The Painful Truth About Your Next Level

Hey there, my friend!

You know that moment when you're halfway up your mountain - the prestigious role, the comfortable salary, the "successful" life - and a quiet voice inside whispers: "What if this is the wrong peak?"

Something hit me this week that stopped me in my tracks...

I was drafting a client pitch for my startup (you know, the "serious" work), when I noticed something strange:

What really gets me excited?

It wasn't the pitch.

It was this – writing to you, sharing the hard-won insights from my journey, helping you navigate your own path to something deeper than just "success."

And that's when it hit me: Sometimes your real purpose isn't at the top of the mountain you're climbing.

It's waiting for you at the bottom of a different peak entirely.

Let me share what I've discovered about reaching your next level...

Let’s dive in.

The Hidden Pattern of Fulfillment

Here's something they never teach you in business school:

Real success – the kind that makes you jump out of bed at 6 AM with fire in your belly – often hides in the spaces between your "actual work."

Think about it...

When was the last time your spreadsheets made your heart race?

When did a quarterly review fill you with uncontrollable excitement?

When did you lose sleep because you couldn't wait to update that PowerPoint?

For years, I chased the metrics that looked good on paper:

• The prestigious projects

• The impressive ROI figures

• The "respectable" business plans

But what really lights me up? What keeps me working late into the night?

It's this. Sharing insights with you.

Taking the hard lessons I've learned and turning them into something valuable for others.

The Success Paradox That Keeps Us Stuck

Most of us have it backwards.

We think:

"Once I'm successful enough, I'll do what I really love."

"After I make my first million, I'll focus on what matters."

"When I reach [insert goal], then I'll follow my passion."

But that's like saying, "I'll wait until I'm in shape before I go to the gym."

Here's the truth that took me years to understand:

The universe rewards those who have the courage to start before they feel ready. To share before they feel qualified. To create before they feel certain.

The Million-Dollar Blind Spot

Here's what fascinates me:

Look at any true innovator, any real game-changer in business or life.

What do you notice?

They're not just working – they're operating in a dimension where work and play become indistinguishable. Where time loses meaning because they're so deeply engaged in what they're doing.

I see this pattern everywhere now:

• Some see market analysis as tedious data entry

• Others see it as an addictive puzzle to solve

• Some view writing as a draining chore

• Others can't wait to wake up and start creating

The difference isn't in WHAT they're doing. It's in WHY they're doing it.

The Space Between Success and Fulfillment

But here's the part nobody talks about...

True breakthroughs don't happen in the busy moments. They happen in the spaces between. In those quiet moments when your mind has room to breathe.

I learned this the hard way:

• Working 70-hour weeks but feeling empty

• Hitting targets but missing true meaning

• Climbing fast but on the wrong mountain

Then I discovered something that changed everything:

The most valuable insights come when you create space to think. When you step back from the constant doing and allow yourself to just be.

The Permission Slip You've Been Waiting For

Here's something I wish someone had told me back in my Singapore days:

You don't need another:

• Certification

• Promotion

• Seven-figure exit

• "Perfect" moment

To start following what lights you up.

The Price of Playing Small

You know what's crazy?

Most people will spend more time planning their next vacation than planning the life they actually want to live.

I get it. I've been there:

• Analyzing every risk

• Running endless scenarios

• Waiting for the "right time"

But here's what I've learned about waiting for the perfect moment:

It doesn't exist.

And while you're waiting, life is happening. Time is passing. Opportunities are slipping by.

The Courage Tax

Want to know the real reason most people stay stuck?

It's not lack of:

• Skills

• Resources

• Opportunities

It's the unwillingness to pay the Courage Tax.

What's the Courage Tax?

It's the price of:

• Looking foolish while you figure things out

• Starting over when others think you're crazy

• Trusting your gut when everyone says you're wrong

• Creating space in your calendar for deep thinking

Quick Question For You

Before I share the practical steps that helped me breakthrough (and how you can too), I'd love to hear from you how I can provide even more value to you.

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Your insights help me create even more valuable content for you.

