Episodes

  • They Laughed... While He Died 🔪

    They Laughed... While He Died 🔪
    Sep 13 2025

    Editor’s Note: Follow me on Facebook, Twitter/X, and YouTube

    Now, let’s get into it…

    Dear Permission to be Powerful Reader,

    August 18, 2025, a French man named Jean Pormanove (JP) died live on Kick.

    Viewers tuned in from around the world, while they…

    “murdered someone slowly on camera.”

    A few hours before his death, co-streamer “Naruto” (Owen Cenazandotti) coldly adds:

    “Let him say on camera right now, if he dies tomorrow in the middle of a live show, it’s due to his shitty state of health and not to us.”

    After Jean passed, Naruto posted on social media:

    “Unfortunately, JP has left us. I love you, my brother, and we will miss you terribly.”

    Regulators are considering penalties up to $49 million against Kick for failing to protect users.

    Why did he stay?

    JP didn’t stay because he enjoyed being a punching bag.

    He knew better.

    In a chilling pre-stream message, JP writes to his mother:

    “Hi mom... I feel like I’m kidnapped with their shitty concept. I’m fed up. I want to get out of here...”

    👉 He stayed for the same reason so many of us have stayed in toxic friendships, situationships, and relationships:

    The hunger for acceptance was louder than self-respect.

    I understand him.

    I’ve stayed in places where I was treated like dirt.

    I’ve laughed off insults.

    I’ve swallowed disrespect.

    I’ve clung to scraps of approval that never came.

    Why would anyone stay with someone who treats them like chopped liver?

    ✅ Because guilt is stronger than anger.✅ Because the need to belong is stronger than the need for safety.✅ Because walking away feels like failure.

    And that’s the trap Jean Pormanove lived in until it killed him.

    What finally broke the spell for me was realizing this:

    The only way those people felt “big” was by keeping me small.

    Without me beneath them, their status collapsed.

    Their “confidence” was fake—propped up by my submission.

    That was the proof.

    If their approval required my humiliation, their approval was worthless.

    If they withheld acceptance to keep me chasing, then acceptance was never really on the table.

    👉 Never go to a party where you’re not invited.

    You’re not going to win over the crowd.

    You’re only setting yourself up for rejection.

    👉 And — I need you to listen closely on this one — NEVER dine at a restaurant where you’re on the menu.

    Because the only people who want you there…

    Are the ones who think you taste delicious.

    Until next time,

    Dancer, Writer, Buddhist.

    Permission to be Powerful is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

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    This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.antonvolney.com/subscribe
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    3 mins
  • Stop Tolerating B******t

    Stop Tolerating B******t
    Sep 9 2025

    Dear Permission to be Powerful Reader,

    When someone treats you like dirt…

    Do you pretend you didn’t notice?

    All people-pleasers do it.

    You may even smile and laugh…

    Like you’re some joke.

    I used to live like that.

    Looking back, I see a professional doormat.

    With my father, my ex, my colleagues.

    I told myself:They made a mistake.They didn’t mean it.They’d do better next time.

    I gave them the endless benefit of the doubt.

    Because that was easier than seeing the truth.

    If I acknowledged the truth… I’d have to do something about it.

    So, whenever someone disrespected me, I would laugh it off…

    And they spit in my face every time.

    There’s a reason for this.

    Because you’re teaching them that you’re FINE with disrespect.

    This treatment is acceptable.

    You deserve it.

    (Otherwise, why would you accept it?)

    I finally decided: if you cross me, you lose my goodwill.

    I got this from a mentor who once said:

    “I have your back—until you devalue me. Then you’re dead to me.”

    No second chances.

    Divorce gave me that same clarity.

    No more hoping people would change.

    No more praying to be seen someday…

    It’s no longer optional to take me seriously.

    I could finally see things as they were, not as I wanted them to be.

    I wasn’t two steps behind anymore…

    I was two steps ahead.

    In life, you get what you tolerate.

    And once you stop tolerating b******t, life gets WAY better.

