You Are Not This Moment

 

Hey,

I know right now everything feels overwhelming — like the ground beneath you has shifted. But I need you to remember something: you are not this moment.

You are not their opinions.
You are not your mistakes.
You are not your salary.
You are not broken.
You are becoming.

Yes — things didn’t go the way you planned.
Yes — you said things you regret.
Yes — they looked at you differently after.

But no — you didn’t lose your worth.

You’ve been underestimated before, and you rose.
You’ve been misunderstood before, and you found clarity.
You’ve been bruised before — but never broken.

And that fire you feel right now? That ache in your chest, that rage in your gut?
That’s not destruction.
That’s direction.
It’s your higher self whispering: “This is not where we stop.”

There’s power in your anger.
There’s vision in your silence.
There’s a new chapter forming — and you get to choose the tone.

So take this moment.
Sit with it.
Cry if you need to. Scream if you must.
Then stand up — chest open, eyes forward.
Not because it’s easy.
But because it’s yours to claim.

You’ve worked too hard. You’ve grown too much. You’ve endured too much to fold now.

They may not know who you are.
But you do.
And that’s enough.

So breathe.

And begin again.

With fierce love,

Cancelo Alvarez 

M. Scott Peck — The Road Less Travelled - An Introduction

Summary taken directly from the book

Problems and Pain

Life is difficult. This is a great truth, one of the greatest truths. It is a great truth because once we truly see this truth, we transcend it. Once we truly know that life is difficult — once we truly understand and accept it — then life is no longer difficult. Because once it is accepted, the fact that life is difficult no longer matters.

What makes life difficult is that the process of confronting and solving problems is a painful one. Problems, depending upon their nature, evoke in us:

Frustration or grief or sadness or loneliness or guilt or regret or anger or fear or anxiety or anguish or despair. These are uncomfortable feelings, often very uncomfortable, often as painful as any kind of physical pain, sometimes equaling the very worst kind of physical pain.

Indeed, it is because of the pain that events or conflicts engender in us all that we call them problems. And since life poses an endless series of problems, life is always difficult and is full of pain as well as joy.

Yet it is in this whole process of meeting and solving problems that life has its meaning. Problems are the cutting edge that distinguishes between success and failure. Problems call forth our courage and our wisdom; indeed, they create our courage and our wisdom. It is only because of problems that we grow mentally and spiritually. When we desire to encourage the growth of the human spirit, we challenge and encourage the human capacity to solve problems, just as in school we deliberately set problems for our children to solve. It is through the pain of confronting and resolving problems that we learn. As Benjamin Franklin said,

"Those things that hurt, instruct."

It is for this reason that wise people learn not to dread but actually to welcome problems and actually to welcome the pain of problems.

Therefore let us inculcate in ourselves and in our children the means of achieving mental and spiritual health. By this I mean let us teach ourselves and our children the necessity for suffering and the value thereof, the need to face problems directly and to experience the pain involved. When we teach ourselves and our children discipline, we are teaching them and ourselves how to suffer and also how to grow.

What are these tools, these techniques of suffering, these means of experiencing the pain of problems constructively that I call discipline? There are four:

• Delaying of gratification,
• Acceptance of responsibility,
• Dedication to truth,
• Balancing.

As will be evident, these are not complex tools whose application demands extensive training. To the contrary, they are simple tools, and almost all children are adept in their use by the age of ten. Yet presidents and kings will often forget to use them, to their own downfall. The problem lies not in the complexity of these tools but in the will to use them. For they are tools with which pain is confronted rather than avoided, and if one seeks to avoid legitimate suffering, then one will avoid the use of these tools. Therefore, after analyzing each of these tools, we shall in the next section examine the will to use them, which is love.

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On Parenting 

Since we do not have the benefit of comparison when we are young, our parents are godlike figures to our childish eyes. When parents do things a certain way, it seems to the young child the way to do them, the way they should be done. If a child sees his parents day in and day out behaving with self-discipline, restraint, dignity and a capacity to order their own lives, then the child will come to feel in the deepest fibers of his being that this is the way to live. ⭐

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The parents who devote time to their children even when it is not demanded by glaring misdeeds will perceive in them subtle needs for discipline, to which they will respond with gentle urging or reprimand or structure or praise, administered with thoughtfulness and care. They will observe how their children eat cake, how they study, when they tell subtle falsehoods, when they run away from problems rather than face them. They will take the time to make these minor corrections and adjustments, listening to their children, responding to them, tightening a little here, loosening a little there, giving them little lectures, little stories, little hugs and kisses, little admonishments, little pats on the back.

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The feeling of being valuable — "I am a valuable person"— is essential to mental health and is a cornerstone of self-discipline. It is a direct product of parental love. Such a conviction must be gained in childhood; it is extremely difficult to acquire it during adulthood. Conversely, when children have learned through the love of their parents to feel valuable, it is almost impossible for the vicissitudes of adult-hood to destroy their spirit.

To be continued... 

Bruised But Not Broken

The path that leads to the life you want is full of challenges that you do not want.

