Category: Dear Alexander Self Reflective Writings

I used to be apathetic to being a father and having a family. I find fulfilment and meaning in my life’s mission — in ‘the work’— in contributing to the world and conquering. While I still believe this to be true, it is primarily a selfish endeavour gratifying my own obsession to work hard and...Continue reading

After conquering a personal or business endeavour and accomplishing something I’ve never done before the question remains…what’s next? How do I top what I just did? This may be the wrong question to ask. The question to ask is… What is the hardest most interesting problem I can solve? Where does the intersect between deep...Continue reading

What does it mean to feel like I’m living a life of meaning? The most obvious answer I have found is to dedicate myself to the pursuit of my personal legend — my ikigai— the thing that provides me ultimate fulfilment and purpose in life. Another new component that was illuminated by Sam Harris is the idea...Continue reading

I have often felt regret and lamentation over the seemingly ineffective busyness that has stimulated my days. This busyness usually comes in two forms: Completing tasks that make me feel like I’ve accomplished something when I really have just been putting off the most difficult tasks. My insatiable curiosity leads me to stumble upon new...Continue reading

“No obstacle in front of me is more powerful than the will I have to conquer it.” — David Goggins My will is one of the most powerful things I have access to. It is not just sheer willpower, my ‘will’ comprises of: My ability to exceed the boundaries of my limitation in spite of pain and...Continue reading

“Even Socrates, who lived a very frugal and simple life, loved to go to the market. When his students asked about this, he replied, “I love to go and see all the things I am happy without.” In life, you always have to play a game. Life on a macro level is a giant game...Continue reading

“When you’re given the choice between being right and being kind, choose kind.”I used to be the opposite. I would value telling the truth and ‘being right’ above the feelings of others. I would project my version of reality onto others like I knew what was best for them. I was really trying to get...Continue reading

What if when we die we are simply moved into a new person beginning their life at some point in history, or the future? The catch is, we are not born until we live the life of every human that has ever lived. While we can’t prove or disprove this, maybe that doesn’t matter. What if we...Continue reading

Carl Jung believed the pathway to completion as a human is through the ‘embodiment of the monster’ — the discovery of ‘the shadow’. Jung didn’t believe you could be a good person until you realised your capacity for malevolence and evil. Once this is understood, then it must be brought under control. There are typically...Continue reading

“It’s better to ask for forgiveness then get permission.” I can no longer follow this principle. It is not a smart nor considerate way to live one’s life. Relying on others to pay me forgiveness for my conscious errors of judgement in an effort to find loopholes to make my life easier is not safe,...Continue reading

How would I live if I was going to die in 6 months? How would I live if I was going to die in 60 years? The old adage that one should live as if they were going to die tomorrow is fundamentally wrong…for my life. Option 1: Live As If You Were Going To...

“Every many knows that his highest purpose in life cannot be reduced to any particular relationship.” I understand that to live a full life I must honour my personal legend as the highest order. I must subvert my life to my personal legend above all else. There cannot be anyone or anything that comes before...Continue reading

When I feel overwhelmed the clouds of anxiety and stress block out the sun of composure and calm. When this happens try this, go on the offensive and run the sprint. What this practically means is this: LIST all the tasks you have obligated yourself to do. RANK them in order of significance. ASK what...Continue reading

While a part of the duty of your vocation is to help uplift and elevate people, it’s not always worth the investment of emotion, time and energy. If a person is consistently not receptive to the positive change you’re trying to inspire and teach, then that time is almost always better spent on others who...Continue reading

Do not convince anyone to live your way of life or do what you do. Trying to manipulate someone’s way life usually leaves them feeling resentful with a bad taste of diminished self-worth. If you want the world around you to be better then BE BETTER. Be the shining light example of excellence, if and...Continue reading

“You always fix everyone else’s problems, but you don’t stay long enough to let them know your own insecurities, vulnerabilities and who you are. So you think you’re connected to all these people but they don’t feel connected to you. They just trust you can help them out.” Be careful, that can often be you....Continue reading

You don’t need to insert your will onto others. You don’t need to oppose others whose way of life you disagree with. Saving face and saying nothing often conserves a lot of emotional and cognitive energy for everyone involved. Pick your battles carefully, you don’t need to fight every-one, nor do you need to be...Continue reading

You don’t need to deploy your thesis on how to live onto others just because you see they’re not living your version of an ‘optimal life’. Just because someone doesn’t have similar standards to you, doesn’t mean they haven’t attained their own success, meaning and fulfilment. Consider where they used to be to get a...Continue reading

“You want to be the person at your fathers funeral that everyone can rely on.” So the question becomes: what type of person do YOU need to be when catastrophe arrives? Disaster, death and suffering is coming, it’s not a question of ‘if’, it’s a question of ‘when’. Are you prepared for those dark days ahead? “Who...Continue reading

Before a job interview or new opportunity that you need to bring your best self to, what did you do the days and weeks before? You prepared. You researched the nuances of the business you were going to work at. You figured out who worked there, their names and positions. You rehearsed the types of...Continue reading