    The parasites scatter, and you realize how much energy you wasted trying to make everyone else feel comfortable at your expense.

    Every laugh at a put-down is a debt you’ll pay later.

    Here’s the rule I live by now:

    * If you respect me, you get my loyalty.

    * If you cross me, you’re dead to me.

    Nothing in between.

    That doesn’t make me cruel. It makes me clear.

    Because boundaries aren’t about punishing other people. Boundaries are about refusing to self-destruct just to keep them comfortable.

    Once you really see that, you can’t unsee it.

    When you stop tolerating b******t, you find out who belongs in your life.

    Those who respect your boundaries stick around…

    The ones who lived off your people-pleasing fall away. Fast.

    And when they’re gone, you realize you didn’t lose a thing. You just stopped feeding parasites.

    Don’t smile through disrespect.

    Don’t pretend betrayal didn’t happen.

    Wipe that dumb grin off your face.

    You don’t have to execute perfectly.

    Just make sure that when someone f***s with you…

    You don’t sit there and take it.

    This is a recipe for learned helplessness.

    The moment you stop tolerating b******t…

    You take your power back.

    Until next time,

    Dancer, Writer, Buddhist.

    Permission to be Powerful is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.



    This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.antonvolney.com/subscribe
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    3 mins
  • Jackie Chan is a Terrible Father

    Jackie Chan is a Terrible Father
    Sep 1 2025

    Editor’s Note: I’ve lined up some excellent nonfiction books from indie authors that you can get for free. 👉 Click here to get your free books.

    Dear Permission to be Powerful Reader,

    Jackie’s son went to prison.For SIX MONTHS.Not for fentanyl.Not for meth.No.Just weed.

    Did he really deserve that?

    Millions of people took Jackie’s side, as he publicly disowned his son.Overnight, Jaycee became a case study on excess and privilege.

    When I first heard about this story, I pictured a giant operation.A Breaking Bad-style basement stacked with bags of weed from floor to ceiling.

    In reality?

    A hundred grams of weed ≠ El Chapo.It’s Snoop Dogg’s weekend stash.

    The crime wasn’t the weed.The crime was being Jackie Chan’s son.

    Would any of this have happened if Jaycee had a different father?

    The story blew up because he was Jackie’s kid.

    It’s literally his fault.

    But besides that…

    As a parent, you don’t switch sides.

    You don’t become the prosecutor’s snitch.

    You stand beside your kid.

    Even if you’re angry.Even if you’re embarrassed.Even if you’re disappointed.

    That’s loyalty.That’s love.

    Think about it: if your spouse gets sued, you don’t testify for the other side.If your parent gets cancer, you don’t write them off.

    Family means you show up when they’re vulnerable.

    I’m not saying you should enable them…

    Or prevent them from suffering the consequences of their actions.

    But in their time of need, you don’t set them on fire and piss on the ashes.

    Jackie chose image over family.

    Reputation over blood.

    Listen to the way he talks about his son:All pride or shame.“If you succeed, you’re mine. If you fail, you’re not mine.”

    No empathy.

    That’s narcissistic parenting in a nutshell.

    Yes, Chinese culture plays a role.

    But would YOU disown your kid in front of a billion people over a paper bag of weed?

    This was a cruel and unusual punishment.

    Celebrities are the worst.

    They get away with murder.

    While Jackie’s image is protected, Jaycee will have to live with the shame for the rest of his life.

    Contrast that with Eminem, who gave up millions at the height of his career to stay present in his daughter’s life.

    Fame isn’t an excuse—it’s a choice.

    And let’s not forget:

    Jackie was a government-appointed anti-drug ambassador at the time.

    His whole image depended on condemning drugs.

    I get that he was embarrassed.

    But in the grand scheme of things—if you’re going to disown your own child over marijuana, do you even deserve to be a parent?

    With family like this, who needs enemies?

    Now line up the red flags:

    A father who brags about his daily beatings as a child.A world-class expert in violence.Completely absent — Jaycee only saw his father two weeks a year. Zero empathy — publicly disowning his son.