The Implementation Blueprint

Let me get practical for a moment.

Here's exactly how to start bridging the gap between where you are and where you're meant to be:

1. The Empty Space Protocol

(This changed everything for me)

Schedule two hours each week where you:

• Turn off all notifications

• Find a quiet space

• Just think

Sounds simple, right? Almost too simple.

But here's what happens:

First 30 minutes: Your mind races with to-do lists

Next 30 minutes: The noise starts to settle

Final hour: Real insights emerge

That's when the magic happens.

2. The Real Value Audit

Every evening, ask yourself three questions:

• When did I lose track of time?

• What did I do today that felt effortless?

• What would I do even if no one paid me?

The patterns that emerge? That's your compass.

3. The Permission Practice

This is where it gets uncomfortable (in a good way):

Start sharing your natural insights before you feel "ready."

• That way you see patterns others miss?

• That market analysis that comes easily to you?

• That unique perspective you think is too "obvious"?

That's your unique contribution trying to emerge.

The Reality Most Miss

Here's the truth that took me years to understand:

When you're operating in your zone of natural talent - where your "easy" meets others' "hard" - something magical happens:

• Work feels like play

• Time becomes fluid

• Impact multiplies effortlessly

• Value creation becomes natural

The Only Question That Matters

Right now, you're standing at a crossroads.

You can:

• Keep climbing the conventional ladder, pushing harder up a mountain that might not be yours

• Or start trusting that what comes naturally to you might be exactly what the world needs

Look, I get it.

When I first started sharing my journey from corporate finance to true freedom, that old programming kicked in:

• "Who are you to talk about this?"

• "What will your old colleagues think?"

• "Shouldn't you focus on more serious metrics?"

But here's what I know now:

The voice telling you to play it safe is the same voice keeping you trapped in golden handcuffs.

Your Personal AI Acceleration Partner

I've discovered a way to use AI to fast-track this self-discovery process. Think of it as your personal insight miner.

Here's how to access your mental clarity catalyst:

1. Visit ChatGPT (https://chat.openai.com/)

2. Copy and paste the following prompt

3. Fill in your specific situation

4. Watch as AI helps you navigate your mental landscape

Assist in identifying and amplifying the unique zones of genius by analyzing personal work patterns and providing actionable insights for enhancement and sharing of natural strengths.

**Example Input:**
- Energizing Moments: "[Outline key episodes]"
- Draining Tasks: "[Detail exhausting activities]"
- Lost Time Activities: "[Describe immersive tasks]"
- Exciting vs. Draining Challenges: "[Contrast specific challenges]"

2. Analyze this information to:
   - Identify hidden patterns in my energy flow and natural talents
   - Recognize areas where you might be undervaluing my unique gifts
   - Discover opportunities to transform tasks perceived as too easy into a recognized personal edge

3. Deliver actionable recommendations that include:
   - A bold action to take tomorrow to amplify my natural strengths
   - A reframe for the "this isn't serious work" belief
   - A specific method for sharing my unique insights with others this week

# Steps

1. Compile a detailed description of the last workday as per the guidelines.
2. Examine the details to spot notable patterns in energy and talent utilization.
3. Develop specific, practical actions and reframes based on the insights drawn.

# Output Format

Provide your analysis and recommendations in a structured format with clear sections for each element, preferably in paragraph form, focusing on clarity and practicality.

# Notes

- Focus on linking practical steps directly to identified patterns and strengths.
- Emphasize the transition from current activities to expressions of core genius.

HOW TO USE THE PROMPT

Here is the output I received for the example inputs above.

Read the full output here!

Your Next Chapter

That quiet voice you hear in those rare moments of stillness?

That subtle pull toward something more meaningful?

That excitement you feel when you think about what could be?

It's not random noise.

It's not impractical dreaming.

It's your future self trying to guide you home.

The question isn't whether you're capable.

The question is: Are you ready to trust your natural genius?

To your extraordinary path,

Stephan

P.S. Please help me to serve you even better and fill in my short Survey. It literally only takes one minute - I promise.