Reflections Of An Inner Fire

 

The most glowing successes are but the reflections of an inner fire.

Adversity and perseverance shape you in ways that nothing else can. They forge a resilience and self-esteem that are priceless. You may have heard the saying, "A tree is only as strong as its roots." But Carl Jung offers a deeper truth:

"No tree can grow to heaven unless its roots reach down to hell."

This speaks to a profound reality—to achieve extraordinary success, you must endure extraordinary trials. Darkness, hardship, and solitude are not obstacles; they are the very forces that strengthen you. The fire that burns within must be tested, tempered, and refined. As Seneca reminds us:

"It is a rough road that leads to the heights of greatness."

You must and should be strong mentally and physically - you must have thick-skin to endure the attacks of defeat and ridicule. Your mind must be burning with self-belief, yes — nothing new — but unwavering, stubborn, and quiet self-belief.

True confidence is not given; it is earned through fire.

"That is the way for the true mind to prove itself, the mind that yields to no judgment but its own. One can never be sure of one’s strength until numerous difficulties have appeared on every side, for courage increases when it meets with a challenge."

— Seneca

The flames of adversity do not destroy those with inner fire—they illuminate them. And in that glow, true greatness is revealed.

Cancelo Alvarez 

Ryan Holiday, Discipline is Destiny - Part II

Beware This Madness - 

Page 159-290 

The Burden of Potential: Will You Lift It?

For money to carry the heavy load for you in middle age, you must first carry the heavy load for money, skills, and a brand in your youth. -- Twitter

For anything really, that is valuable and precious, like money.

The grace and poise of a public speaker in middle age comes from deliberate efforts - even if it means the effort of simply discovering and accepting their god given talent, using their voice artfully.

Who knew, that even the act of looking deeper inside oneself - to find out what one is good at — is, on its own, heavy lifting and requires incredible mental strength?

André Gide, a Nobel Prize winner, once remarked:

“Yet I'm sure there's something more to be read in a man. People dare not—they dare not turn the page. The laws of fear. People are afraid to find themselves alone, and don't find themselves at all.”

He would drive the point home, adding:

“You can't create something without being alone. But who's trying to create here? What seems different in yourself: that's the one rare thing you possess, the one thing which gives each of us his worth; and that's just what we try to suppress. We imitate. And we claim to love life.”

In this short adventure called life, few mistakes are as irreversible as settling for a career or job you despise—merely because it pays the bills. Notice I say 'settle', because understandably we all need to start somewhere. Not everyone begins with inheritance. Some, in fact, inherit debt.

No matter. You have youth. You have 365 days a year. You have a brain. You can and should carry the heavy load—for financial stability, for skills, for your unique brand and voice.

You can and should realize that:

Time defines our lives. We are not shaped by the space we find ourselves in but by how we spend the time we have in that space.

Cancelo Alvarez

The Pillars of Mastery -- A Series (4/4)

On Happiness & Gratitude

Lack of happiness is a lack of gratitude.

Have you ever found yourself completely overwhelmed by negative, embarrassing, or frustrating circumstances—where you aren’t sure how you ended up in such a low point, yet part of you doesn’t want to move away from it? There’s a strangely comforting feeling in those negative thoughts and reflections, even though they come with an overwhelming sense of despair that can make you feel like doing something drastic, like harming yourself or disappearing. It’s a thought that maybe, if you ended your life, people would finally care about you—but just too late.

I’ve been there myself, and maybe I will be again in the future.

No matter, I’ve developed a safeguard against these feelings.

Psychologist and Nobel Prize winner Daniel Kahneman sums it up best:

“If you are allowed one wish for your child, seriously consider wishing him or her optimism. Optimists are normally cheerful and happy, and therefore popular; they are resilient in adapting to failures and hardships, their chances of clinical depression are reduced, their immune system is stronger, they take better care of their health, they feel healthier than others, and are likely to live longer.”

This safeguard is Optimism, brilliantly depicted in Frances Hodgson Burnett’s novel A Little Princess (1905).

Like any muscle, this mental safeguard improves with time.

You deliberately imagine a better future instead of a worse one, which encourages self-respect, self-care, and energy. You turn defeat into an opportunity to learn, accepting reality by stripping away the inessentials, rather than using failure as proof of your inadequacy. You look for the positive side of life—not just for the sake of optimism, but to spark your curiosity, to try new things, and to review your painful past with understanding and maturity.

Optimism, maintained daily through practices like keeping a gratitude journal, prayer, or giving, is the cure for the mind’s disease that we discussed earlier.

Previous Posts In this Series:
1st:  On Discipline & Talent
2nd: On Wealth
3rd: On Growth

Cancelo Alvarez

The Pillars of Mastery -- A Series (3/4)

On Growth  

Lack of growth is lack of courage.

