t think of slave drivers; that isn’t what built the cathedrals. It was a community seizure, a mythic zeal.”-Joseph W. Campbell, Pathways to Bliss

It is not enough to be seized by an idea, you must adopt the zeal required to make it a reality. You must be able to follow through on this seizure of the soul.

All else is nothing more than talk.

Society has enough talkers.

Braggers and thought leaders, experts and gurus, it doesn’t need another.

Instead, you must act on your ideas. Let your body be filled with a zeal that leads to action. Being ineffectual is for bores and losers.

Taking action is the path to heroism.

Taking action in spite of the obstacles is the path to victory.

Having this zeal means you won’t care about the vanity metrics. It allows you to push past the naysayers and negativity. This zeal is how greatness is achieved. New societies were built from the zeal of a single believer.

Be that believer.

The time is now.

The perfect time to act is this minute.

It doesn’t matter if you can prove your thesis. If it generates money immediately or if it is widely accepted.

It will give you true meaning and with true meaning, comes true power.

Find what seizes you and follow it with the zeal of the truest believer. You will be surprised where you end up.

I promise.

“There is, however, a strong empirical reason why we should cultivate thoughts that can never be proved. It is that they are known to be useful. Man positively needs general ideas and convictions that will give a meaning to his life and enable him to find a place for himself in the universe. He can stand the most incredible hardships when he is convinced that they make sense; he is crushed when, on top of all his misfortunes, he has to admit that he is taking part in a "tale told by an idiot.”- Carl Jung

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See you next time.

Shaun