At one point in my life, somewhere deep within me, I really thought there was a career, a field of work, a way to make a lot of money without working hard, without facing stress and self-doubt, without growing into a more informed, skilled, and thoughtful person. I believed that there was a shortcut, so to speak, that I could use to skip ahead and avoid difficulty.

This belief has been torn to pieces—thoroughly destroyed.

Now, bruised and humbled, I am wholly convinced there is no such path. The universe is so designed that we humans and animals alike must get acquainted with the fact that life has guaranteed challenges, genuine sadness —phases and seasons that test our character, that can even kill us before our time.

And only by embracing this fact, by growing spiritually—that is, by studying resilience, emotional intelligence, courage — will we also appreciate that life is full of thrilling adventure and meaning. 

Sam Madlala 

The Sovereign Individual - Real Life Examples

 A summary — page 17-34

Get ready — big changes are coming.

The world is changing so fast that many people won't be able to keep up. The Information Revolution offers huge benefits, but many will fight against it because they feel threatened.

You should be ready for this resistance. New technologies are challenging government power more than any political movement in centuries. Those in power don't give up control without a fight.

This clash will define the early years of the new millennium—a time of both danger and opportunity, with less politeness in some areas but much more freedom in others.

Individuals will gain more power while governments become weaker and more desperate. Politics as we know it may fade as governments lose their grip on services and resources. Private businesses may take over most government work.

Why? Information technology will make it impossible for governments to charge people more than their services are truly worth.

New technology is changing how wealth is created and protected, expanding market power. This shift is massive—possibly bigger than the shift from feudalism to industrial society.

A new era of individual economic independence is coming. Just as governments sold off railways and factories, people themselves will be "privatized." Individuals will no longer belong to the state as citizens—they'll become customers.

Governments will have to serve people, not control them. Citizenship will become outdated, like knights and chivalry. Governments will compete for loyalty, and those offering poor value will be ignored.

Old ideas like "equal protection under the law" will seem outdated because the systems behind them will no longer exist.

Holding onto old political traditions—nationalism and centralized citizenship—will be as pointless as knights fighting gunpowder with swords. Future generations will laugh at what we take seriously.

The Don Quixote of the twenty-first century will not be a knight-errant struggling to revive feudalism but a bureaucrat in a brown suit, a tax collector yearning for a citizen to audit.

As traditional governments weaken, new digital-age groups will take their place. These "merchant republics" will protect members and enforce agreements in a less secure world.

This future will surprise people who still believe in 20th-century democracy. Many think governments control society through votes, polls, and planning. But that's becoming outdated—as outdated as an old factory chimney.

The idea that governments can solve all problems assumes people and resources stay controllable. They won't. Markets—not governments—will drive change. People won't always understand these changes, but they'll happen anyway.

Start seeing the world differently. Question old assumptions. If you don't, you could make serious mistakes that harm your finances, business, and future.

Book Summary ends here:

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So I asked myself - what are obvious examples of outdated thinking still common in 2025, particularly across Africa, and how these mindsets are limiting people in a fast-changing world.

This is what I found:

🌍 1. Blind Loyalty to Government Jobs

Conventional thinking:

“Government jobs are safe, stable, and the best career path.”

Reality in 2025:

Many African governments are deeply in debt, delaying salaries, and cutting back on hiring. The state is no longer a guaranteed provider. Meanwhile, remote work, freelancing, and entrepreneurship are growing globally — but many young Africans aren’t being taught how to tap into these opportunities.

🧭 New mindset needed: Learn digital skills. Sell your talent globally. Create value, don’t just seek employment.

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📺 2. Obsessing Over Formal Education Without Practical Skills

Conventional thinking:

“Just get a degree — success will follow.”

Reality in 2025: Graduating doesn’t mean you’re useful. Skills and execution do. Across Africa, millions of graduates are broke, jobless, or stuck in dead-end roles. Employers don’t care about your certificate—they care what you can do. Yet most waste years memorizing outdated theory, never building a single project, never solving a real problem. It’s intellectual laziness disguised as achievement.

🧭 New mindset needed: Combine education with tech, trade, and self-taught skills. Build things. Solve problems. Don’t wait.

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💵 3. Mistrusting Digital Finance and Blockchain

Conventional thinking:

“Mobile money is fine, but crypto is dangerous or a scam.”

Reality in 2025:

While Western countries and Asian markets are embracing Bitcoin ETFs, tokenized assets, and DeFi, many Africans are still stuck in cash-based systems or fear blockchain technology. This slows financial inclusion, access to global markets, and wealth creation.

🧭 New mindset needed: Learn how crypto, tokenization, and borderless money work. Africa has much to gain — if people are willing to learn beyond the headlines.

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🏢 4. Overreliance on National Identity and Borders

Conventional thinking:

“My future is limited to my country’s economy and leaders.”

Reality in 2025:

The internet has made it possible to live locally but earn globally — yet many still think like their only opportunities come from their own country or government. Meanwhile, young people in Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa are building global businesses online — often with zero government support.

🧭 New mindset needed: Think like a Sovereign Individual — build a personal brand, offer services internationally, and diversify your income beyond borders.

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🏘️ 5. Investing in Land or Property as the Only Path to Wealth

Conventional thinking:

“Real estate is the only safe investment.”