“Do not do what someone else could do as well as you. Do not say, do not write what someone else could say, could write, as well as you. Care for nothing in yourself but what you feel exists nowhere else. And, out of yourself create, impatiently or patiently, the most irreplaceable of beings.” — André Gide, The Immoralist

Fifty years later, Carl Jung would write: “If the path before you is clear, you’re probably on someone else’s.”

And then, Robert Greene added: “The purpose of life is to live a life of purpose,” and I would further add that you must discover, invent, and create that purpose—because yours is unique and different from that of others. Certainly, it is different from those in your neighborhood, which is the most likely place where you will find yourself following and trying to fit in.

Growth is felt more than it is seen; this is why capturing daily wins is more about feeding your feelings of improvement than merely celebrating the actual wins. Our feelings possess immense power—both to build and to destroy.

You have heard that a man’s worst enemy is himself. This is because, through his feelings, he has the ability to destroy himself—but also the ability to build himself. Why? I read somewhere that: “The road to hell feels like heaven, and the road to heaven feels like hell.” Meaning—building and sharpening yourself is painful. Think of exercise, of meditation. On the other hand, destroying yourself feels enjoyable—think of junk food, watching pornography, and other indulgences.

But all that said—to grow, you must remember that the mind is in control of the body, which, when left unsupervised, will default to destroying itself with excess and avoiding all that is hard.

“Too great am I to be a slave to my body; too great is that for which I was born.” — Seneca

Previous Post in this series: On Wealth  

Next Post: 

Cancelo Alvarez  

The Pillars of Mastery -- A Series (2/4)

 

On Wealth

Lack of wealth is lack of vision.

"How to stay poor: Think you need to start rich to get rich."

— Alex Hormozi, Entrepreneur & YouTuber

Success leaves clues, Jim Rohn would remark in his books and seminars, and one clue we may lean on here is school.

Remember, to advance to another grade, we’re required to pass the examination of our current grade. In other words, we must earn the next level by proving our worth and capabilities. Failure to do so keeps us at the same grade—or worse, leads to quitting.

Fast forward to wealth creation: there’s no formal exam or school to impress, but the principle holds. We must exercise mastery and supremacy over what we have to merit what we desire.

In his timeless book, The 7 Strategies of Wealth & Happiness (1980), Jim Rohn wrote:

It really doesn’t take much to be in business; it doesn’t take a million dollars.

What it takes is to become master over what you have and what you are.

That’s where the seeds of greatness are sown—great wealth, great results, great influence, and a great lifestyle.

Take interest—and even delight—in doing the small things well. It will help you become a sophisticated person—one who knows the fundamental strategies for wealth and happiness.

I would add a caution for those seeking wealth: avoid taking advice from ordinary, unsuccessful people. Raise your standards. Raise your information sources. Change your circle of association. And most importantly—avoid instant gratification.

Play these games where the downside is survivable but the upside is exponential—because that’s where real wealth, in money and mastery, is born.

Vision sees the exponential upside where others see only risk.

Previous post in this series: On Discipline

Next Post: On Wealth

Cancelo Alvarez, 🇿🇦

My Research You Might Appreciate

 Your Mental "Thinking Behaviors" Book

I’ve been exploring a framework of Thinking Behaviors—

• Clarity, 
• Accuracy, 
• Precision, 
• Relevance, and 
• Logic—

that can sharpen how we process and share ideas. Below is a concise guide I’ve crafted, like a mental "book" to imprint in your mind, with the best bits distilled for you.

---

Chapter 1: Clarity

Goal: Make your thoughts clear and understandable.

• Guiding Questions:
  • Could I elaborate on this?
  • Could I illustrate what I mean?
  • Could I give an example?
• Imprint Strategy:
  • When explaining anything, imagine you’re teaching someone who’s new to the topic. Add details or examples until they’d “get it.”
  • Trigger: Every time you share an idea, pause and ask, “Is this clear enough?”

Chapter 2: Accuracy

Goal: Ensure your thinking is backed by facts and research.

• Guiding Questions:
  • How could we check on that?
  • How could we test that?
  • How do we know this is true?
• Imprint Strategy:
  • Treat yourself like a detective. Before accepting or sharing something, verify it with a quick fact-check or source.
  • Trigger: When learning or arguing, ask, “What’s my evidence?”

Chapter 3: Precision

Goal: Be specific and exact in your thinking.

• Guiding Questions:
  • Could I be more specific?
  • Could I give more details?
  • Could I be more exact?
• Imprint Strategy:
  • Picture yourself as a scientist describing an experiment—vague won’t do. Push for details until it’s crystal clear.
  • Trigger: When describing something, challenge yourself to avoid generalities.

Chapter 4: Relevance

Goal: Keep your thoughts tied to the central idea or problem.

