Comfort is a cage. And most people have a life sentence.

My first real job was busing tables in high school. I worked as many weekends as I could to have some spending money.

As I worked through the years, I became friends with a lot of the servers. We joked about rude customers and other incidents that happened on the shift. I loved the community in that restaurant.

I began to learn how many of them had higher education. One server had trained in hotel management. She was from Ukraine, and hoped one day to have her own hotel.

As she told me about her past, she gave me a warning: “Don’t get comfortable in a job you don’t want. Keep moving.”

I saw a shadow of disappointment in her eyes. She knew she had settled for a job she became comfortable in. What was meant to be temporary became permanent.

I graduated high school, and headed to Oregon for college. I began to see similar patterns.

Fellow students would party on the weekends to cope with the stresses of the week. They got in a comfortable routine of working, then letting loose on the weekend.

It seems like that pattern carries over into their working careers. But hey if they’re comfortable, why change it?

I graduated college and got a job in retail. One of my coworkers is one of the smartest people I’ve ever met. He wanted to save up money to study accounting in college.

He’s still in retail, and got a promotion. I don’t hear him talk as much about his goals. I’m afraid to see him fall into the same rhythm only because it’s convenient.

I do have a caveat. Just because I see this pattern doesn’t mean it’s always accurate. Some people may realize they love this new venture. It may not be as flashy as their grandiose goals, but they’re content.

We don’t need much to be happy. But that doesn’t mean we should settle for less than what we want.

The Irony of Coping

We begin to cope when we settle. Here’s the irony, coping can look like what people want.

I’ve seen people go through “retail therapy” to cope with a job they don’t like. They act rich, which keeps them reliant on their job.

But what they desire is material wealth.

I’ve heard stories about wealthy people in office jobs getting addicted to cocaine. They love the rush. They get a fix, and that’s what keeps them at their job.

But what they desire is a thrill to offset a mundane life.

This next is a bit vulnerable.

For a long time, I would try to give everything I had. Without a second thought, I would give my love, time, energy, money, patience, and wisdom to those I cared about. I assumed my identity was dependent on what I did for others, which kept me in the cycle.

But what I desired was belief that I was worthy of the treatment I was giving others. Because if I did, it would extend that patience and love to myself too.

Even generosity can become an addiction.

Coping keeps us comfortable. And prolonged comfort keeps us trapped. It traps us in cycles we never wanted to be in.

What Coping Costs

To make matters worse, coping is expensive. It will tax your health, relationships, and bank account. But it has an appealing payment plan.

Coping mechanisms are more similar to a subscription than a one-off purchase. A couple cocktails every weekend turns into $500/month.

At the coffee shop we have one customer that gets two drinks almost everyday. We did the math, and found that shes spending almost $1000/month on matcha.

Then there’s how it taxes your health. Coping mechanisms aren’t the best for you. I’m willing to bet that a big reason we have so many addicted to drugs isn’t because they enjoy shooting up. It’s the best way they know how to cope with a life they don’t want. And that coping mechanism may have been taught by their parents. So it becomes a generational cycle.

The resentment we may develop for our lives when we cope will impact those we care about as well. Because our resentment may bleed into how we treat others. It’s easy to not treat people well when we are unhappy.

And if our health and money are also decreasing, those will impact the lives of others. Then it becomes almost impossible to stop the spiral.

What Hope Costs

Hope is also expensive, but it’s all up front.

I feel like a hypocrite writing this. I’m still 25, and I’m doing my best to front load as much as I can in hopes that my life will be easier later. For example:

• I’ve paid off all my debt

• I’ve made a gym routine for my health

• built software to support my side hustle

• and have learned a lot about relationships

I’m investing a lot in my future. But I haven’t had many payouts yet. So I’m still hoping that everything will work out.

I have faith that everything will come to pass.

The Irony of Hope

I’ve learned that hope works in opposites. I need to go through the opposite feeling of whatever I’m striving for. That’s the tuition for achieving it.

• I feel dumb when I’m learning something new

• I feel weak when I’m gaining strength

• I feel poor when I’m building wealth

Contrast that with coping:

• We become dumb by never learning anything new

• We become weak by never challenging ourselves

• We become poor by trying to look wealthy

Opposites are everywhere. I plan to talk a lot about the ones I see in future essays.

I have a Skool community about creating sustainable ambition. It seems like many people have great ideas. And when they start to pursue their vision, burnout gets them to quit. I used to burn out a lot more.