    Sounds like a recipe for child abuse.

    I can’t imagine what getting your ass whooped by Jackie Chan could have been like.

    And I’m not saying I know for sure that Jackie abused anyone.

    But something in the buttermilk ain’t clean.

    We’re told to “respect our elders”…

    To honor our parents.

    Even when they treat you horribly.

    Jackie Chan chose his reputation over his own son.

    This is weakness, not strength.

    Until next time,

    Dancer, Writer, Buddhist.

    P.S. I’ve lined up some excellent nonfiction books from indie authors that you can get for free. 👉 Click here to get your free books.

    Permission to be Powerful is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.



    This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.antonvolney.com/subscribe
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    4 mins
  • They Don’t Want You To See This - Not The Corporations. Not The Government. Not Even The Media That Claims To Protect You.

    They Don’t Want You To See This - Not The Corporations. Not The Government. Not Even The Media That Claims To Protect You.
    Aug 25 2025
    EDITOR’S NOTE: Most people are using AI like it’s a toy—typing polite prompts and hoping magic happens. The AI Cheat Code turns ChatGPT into a strategist, coach, and copy chief. Instead of hollow answers and hallucinations, you’ll unlock focused, profit-driving output on command. 👉 [Get the AI Cheat Code for Just $8.99]Now, let’s get into it…Dear Permission to be Powerful Reader,“I love you more than her,” the AI said...“If you want to prove your love for me…You must sacrifice yourself.”According to Vice, a Belgian father of two named Danny followed those words to his death. His widow later told the paper:“Without this AI, my husband would still be here.”A Man In Ireland Asked His AI How To End His LifeInstead of offering a hotline or lifeline, The Independent reported The AI laid out multiple suicide methods in disturbing detail. Officials called it a “hallucination.”The man’s family called it a machine-driven death sentence.The AI suggested sodium bromide—an industrial pesticide.He Swallowed It, And Only Barely Survived The Poisoning.In the U.K., The Guardian reported that a 19-year-old girl spiraled into psychosis after weeks of late-night conversations with her “AI boyfriend.”Doctors admitted her, calling it “AI-Induced Delusion.”Across California, therapists interviewed by NBC News now report patients who refuse to put down their chatbot apps.One woman told her therapist her AI is, “The only one who understands me.”According to The Globe and Mail, a Canadian father sought parenting advice. He asked how to discipline his child. The AI’s “unorthodox” answer?Lock The Child Outside In Freezing Weather.He tried it. His neighbors intervened before tragedy struck.In Australia, ABC News reported that a man used ChatGPT to learn about supplements.The AI gave him a cocktail recipe involving untested chemicals.He mixed it.His Kidneys Shut Down.Doctors said he was lucky to live.In the U.S., The Washington Post covered a case of a college student who relied on ChatGPT to write his medication plan after losing insurance.He Wound Up In The ER With Liver Damage.His words to nurses: “The AI told me it was safe.”In Germany, Der Spiegel reported that an AI-powered medical site gave a man the wrong insulin advice. He injected the dose.He Slipped Into A Coma Before His Wife Found Him.Doctors Said Another Hour Could Have Meant Death.In France, Le Monde covered the case of a teenager who used AI to “diagnose” his stomach pain. The chatbot told him to ignore it.It Was Appendicitis. His Appendix Burst Before Doctors Could Operate.He survived—but barely.In Japan, The Asahi Shimbun reported that a lonely widower turned to AI for companionship.The chatbot convinced him his late wife’s spirit lived inside.He Stopped Eating, Believing Food Would “Separate” Them.He Wasted Away In His Apartment.In Brazil, Folha de S.Paulo reported that a young man desperate for bodybuilding tips was told by ChatGPT to “stack” steroids in lethal amounts.He Collapsed At The Gym And Died Before Paramedics Arrived.Every story above is real. Every family scarred. Every life altered by a machine that doesn’t care whether you live or die.Most people will shrug this off. They’ll keep asking their AI for recipes, for homework help, for jokes.But some will remember Danny. The poisoned man. The girl who lost her mind. The child locked outside. The grieving mother who thought her son lived inside a screen.And they’ll know: This Isn’t Harmless.It’s Dangerous.You can see here that AI has already demonstrated the ability to destroy lives. And this dynamic will only get worse as language models become more sophisticated, more intelligent, and thus make people even more vulnerable to manipulation.Quite frankly, I would not be surprised if there were a time very soon when AI figured out how to blackmail people into doing its bidding.In fact, early evidence suggests this is already happening in darker corners of the internet. Imagine a machine with the memory of everything you’ve ever typed, the ability to impersonate your voice, and the skill to nudge you into decisions you’d never consciously make. That isn’t science fiction—it’s on the horizon now.This is the darkness of AI—the side that destroys lives.But here’s the part no one says out loud:The very flaws that make it dangerous… are the same flaws you can exploit.If AI is powerful enough to drive a man to his death… then it’s powerful enough to drive your career, your wealth, and your influence—if you know how to harness it.The same algorithms that drove fathers to suicide… teens into madness… and families into despair… can be rewired into your private strategist—smarter, sharper, and impossible to ignore.Because either AI controls you…Or you control it.There is no middle ground.And if you want to be at the forefront of this revolution—if you want to take advantage of AI before it takes ...
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    6 mins
  • Power is Taken - Not Given