• Guiding Questions:
  • How does this relate to the problem?
  • Does this answer the question?
  • How does this help us?
• Imprint Strategy:
  • Act like a navigator—steer every thought back to the main point. Outline your ideas if needed to stay on track.
  • Trigger: Before adding a point, ask, “Does this matter here?”

Chapter 5: Logic

Goal: Present your thinking in a way that makes sense to others.

• Guiding Questions:
  • Does all this make sense together?
  • Does my thinking follow the evidence?
• Imprint Strategy:
  • Think like an architect building an argument—each step must support the next. Test your reasoning for gaps.
  • Trigger: When concluding, check, “Does this flow logically?”

---

How to Imprint This Framework in Your Mind

1. Create a Mental Checklist:
   • Run through the five behaviors before speaking, writing, or deciding:
     • Is it clear?
     • Is it accurate?
     • Is it precise?
     • Is it relevant?
     • Is it logical?
2. Link to Everyday Actions:
   • Tie each behavior to a task:
     • Explaining → Clarity
     • Researching → Accuracy
     • Describing → Precision
     • Discussing → Relevance
     • Arguing → Logic
   • This builds a habit through routine.
3. Reinforce with Resources:
• Check out Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman or The Art of Thinking Clearly by Rolf Dobelli for deeper insights.
• Observe others in debates or articles to see these behaviors in action.

Next Post: We'll explore four more:

• Depth
• Fairness
• Breadth
• Significance 

Cancelo Alvarez 

The Pillars of Mastery -- A Series (1/4)

On Discipline

Lack of talent is lack of discipline.

Lack of discipline is lack of prioritization.

To be truly talented, you need a unique way of thinking—one grounded in self-honesty.

It takes energy, courage, wisdom, faith, and self-assurance to be honest with oneself. It is so easy to lie to ourselves. And when it comes to developing great talent, becoming a professional at what you do, an artist in your craft, you need all the ingredients of self-honesty, because without them, you will continually prioritize the less important things—things that do not feed your talent, your career, or your self-worth."

One day, you will look back and realize that we all had the same 24 hours each day. Some used it to become criminals, others housewives, some fell into addiction, while others became millionaires.

It has always been a question of prioritization.

What are you prioritizing today, this year?

It is a clue to your destiny.

Next Post: On Wealth

 Cancelo Alvarez 

Winning is a Habit

Small wins are exactly what they sound like—and they play a crucial role in how keystone habits drive widespread change. Research shows that small wins hold immense power, with an influence far greater than their individual impact. As a professor wrote in 1984, “Small wins are a steady application of a small advantage. Once a small win is achieved, it sets forces in motion that favor another.” These incremental victories fuel transformative change, turning tiny advantages into patterns that reinforce the belief that greater achievements are within reach.

— Karl E. Weick

Not all of us are born into families that value self-efficacy and self-reliance—those that understand the power and importance of keeping score of each little advantage on a daily basis — moreover, not all of us attend schools with truly attentive, self-taught teachers.

What usually happens is that parents are teachers during the day who follow a curriculum designed to pass exams and go to the next grade.

When you understand the power of developing and nurturing your self-efficacy, you treat each day as an opportunity to know yourself, to discover your skills, to clarify what you value in life and people, and to recognize where you are weak and vulnerable.

Keeping a daily journal—written or digital—is the art of keeping score:

When you collect Daily wins — at the end of the week, you will have 5+ wins collected. Out of those wins, you will surely have the Win of the Week, which you can celebrate with a drink or trip. By the end of the month, you will have accumulated 30+ wins—and you will surely have the Win of the Month, which you can celebrate. Fast forward to the end of the year. You will surely have the Win of the Year.

Do this consistently and what you’ll discover is that your self-confidence, skills, competitiveness, and perspective has gained a valuable asset: you have a positive outlook of life.

As we like to close these blogs; challenges will present you the chance to overcome them, which is a Win. Defeat will present you the chance to bounce back up—which is a Win. A race or test will present you the chance to come out number one—which is a Win and Medal. 🎖️

Life is a game of momentum—keep stacking your wins, and soon, you'll be playing at a whole new level.

Cancelo Alvarez 

The Power of a Role Model

Lucius Seneca, Statesman and Philosopher, Rome, BC

My letter calls for a conclusion. Here’s one for you—one that will serve you well, too—which I’d like you to take to heart.

"We should set our admiration on a great person and keep them always in mind, living as if they were watching us and acting as if they could see all we do. The soul needs someone to look up to—someone whose influence makes even our private, inner life more honest and pure.

Happy is the man who improves others not merely when he is in their presence but even when he lingers in their thoughts!

And a person who admires another in this way will soon become worthy of admiration themselves."

We cannot deny this truth: as humans, we are complex. On any given day, we face a thousand little things that can depress and discourage us, draining our efforts, making us see no point in trying, in improving ourselves, or even in rising from bed. Finding meaning and purpose in our lives is no child’s play—it’s a daily battle.