And I’ve developed a framework that’s helped me keep coming back to pursue my ambitions. If that sounds interesting, here’s the link:

The Scenic Route

See you inside!

Take care now. Bye bye then.

— Alex :)

We were closing the coffee shop. “But if I keep working,” she joked, “Then the voices in my head will stay quiet.” We both laughed.

But there’s truth in jest.

She had started working at the coffee shop several months before me. Although she was a few years younger than me, she was one of the hardest working people I’ve ever met.

I had a ton of respect for her.

It took a while for me to get into the rhythm of making coffee. And she was one of the people who helped train me.

But as I worked with her, I began to see a pattern. She told me stories about how much she did after work.

She was a straight A student.

She was a high school soccer and track star.

And at the time of the conversation, she was studying to get into nursing school.

Looking back, those jokes were foreshadowing. Later that year, she started calling out sick. Her health started to decline. And now she’s not scheduled much at all.

It’s sad to see. She was dependable and fun to be around. I miss working with her.

I don’t see her much anymore. So I’m writing this for her, and anyone else who uses busyness as a distraction.

Running from Ghosts

I studied advertising and audio production in college. My dream was to be an industry music producer. I studied 1990s New York underground hip-hop artists like Nas, Wu-Tang, and Mobb Deep for my sound.

When I wasn’t in class, I was watching YouTube videos and buying other courses about building a brand online. I obsessed over building a personal brand every waking moment.

But no matter how many beats I made, I felt like I wasn’t hitting the mark. But I loved music all my life. Music theory was easy for me to understand. Why wasn’t I ever satisfied?

My girlfriend at the time had to deal with my constant overthinking and attempts to make something work.

Then I had a breakthrough:

All of the hip hop songs I enjoyed were telling stories. And those stories often had lessons at the end to help the listener.

This was perfect!

In my advertising classes, we talked about storytelling all the time. I could talk about that to attract those kinds of artists to my brand. So I started a podcast about storytelling in hip hop.

I talked about artists like Andre 3000, Big L, Mobb Deep, and other legends. I wasn’t an artist, but I could analyze lyrics and share those storytelling tactics.

My brand strategy was to “help hip hop artists tell their story”.

I was happy with the strategy. So I pushed myself to put out as much as I could.

At this point, I was:

• making music

• producing a podcast

• filming short form content

• running a YouTube channel

• reaching out to artists

• taking care of college and homework

I even had more business ideas for how to make money with my music. I was trying to do a thousand clever things at once.

Turning Point

At this point, I had a good grasp on branding. I reached out to NAMM, which is a music industry conference, about speaking on a panel. I didn’t know that one of my fellow speakers on the panel would become my mentor.

Fast forward a year later.

I was staying at my mentor’s house gearing up for another panel at NAMM.

We were sitting at her dining room table when she confronted me:

“You say you help artists tell their stories, but you’ve never told yours. That’s pretty hypocritical. So what’s your story?”

Then she started a stopwatch.

I went white. For the next 13 agonizing minutes, I stammered out my story. I talked about my upbringing, my home town, and the person I hope to become.

Later that night, I wrote out my story on my phone. The next day, I shared it with my mentor. She said it was one of the most pure and beautiful things she’s ever heard.

After I got back from the trip, I posted it to Instagram. The moment I posted it, all drive I had to pursue a music career dissipated. I felt no urgency to prove anything.

Turns out I was the person I was helping tell their story.

The takeaway is that the problem in my career was the fear I tried to ignore. The more I covered it up, the more it impacted what I was trying to build. And that fear was bleeding into the rest of my life.

I wasn’t able to solve it until my mentor forced me to sit in it. And when I shared it with the world, the dreams I thought I had faded.

Beware

I tell this story as a warning

It doesn’t matter how much more work you do.

It doesn’t mater how much money you have.

It doesn’t matter how many friends you have.

It doesn’t even matter if you follow Jesus.

If you don’t address the fear poisoning your internal world, nothing will be enough.

It will hurt those you love.

It will worry those who love you.

And there is a risk to facing this fear. The vision you’ve held may fade. It could be a vision you’ve invested decades and thousands of dollars into. You may have sacrificed memories in pursuit of this vision. And you might realize it was smoke and mirrors.

But there is no measure to the clarity you will gain. My relationships have been better. My faith is stronger. I have more self respect. I have intentional urgency for my goals. And I know what I want my life to look like.

So if you have a fear that manifests itself in several areas of your life, face it.

Slow down. Sit with yourself. Tell a therapist. Call a friend. Bring it to light in the presence of someone you trust. The best way to free yourself is to know you’re not alone.

