Lesson 1: The Golden Algorithm
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Hi Reader, Welcome to Lesson One! Today, we’ll be diving into the Golden Algorithm. The Empty GardenThere was once a gardener who inherited a field of rich soil. Everyone told her she had a gift for growing things. She had the touch, the eye, the instinct. However, this gardener also carried a deep fear of failing, of watching something she planted die. To make sure she avoided this, she became an expert at preparation. She sorted seeds by color and size. She studied rainfall patterns going back fifty years. She mixed the “perfect” compost in small jars and labeled them in neat handwriting. She walked the field each morning imagining what could grow there. Meanwhile, her neighbors planted messy, imperfect gardens. Some plants withered. Some bloomed wildly. Their yards filled with fruit, flowers, and life. For years, her garden stayed brown, untouched, and barren. One afternoon, a child passing by asked, “Hi miss, why is your garden empty?” She said, “I’m preparing. So that once I do plant my garden, it will flourish and never die.” “But miss,” the child stared at the barren soil. “It looks like everything is already dead.” Lesson 1: The Golden AlgorithmOver decades of coaching clients, I’ve noticed this phenomenon appear again and again. It’s a fascinating aspect of human nature, and I’ve coined it "The Golden Algorithm." Whatever emotion you try to avoid, you end up inviting into your life - in the exact way you try to avoid it.
I realized this when I was younger and had a deep terror of being abandoned. Whenever I noticed signs of potential abandonment, I’d get scared and lash out. And when I lashed out, people left me, and I felt abandoned creating the exact thing I was trying to avoid. Here are some more examples I’ve seen play out: Avoid failure → Never take risks → Never succeed → Feel like a failure Avoid feeling weak→ Dominate others → People leave you → Feel weak Avoid conflict → Constantly try to please → People get resentful → They create conflict with you This is how the Golden Algorithm works. The emotions you don’t want to feel start running your life. Just like with the gardener, they determine what you attempt, what you delay, what you rationalize, and what you don’t allow yourself to want. And you don’t actually avoid the emotions. You invite them into your life. The cost of this is your identity. You become someone organized around your avoidance of fears rather than your wants. You play not to lose rather than playing to win. We respect your inbox, and we'll only be sending out two more lessons of this Prep Guide. Click below to get all five lessons (plus early access to applications).
Big Love, Joe PS. Missed the intro? Read it here: |
Art of Accomplishment
Hi Reader, Now that we’ve begun to identify some of your avoided emotions, we’re going to take this process to the next level. This is the unlock that can create some incredibly powerful transformations. Because whether you’re aware of it or not, your mind is constantly telling you stories about your emotions. But many of those stories aren’t true. The Boy and the River There was once a boy who was terrified of the river. He had fallen in once as a child and remembered the cold shock, the...
Hi Reader, Now that we’ve begun to identify some of your avoided emotions, we’re going to take this process to the next level. This is the unlock that can create some incredibly powerful transformations. Because whether you’re aware of it or not, your mind is constantly telling you stories about your emotions. But many of those stories aren’t true. The Boy and the River There was once a boy who was terrified of the river. He had fallen in once as a child and remembered the cold shock, the...
Hi Reader, In our last lesson, we explored the Golden Algorithm. We saw how the emotions we avoid don’t just go away. Instead, they come back and end up unconsciously driving all our decisions. And as a result, our lives. Today, we’re going to take the first step in undoing the Golden Algorithm. We will walk you through exactly how to find some of these “blind spot” emotions. The Jester There was once a town jester who loved to dance about wildly in the streets. He would wail, laugh, and cry...