So much of this resonates with my experience over the last few years. Even in trying to better ourselves, and raise our agency, we modern western humans seem blind to our own progress being intimately tied to that of everyone else. We virtue signal, seek power to “manifest change”, amass knowledge which is ultimately to elevate ourselves. Only through service to others, do we ultimately find our own path forward. It’s a difficult lesson, one I’m still working on.
Reading this makes me nervous in a good way.. I just got Brian’s book and am ready to dive in this week!
I know already exactly where my wall has been and continues to be- and it’s exactly, exactly as you and Brian have stated- I have to expand beyond the wall- and it’s absolutely terrifying but I know it’s the way.
Healing those old wounds started for me on my 40th birthday when I won a retreat with Davidji. He helped me to see that witnessing my mother that left a successful tech career to pursue her own spiritual path, left her in financial struggle until she died of cancer (I believe from the stress)- left a gaping wound for me. This wound is deep and has kept me paralyzed from starting something of my own. I know why it’s there - and I knew then - and continue to know, this wall is going to be there for me until I do it.
Ironically, I started building my container a few weeks ago- and am meeting with a mentor this week to talk about what I can try or do to take that first step.. next week I am going to be surrounded by founders and CEOs (I’m a panelist at a retreat) and I think that is absolutely the universe’s way of saying - here you go. Do the thing.
I had already been trying all of these things but my physical body couldn’t keep up with chronic illness that had been going on subtly for years but suddenly got worse in 2024. So even with my business providing value by feeling like my own style is enough for those who need it, integrative healing of the root cause of my insecurities through spiritual practice, and finding a safe container, it still wasn’t enough.
The container being initial coaching container with some group sessions and some 1:1 sessions with my own container of experimenting with trial and error alone with common strategies for growing my business. So I unfortunately don’t know with realistic strategies that I can get past this ever. I don’t trust the people who say every chronic illness can be solved by simple detoxes, superfoods, or things that have often already been tried.
I've been battling my own version of this. Acceptance of whats happening, alongside continuing to try different things, seems to be the best recipe to get through it that I have found
Holy sh*t - this is one of the most helpful things I've ever read. It gives a framework to everything I'm experiencing and trying to achieve. Including all the mistakes I have made / am currently making. Wow. Thank you Scott & Brian for this! My mind is blown right now
This is a super piece Scott. I've also journeyed the worth through external validation to genuine value path. I also love your honesty about not really knowing how some assholes get a lot of power without wisdom. That part is pretty mystifying especially when you see the damage it's inflicting on the world just now. I appreciate you and expect your book is going to be great.
Thanks so much Cylvia! One thing that's helped my thinking of the power / asshole complex is The Law Of One's ideas on evolving towards unity vs. service to self poles. If you haven't learned about it, it could be worth a look. Probably the most interesting explanation I've seen that made sense to me
Listened to the full conversation with Brian—one of the most practical and grounded I’ve listened to in this space while maintaining a radically exciting vision of the future and deep commitment to spiritual growth. I’ve been looking all over for this. Finding a yes-yes-hell no goal and needing to get pulled through the wall resonates so deeply and is such a helpful idea. I’m a 22 year old early on my journey and I’m so grateful to be growing up in a time where resources like this are out there. Thank you so much 🙏
Funny enough, one of my yes-yes-hell no goals is to be in party mode more often 😅 there were pros and cons of missing the last year of high school to quarantine and most of college to an existential crisis. My path took me from NPC straight to spiritual bypasser and I have a LOT to learn from agentic fools right now. Advice like this is helping me put my feet back on the ground without abandoning everything I've learned from spiritual/philosophical exploration in the past few years.
I don't know how many young adults like me are following your content but I will say I always appreciate reminders not to skip the "agentic" part of the path! Most of the people I follow either 1) started out as agentic fools and "woke up" later in life or 2) are academics where the line between agency and spiritual bypassing is blurry, and it's taken me a long time to realize that aligning with their worldviews is no substitute for becoming agentic myself. At this point, my growth edge is getting an entry level software position with my degree and leaving my parents' house, and no amount of spiritual *awareness* seems to be bringing spiritual *development* until that happens. It's definitely been a strange experience to find this kind of stuff so young.
(If anyone in your network needs coders, I'd be happy to help :)
I think yiou’re reight that most people I know are agentic fools before they go into bypass land. I actually don’t know many people who’ve tried to become agentic after living in spiritual land. They mostly seem to struggle with little interest. I think the bottom line is if you want to wield both, you need to spend time in both places. I think it’s great you acknowledge this and can explore the other side at a young age, while not abandoning all the growth on the spiritual side that you’ve cultivated. Rooting for you!
Scott, I really appreciate how you framed agency here—not as force, but as expanding what we allow ourselves to experience, see, and choose.
I also loved how you described the invisible structure we dress our lives with—the Ego—as an Inner Wall that we can expand at will.
It beautifully mirrors what we explore in Heart Leadership: how presence and inner peace open the field of what’s possible. Grateful to be part of your journey.
So much of this resonates with my experience over the last few years. Even in trying to better ourselves, and raise our agency, we modern western humans seem blind to our own progress being intimately tied to that of everyone else. We virtue signal, seek power to “manifest change”, amass knowledge which is ultimately to elevate ourselves. Only through service to others, do we ultimately find our own path forward. It’s a difficult lesson, one I’m still working on.
We’re all still working on it!!
Great post, thanks for sharing this.
We are the soil and the soul.
Reading this makes me nervous in a good way.. I just got Brian’s book and am ready to dive in this week!