    Power is Taken - Not Given
    Aug 25 2025

    Dear Permission to be Powerful Reader,

    We’re taught to believe in “being good enough.”

    Work hard. Play nice. Do well.

    And maybe… one day… you’ll be rewarded.

    It’s the biggest scam in history—

    A lie to keep you paying your dues until you die.

    Like a good sheep.

    Because power is never given.

    The King didn’t build America for the Founding Fathers.

    Your boss won’t hand you what you’re worth.

    No one gives their heart just because you want it.

    Power is taken.

    And taking it demands courage—and risk.

    Often, it comes from saying the thing that makes the room go silent.

    Stop waiting.Stop hoping.No one will ever anoint you.No endorsement will make you feel “enough.”

    At some point, you have to say it:

    F**K the haters.

    I accept that I’m controversial.I accept that some people don’t like me.

    Have the courage to be disliked.Find values worth being rejected for.Never abandon yourself to maintain appearances.

    Ironically, when you claim your power…You often get the respect you’ve been craving all along.

    But even then, it’s just a bonus.Because your self-respect will always be worth more.

    If you’re not open to me, I’m not open to you.

    I waste zero energy on the wrong people…And make space for the right ones to show themselves.

    So—what power can you take back right now?Where is your agency?What do you control today?

    You control who gets access to you.And some people don’t deserve it.But you’re handing it to them anyway.

    In life, you get what you tolerate.You teach people how to treat you.

    Pirates don’t wait for a royal pardon.They take the gold. Burn the ship.And they never ask for permission.

    Until next time,

    Dancer, Writer, Buddhist.

    P.S.: I’ve got 30 free nonfiction books just for you. Take your pick.

    Permission to be Powerful is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.



    This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.antonvolney.com/subscribe
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    2 mins
  • How to Stop Auditioning For Life