Reality in 2025:

Yes, property can be useful — but in many African cities, land is overpriced, mismanaged, and tied to political risk. Meanwhile, those who invested early in stocks, tech ETFs, or online businesses have seen far higher returns with fewer headaches.

🧭 New mindset needed: Think diversified — use digital tools to invest in global markets, not just land.

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✊🏽 6. Believing Change Will Come Through Protests or Politics Alone

Conventional thinking:

“If we just vote harder or protest louder, things will get better.”

Reality in 2025:

While activism is important, real change often comes from creating alternatives, not just fighting the system. A new class of Africans is quietly building startups, platforms, and community ventures that solve problems without waiting for the state.

🧭 New mindset needed: Focus on creating, not just resisting. Build parallel systems — in education, finance, food, and energy.

"The universe rewards us for understanding it and punishes us for not understanding it. When we understand the universe, our plans work and we feel good. Conversely, if we try to fly by jumping off a cliff and flapping our arms, the universe will kill us." — JACK COHEN AND IAN

The Sovereign Individual - 1997

 

The authors' vision of how technology will transform economics and governance felt too important not to share immediately. What's remarkable is this was written in 1997!

2 minute reading time:  

The Fourth Stage of Human Society

You now stand at the threshold of the most profound revolution in human history. Microprocessing is poised to subvert and dismantle the nation-state, giving rise to entirely new forms of social organization.

This transformation will not be easy and will unfold with unprecedented speed—far faster than anything witnessed in the past.

History Repeats Itself

This situation has happened before. When new technology changes the economy, old institutions lose influence and people's moral values shift. People start to dislike those in charge of old systems even before they have clear new alternatives.

In the late 1400s, despite the medieval Church's power in feudal society, many looked down on priests and bishops—similar to how people often feel about politicians today. There's much to learn from comparing the late 15th century, when religion dominated, to today's politics-dominated world.

The Information Revolution

A completely new kind of economic activity will grow in the online world—one not controlled by physical force. The biggest winners will be the "cognitive elite"—people who use knowledge and skills—unlimited by country borders. These people already live and work comfortably in cities worldwide like New York, Tokyo, and London.

The Good News: The Information Revolution will liberate individuals like never before. For the first time, those who educate themselves will be almost entirely free to create their own work and fully reap the benefits of their productivity. Genius will be unleashed, freed from both government oppression and racial/ethnic prejudice.

In the cybereconomy, they will never see you. The ugly, the fat, the old, and the disabled will compete on equal footing with the young and beautiful—in complete, color-blind anonymity—on the new frontiers of cyberspace.

Ideas Become Wealth

Merit will be rewarded like never before. In a world where the greatest source of wealth is ideas rather than physical capital, anyone who thinks clearly has the potential to become rich. The Information Age will offer far greater equal opportunities for billions in parts of the world that never fully shared in industrial prosperity.

The brightest and most ambitious will emerge as truly Sovereign Individuals, competing and interacting like gods in Greek myths. The new "Mount Olympus" will be cyberspace—expected to become the world's largest economy by the early 2020s. By 2025, millions will participate in this digital economy. Some will be as rich as Bill Gates. The "cyberpoor" will make less than $200,000 yearly. There will be no cyber welfare, no cyber taxes, and no cyber government.

The Bottom Line: Politicians won't be able to control most of this new digital economy—just like ancient lawmakers couldn't control Zeus. Because much of the global economy will be free from political control, governments will have to act more like businesses serving customers rather than criminals exploiting people.

If you enjoyed this summary -- don't stop the momentum - jump onto the next one. 

The Sovereign Individual - Chapter 8

The Sovereign Individual - Real Life Examples

Beyond Limitations

"Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do." — John Wooden

Almost every day, we are faced with the choice to make the most of our available resources, abilities, and information or, which is more common, to complain and pinpoint all that we lack—all that stops us from moving forward.

If you look deeper into the problem, or attitude, you will realize that it often stems from childhood. But as we age and mature, the process of change requires us to take on more responsibility. But taking more responsibility is painful because it means we cannot complain and refuse openly, as we did a few years ago as children.

How easy it is for a child to cry their lungs out when they want their mama to pick them up—or when they are refused candy at 6 am. They are ready to cause a scandal.

Not so as an adult, because you are forced to recognize that your complaint or excuse, if you observe closely, is not 100% correct. And it causes serious discomfort to even realize that 1% fault in our claim.

But the more we acknowledge the flaws in our excuses about the world, the more we increase our willpower and confidence. In turn, we boost our ability to take on ever higher responsibilities, at work, at home—and there's no higher reward than looking back and realizing the impact you made through self-trust and persistence.

Persistence in outgrowing the child in you, persistence in going beyond your limits.

Mariam Pare, writer and author, has a message for you along these sentiments:

"If I could talk to myself twenty years ago, I would tell myself to focus on my strengths, and not on my weaknesses; on the things I could do and not the things I couldn't do; to strive to excel and hone those skills to the point of excellence. That this was the best strategy to secure my future. I would say to myself that the only real obstacles you have are those you create for yourself."

Cancelo Alvarez