I know already exactly where my wall has been and continues to be- and it’s exactly, exactly as you and Brian have stated- I have to expand beyond the wall- and it’s absolutely terrifying but I know it’s the way.
Healing those old wounds started for me on my 40th birthday when I won a retreat with Davidji. He helped me to see that witnessing my mother that left a successful tech career to pursue her own spiritual path, left her in financial struggle until she died of cancer (I believe from the stress)- left a gaping wound for me. This wound is deep and has kept me paralyzed from starting something of my own. I know why it’s there - and I knew then - and continue to know, this wall is going to be there for me until I do it.
Ironically, I started building my container a few weeks ago- and am meeting with a mentor this week to talk about what I can try or do to take that first step.. next week I am going to be surrounded by founders and CEOs (I’m a panelist at a retreat) and I think that is absolutely the universe’s way of saying - here you go. Do the thing.
Really appreciate the self awareness and vulnerability here. Awareness is most of the battle and sounds like you have it...time to go do the thing!
I had already been trying all of these things but my physical body couldn’t keep up with chronic illness that had been going on subtly for years but suddenly got worse in 2024. So even with my business providing value by feeling like my own style is enough for those who need it, integrative healing of the root cause of my insecurities through spiritual practice, and finding a safe container, it still wasn’t enough.
The container being initial coaching container with some group sessions and some 1:1 sessions with my own container of experimenting with trial and error alone with common strategies for growing my business. So I unfortunately don’t know with realistic strategies that I can get past this ever. I don’t trust the people who say every chronic illness can be solved by simple detoxes, superfoods, or things that have often already been tried.
I've been battling my own version of this. Acceptance of whats happening, alongside continuing to try different things, seems to be the best recipe to get through it that I have found
My red line is twisty and swirling as my path I’ve traversed towards high agency and high consciousness -
Yet my little brain can’t get thru your long post
- in one sitting . Your words are landing- securely - and i welcome your encouragement on human potential . Thanks! - i will bookmark to reread later
thanks Mary!
Holy sh*t - this is one of the most helpful things I've ever read. It gives a framework to everything I'm experiencing and trying to achieve. Including all the mistakes I have made / am currently making. Wow. Thank you Scott & Brian for this! My mind is blown right now
Glad you like it man! Hope to see you at Brian’s talk within FS tom. I’m really looking forward to it
This is a super piece Scott. I've also journeyed the worth through external validation to genuine value path. I also love your honesty about not really knowing how some assholes get a lot of power without wisdom. That part is pretty mystifying especially when you see the damage it's inflicting on the world just now. I appreciate you and expect your book is going to be great.
Thanks so much Cylvia! One thing that's helped my thinking of the power / asshole complex is The Law Of One's ideas on evolving towards unity vs. service to self poles. If you haven't learned about it, it could be worth a look. Probably the most interesting explanation I've seen that made sense to me
Listened to the full conversation with Brian—one of the most practical and grounded I’ve listened to in this space while maintaining a radically exciting vision of the future and deep commitment to spiritual growth. I’ve been looking all over for this. Finding a yes-yes-hell no goal and needing to get pulled through the wall resonates so deeply and is such a helpful idea. I’m a 22 year old early on my journey and I’m so grateful to be growing up in a time where resources like this are out there. Thank you so much 🙏
I’m happy this was insightful for you man. Incredible that this stuff is on your radar at this age. I was def in party mode lol. Excited for you man!
Funny enough, one of my yes-yes-hell no goals is to be in party mode more often 😅 there were pros and cons of missing the last year of high school to quarantine and most of college to an existential crisis. My path took me from NPC straight to spiritual bypasser and I have a LOT to learn from agentic fools right now. Advice like this is helping me put my feet back on the ground without abandoning everything I've learned from spiritual/philosophical exploration in the past few years.
I don't know how many young adults like me are following your content but I will say I always appreciate reminders not to skip the "agentic" part of the path! Most of the people I follow either 1) started out as agentic fools and "woke up" later in life or 2) are academics where the line between agency and spiritual bypassing is blurry, and it's taken me a long time to realize that aligning with their worldviews is no substitute for becoming agentic myself. At this point, my growth edge is getting an entry level software position with my degree and leaving my parents' house, and no amount of spiritual *awareness* seems to be bringing spiritual *development* until that happens. It's definitely been a strange experience to find this kind of stuff so young.
(If anyone in your network needs coders, I'd be happy to help :)
I think yiou’re reight that most people I know are agentic fools before they go into bypass land. I actually don’t know many people who’ve tried to become agentic after living in spiritual land. They mostly seem to struggle with little interest. I think the bottom line is if you want to wield both, you need to spend time in both places. I think it’s great you acknowledge this and can explore the other side at a young age, while not abandoning all the growth on the spiritual side that you’ve cultivated. Rooting for you!
For me conducting zoom groups and live streams might be what moves the wall. I resist that maybe because it’s moving deeper into leadership.
Your title reminds me of Jakes substack - he offers a blueprint for living with S.A.G.E. - check it out here https://open.substack.com/pub/jakeeagle/p/where-we-go-from-here-personal-agency?r=4azkaf&utm_medium=ios
Scott, I really appreciate how you framed agency here—not as force, but as expanding what we allow ourselves to experience, see, and choose.
I also loved how you described the invisible structure we dress our lives with—the Ego—as an Inner Wall that we can expand at will.
It beautifully mirrors what we explore in Heart Leadership: how presence and inner peace open the field of what’s possible. Grateful to be part of your journey.