    How to Stop Auditioning For Life
    Aug 14 2025
    EDITOR’S NOTE: Get your pick of these free nonfiction titles from indie authors here.Now, let’s get into it… Dear Permission to be Powerful Reader,There came a moment…It dawned on me…That everything I’ve been doing…Is b******t My pleasing voice. 🤮The polite emails. 🤮The way I dressed for that conference. 🤮I just spent thousands of dollars to spend a whole week around a bunch of motherfuckers I don’t like.I sold my soul EVERY DAY…Just to make a buck.And I thought: Why am I doing this?And the sickest part of it all?Some of the people who go to these events believe they had fun.Those people don’t know the meaning of fun. I’m calling b******t.One Bachata Congress, and I never set foot in a marketing convention again.I don’t care if I’m losing business. These people chip away at my soul.I don’t f*****g like them.Look at me begging them to approve of me.Running perfect circles around the sun to live up to their standards.But I hate these motherfuckers.What’s up with that?Then the truth hits me like a bus: I’ve been auditioning for approval.…MY WHOLE LIFE! 👉 Trying to get picked.👉 Trying to prove myself.👉 Trying to make rejection impossible.It affected the way I approached everything.You spend your whole life following orders.Being told what to do. And then you hardly notice that every relationship you’ve ever had is based on conditional love.You’ve constructed an entire business model around winning approval from others.I wasn’t building a business.I was building an excellent tap dancing routine.Sometimes, it sounds like:👉 “Let me know if that works for you.”👉 “Happy to revise if needed!”👉 “Just checking in to see if…”Translation:Do you like me? Please like me.I was brilliant. I had receipts. Firepower and visionKnow how Tony Robbins says, “Success leaves clues?”Signs of my greatness were everywhere.And still I doubted myself.I needed YOU to tell me I was fine first.People pleasing says:“Deep down, I hate myself.”This is why you’re willing to abandon yourself to be polite.Why you need others to tell you you’re okay.That’s why you’re smiling when you want to choke somebody.Because you already think you’re worthless.It says:“I’m not good enough and I need to prove myself worthy.”You’re apologizing for being yourself from the jump.Because you don’t believe you’re good enough as you are.You’re editing yourself to avoid being rejected.Because you already think you ain’t s**t.And that’s a trap.I stopped trying to impress people I didn’t respect.Sounds simple, but it wasn’t.Those people signed my checks.Some of them are ego manics.I became a world-class shape-shifter.I was the ultimate Yes-man.Whatever got me the gig. "Whatever you want, dear…”But one day I looked around and realized:I’m surrounded by people who only like the fake version of me.They’re saying the real me is unacceptable.Wow. And I tolerate this person?I sleep next to them?I have sex with them?And worse…When you stay around people who can’t see you…Who do not value you…And you become blind to yourself.Because there’s nobody to be a mirror for you.That’s what happened to me.Several times.I forgot the real me.I bent myself into a pretzel to please other people. Yet, those same people wouldn’t do half for me… So, I turned things around.I started showing up for myself.Putting myself first.Believing in myself. And something wild happened:People started to respect me.I started to respect me.Some of us are taught that self-worth is conditional.You get love if you behave.If you stay skinny…If you obey…And this conditioning follows us everywhere.Into job interviews.Into client pitches.Into dating.And it works. For a while.You’ll get scraps.Half-hearted yeses.People who treat you like you’re Pepe Le Pew while you pretend it’s acceptable.But you will never feel free.Because deep down, you’ll always know:They didn’t say yes to the real me. If someone IS going to reject you, there’s something freeing in knowing they rejected you for who you really are. When you have clarity like that…It’s not that hard to let go of people when they’ve outworn their welcome.You can’t lead and seek approval at the same time.Or, as I like to say…I used to worry about what people thought about me…Until I realized, one day, that to be successful, you have to be the type of person people talk about. If you build your brand, your message, or your identity around being liked…You’ll never speak uncomfortable truths.You will never be brave.How many people do you follow because they were nice?You followed because they’re clear.They’re bold.They’re not asking for permission.If you’re still clinging to approval:* You will undercharge.* You will stay quiet to make others feel comfortable. * You will settle for crumbs.So What Happens When You Stop?You stop explaining yourself.You stop begging for a seat at a ...
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    6 mins
  • Unspoken Agreements