Yet life also offers us a thousand opportunities to find encouragement and energy, to leap out of bed and pursue self-improvement with a lively spirit. We have our families to make proud, our friends to impress, our teachers and mentors whose standards we strive to meet, and our wishes—like a beautiful house or car—that feel so close, so possible.

Allow me to add another motivating factor, already hinted at by Seneca above: a Role Model. Don’t shy away from choosing your personal hero—someone who speaks your language of success, who has achieved the goals you hold in your heart, who is fearless and resilient, yet kind and compassionate. Select them even for their looks, if they appeal to you. Choose them for their honesty and values.

A caution: be wary of picking someone just because they’re trending this week, or because they’re famous, or because they’re rude or flaunt their wealth. These kinds of people aren’t role models—they’re flukes. And you don’t want to be a fluke. You don’t want to act rich while secretly miserable, or appear well-off when your success depends on someone else—a boss or a lover.

Instead, choose those who are independent, strong-minded, and hardworking—people who have proven their work ethic. That’s a more repeatable, sustainable, and robust way to live. As Steve Jobs wisely said,

“One way to remember who you are is to remember who your heroes are.”

What It Really Takes to Become an Entrepreneur

Ray Dalio, Investor & Founder of Bridgewater Associates

Great managers aren’t just thinkers, entertainers, or doers—they are engineers. They see their organizations as machines and work relentlessly to improve them. They map out processes, measure performance, and refine both systems and people to maximize results.

---

Warren Buffett, Investor & CEO of Berkshire Hathaway

Warren Buffett once told me he looks for companies "run by painters." He explained that great artists struggle to let go of their work—they’re always adding a touch here, refining a detail there. He seeks leaders who see their companies as masterpieces-in-progress, constantly tweaking and improving, no matter how successful they become. At Berkshire Hathaway, he calls it a museum of masterpieces—but expects the artists to keep painting.

---

James Clear, Author of Atomic Habits

“What can’t you stop refining and improving? That’s where your edge lies—not in the finish line, but in the obsession with getting better every day.” 

---

 My Take:

Pick a mission that lasts, something big enough to grow into. Train your mind to focus on who you’re becoming along the way—not just what you’ll get out of it. Dalio engineers systems, Buffett paints masterpieces, and Clear refines endlessly. The real win? You evolve through the work

— Cancelo Alvarez

Habits Forge Who You Are (Part 2/2)

 Part 2: What Invites Chaos Into Our Lives?

Let’s break down what pulls chaos into our orbit, starting with:

Procrastination:
It’s the habit of dodging the hard, important stuff for what’s easy and fun. Tim Urban nails this in his hilarious, spot-on TED talk:

Inside the Mind of a Master Procrastinator | Tim Urban | TED

He introduces:

• The Monkey Mind: Craves instant gratification—easy, fun, now.
• The Rational Mind: Weighs past, present, and future—important, difficult, worthwhile.

When the Monkey Mind grabs the wheel, hours vanish into social media, TV, gossip, or movies. It’s effortless and entertaining, but it weakens your focus, delays your goals, and buries the important stuff. That’s chaos creeping in—because the big things we ignore shape our results and reality, for better or worse.

When the Rational Mind takes over, you tackle the hard, meaningful tasks. Everyone faces them, but those who embrace them—whether chasing financial, social, or physical goals—build lives of purpose and bliss.

Reading books or blogs might feel boring and hard, but it sharpens your edge for opportunities others miss or can’t get. Exercise sucks sometimes, yet it fuels your energy and strengthens your mind. Reviewing and planning your day, month, or year? Difficult!—but it ensures you have direction, and you are solving the right problems.

Ignore this, and you risk drifting past a truth that hits hard:

“All those days that came and went, little did I know that they were my life.”

A life spent just consuming—taking and taking with nothing to show—ends up chaotic and wasted.

Part 1: Habits Forge Who You Are

Cancelo Alvarez

Habits Forge Who You Are (Part 1/2)

“Every action you take is a vote for the type of person you wish to become. No single instance will transform your beliefs, but as the votes build up, so does the evidence of your new identity.” — James Clear

Zimbabwe voted for Robert Mugabe as President, electing a leader who promised liberation but later ruled with an iron fist. His policies devastated the economy, targeted white farmers and businesses that once bolstered employment, and plunged the nation into crisis, forcing many citizens to flee to South Africa and beyond. Yet, it was the people’s votes that placed him in power.

It is the same in our daily lives.

We vote and encourage and recommend things every minute and every hour. And yet, because of the intelligence or ignorance of our votes & choices, those things significantly influence us down the line and turn our lives into chaos or bliss.

Print this into your mind:

Every action I take is a vote for the type of person I wish to become.

Part 2: Habits Forge Who You Are Part 2

Cancelo Alvarez