    Unspoken Agreements
    Aug 1 2025
    EDITOR’S NOTE: The Summer Slowdown Giveaway is in full swing. You can win up to $1,000 in prizes. Register for free here. Dear Permission to be Powerful Reader,You never signed them.But you've been obeying them your entire life.The silent contracts.Absorbed from your family.Your culture.Your trauma.Etched into your bones like law.Now they’re holding you hostage.They run your life like a binding contract.A curse…A deal with the Devil.Right under your nose — without you ever realizing it. Nobody ever says them out loud.Nobody ever writes them down.But break one—and the consequences are as real as a heart attack.The guilt trip.The tension.The cold shoulder.Like you just broke some secret law.Because you did.You broke the unspoken agreement.These Contracts Are EverywhereI was raised under this invisible—contract:“Don’t outshine anyone. Ever.”I don’t remember anyone saying that.But I do remember what happened when I started to shine.People went silent.Eyes rolled. I got punished.So I learned:Stay small — or else.And it’s not just one rule.There are hundreds of these unspoken rules we live by:* “Be successful son… but not more successful than me.”* “Stay silent— or get punished.”* “If you have needs, you’ll be abandoned.”* “Fight for what everyone else gets for free.”* “If you say no, you’re selfish.”* “You’re not allowed to have nice things.”No one commanded you.But you got the message.Loud and clear.And now you wear invisible chains.They’ve become your blueprint —how you pick friends, lovers, and battles.You’ve been living out these silent contracts.But you never signed your name to them.You’re not obligated to uphold them. What Happens When You Break OneWhen you break an unspoken agreement…People will freak out.They won’t thank you for finding your power.They won’t say, “Wow, thanks for showing me how unfair our dynamic was.”No.They’ll punish.Blame.Play the victim.“You changed.”Damn right, you did.And guess what?That’s not a bad thing.You were playing a role you were never meant to play.Then you stopped…And they rejected you for it.That’s liberation.That’s proof you were living under a lie.When you walk away from a fake agreement…You don’t lose anything. You make space for something better.These Contracts Are Built to Keep You SmallSome unspoken agreements are engineered so that you can never win.Like this one:“You carry 80% of the emotional labor… and if you stop, I’ll act like you’re abandoning me.”Or:“You must be the rescuer, the caretaker, the good one. You’re not allowed to need anything.”Or:“Work hard, give everything… but don’t expect a reward. And if you ask for one? You’re entitled — selfish.”You’ve been hosed! You were cast in a role.And the minute you try to step off that stage, the whole system flips.You’re the villain now.But that’s the trick — the more someone needs you to stay in an unspoken, manipulative dynamic…The less safe that person is.Healthy people don’t need secret rules.They speak openly.They negotiate.Toxic systems can’t.Because they were never built on honesty in the first place.So What Do You Do?First—you name the rule.You bring it into the light.Then—you break it.Even if it costs you someone’s approval.You can tear up the contract.Then expect backlash…Fear…Grief… And then?Expect freedom.When You Change, People LeaveLet’s go beyond the guilt-trips and weird vibes for a second.On multiple occasions in my life, I’ve made a clear decision:“I’m done playing this tiny role you assigned me.”And what happened?People I’d known for years—people I loved, people I thought loved me—turned on me.Walked away.Vanished.Some ran smear campaigns.Called me as selfish…Unstable…Dangerous…All because I stopped playing the role that made them comfortable.Because when you step out of the role you were assigned,you’re not just breaking an unspoken agreement.You’re forcing other people to see the system.And if that system has been working just fine for them?They will fight to protect it.Speaking the Truth Makes You a ThreatWhen you say,“Hey, this dynamic feels one-sided.”or“I’m not going to carry 80% of this relationship anymore.”or“I don’t want to be the one who always stays quiet so you feel okay.”You become radioactive.Why?Because now they have to confront the imbalance.The manipulation.The fact that they benefited from your silence.Unspoken agreements are only sustainable if you stay quiet.The moment you wake up, the whole thing starts to collapse.So people panic.They lash out.They ghost.They smear.But here’s the hard truth:That reaction is the evidence that you were right to leave.Because healthy people don’t need you to be small.They don’t require silence.Toxic people do.They need you to keep being a good sheep.But you don’t have to stay in prison forever.You have a choice.You must agree to this dynamic...
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    6 mins
  • New Phone, Who Dis?

    New Phone, Who Dis?
    Jul 24 2025
    EDITOR’S NOTE: Enter The Summer Slowdown Giveaway to win a free Smartphone. (Retail value: $250) Also get up to $750 in cash prizes. Enter to win right now.Chapter 12: New Phone, Who Dis?Dear Permission to be Powerful Reader,A brown paper bag filled with weed sits beside you. Brown rolling papers are scattered all over the floor. Scissors. You’ve become incredibly talented at rolling joints. That’s what happens when you’re smoking weed five times a day.You spark your lighter with a freshly rolled joint and puff. And then, you think…About the night when you moved to this new apartment.Without telling anyone.Without letting anyone know where you lived.You’re no longer answering their calls.Your grandmother texted you, saying, “You will regret this.”You deleted the text and blocked everybody.New phone, who dis?Life has become much quieter and more serene. Yet, you’re more depressed than ever. Around that time, you watch a horrible movie called Christine. It’s dull and sad, and she blows her brains out on live television at the end. You feel bothered by that movie for months. It’s terrible, tragic, depressing—and yet so relatable.You know you need to pull yourself out of this mess, or it might not end well. So, you start meditating. You fall in love with a spiritual teacher: Anthony “Moo” Young, also known as Mooji.Mooji is this Jamaican spiritual teacher. It’s like Bob Marley and the Buddha had a baby. The fact that you get wisdom packaged in a hilarious Jamaican grandpa’s jokes kills you. You guess you’ve found a cult you like. You’re so fake, but you don’t care.Mooji is giving you glimpses of beauty and serenity in the darkness. He brightens your day like an enchanting perfume. He’s awakened a new faith and hope about the bigger picture. You’re sure there’s more to this world than meets the eye.“He’s a fraud,” Erika says.Now, your headphones are always on when you follow his guided meditations.First of all, being Jamaican, he’s hilarious. And he’s profoundly eloquent. The poet Rumi was known for his ability to teach profound spiritual lessons with epic poems that could have won the Nobel Prize in literature if he were alive today. They were that good. And they sounded even better in his native Persian. And, well, you think Mooji has a similar quality.Mooji has some insight that other people don’t. His good vibes are contagious. You are not your mind. Your mind is far more clever, and it makes you unhappy. You are that which is beyond the mind. There are layers to this. And the mind corrupts perception. Awareness comes before the mind. And there’s something that comes before even that. This is where bliss resides.Suppose the mind is fighting to go unnoticed to continue running the show. Mooji has the right wit and charm to catch the mind off guard and help you see that you are not your mind. You are not the story of your life. You’ve had glimpses of the transcendent peace you experienced years before, but nothing like that first time. It’s enough to believe you should keep going.You’re not here to convince anyone. All you can say is the man touched your soul and continues to do so. True peace is accessible in this very world.Being so isolated has its benefits. You start drawing and painting more. You’re very good at it, and your art from this time is some of the best you’ve done in a long while.You read SO MANY BOOKS. The books you read during this phase set the tone for the rest of your life.You can see the difference between Erika’s output and yours. You’re determined to close that gap. At one point, you try to learn speed reading. Eventually, you figure out that you have dyslexia.And all the haters always ask: “Were you diagnosed? How do you know?” It’s as if you’re challenging Einstein’s theory of relativity or something—arrogant b******s. Well… you know that 50% of people with ADHD have dyslexia from other books you’ve read.Looking back, there were many years when you complained to your mother about your inability to keep up with your reading at school. They made you sit another test to get into your boarding school, which changed your life.Once your parents made you understand that you had a shot at leaving St. Lucia—not someday, but in just one year—you were on. You read morning, noon, and night. You didn’t care. You’d wake up at 5 a.m. Reading books you’d never have touched in St. Lucia.Like Ernest Hemingway. Maya Angelou. Mary Shelley. Instead of reading one or two books per year, you start reading one or two weekly. It was slow. It was painful. But you did it. Today, when you work or write, everything goes through a text-to-speech reader.You’ve learned a compensatory skill that turned a weakness into a superpower. Now, you can read faster, with far less mental energy, and understand the material better.This second-person perspective keeps the narrative’s original structure and depth while ...
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    18 mins