You deserve a life without self-imposed torment. You deserve to feel the love so many wish to give you.

Take care now. Bye-bye then.

— Alex :)

I bought my first car several years ago. It was a Toyota RAV4 with a little over 100k miles. Not a bad deal for $12k.

But then I realized I had debt for the first time in my life. I never had to make payments on anything before. And this had a daunting 10% interest rate.

I was working minimum wage in retail when I bought it. I also had LASIK surgery earlier that year in April, which was another $4k.

So I had $16k in debt to pay off while working minimum wage. I had no idea how I would survive it. But I resolved to pay it all off as fast as I could.

This was my plan. I was bringing home $1,000/paycheck at 40hrs/week. If I put $500 of each paycheck toward my debt, I would have everything paid off in 16 months. Not bad.

Over the next 16 months, I attempted different side hustles. These were also my attempts to figure out what I wanted to do after retail. But I knew I couldn’t do both sustainably.

I recall driving to work during a frigid December morning. I was scheming about what I should prioritize.

Should I focus on my side projects that I love but don’t make money?Or should I focus on my day job?

I decided to get as many hours as I could in retail to pay it off. That was consistent income I could depend on.

I was saving every penny I could. I forced myself to get Chipotle and Panda Express once a week to keep something to look forward to. My grocery bill diminished to almost $90-120/month.

Also during that time, I decided to get in much better shape. I started doing calisthenics and triathlon cardio. That’s when I decided to train for an Ironman Triathalon.

I also wanted to maintain a trace of a social life. Most of my friends like to go on hikes, watch movies, or play video games. So my social life didn’t cost much more than gas.

(I have a hill leading down to my house. So I developed the habit of only using the brake pedal to get to my house to save gas.)

I also don’t drink, which has saved a lot of money.

I put a lot of constraints on myself during that time.

I was trying to do the most with the least. So burnout was a constant companion.

The crossroads

I see a lot of “grindset” posts on social media preaching frugality. They say it’s better to save money than spend it on stupid shit.

I agree with that. I see a lot of people pouring their paychecks into things that they hope will impress others.

But that hustle culture says to save money to invest in yourself so you can beat the competition. They seem to grant bragging rights to those in crawl through deeper mud for longer.

It’s interesting how struggle becomes a source of pride.

I disagree with that sentiment.

When I put myself through that season of lack, I learned struggle is a mindset. I wasn’t going to attach my identity to tough times. They never last forever.

Alex Hormozi talks about how we don’t need much to survive.

I’d like to add to that. My hardships showed me I don’t need much to thrive.

It has nothing to do with trying to get more. It’s about wanting less.

I transferred my final payment at the end of June of the next year. It was a surreal moment. I had paid off $16k of debt in 16 months working minimum wage.

That season not only allowed me to pay off my debt. It also showed me how little I need to be happy.

Constraints Create Clarity

After reducing what I want, I realized the most important things in life are right in front of me:

I have good friends and family.

I’m healthy.

I’m living within my means.

I’m working on projects that excite me.

I’m writing about what I’ve learned in hopes it helps others.

As far as I’m concerned, I’m already living my dream. I already have everything I want.

That is how I made $36k feel like $1 million.

Bonus: The Irony of Abundance

One of my favorite quotes is by Les Brown:

“You don’t get in life what you want. You get in life what you are.”

To me, that is the union of accountability and manifestation. You need to grow into the person who can receive those blessings. Because a blessing at the wrong time can be a curse. (take a look at the Prodigal Son).

I can also break that quote into two parts:

“You get what you don’t need” (an abundance mindset).

and

“You want what you can’t have” (a scarcity mindset).

Because I have everything I need for the life I want, anything else is a bonus. I don’t need it.

I love learning about systems of all kinds, which includes business. So if I keep learning about business and working on my projects, they’ll start making money.

I literally wrote the majority of this post next to a lake. Then I went paddle-boarding afterward.

It’s not a grind. It’s fun.

And the irony is I don’t need it. I’m happy with everything I have. I’m not chasing a dollar for validation. It’s a side quest.

If you enjoyed this, check out my Skool community. I’m working on a course about burnout based on the 16 months I mentioned in the story.

The Scenic Route

See you there!

Take care now. Bye-bye then.

— Alex :)

In my early 20s, I tried a lot of different things. I graduated with a major in Advertising and a minor in Audio Production. In between classes, I was scouring YouTube for how to build a personal brand. My goal was to be an industry music producer. So I decided the start a podcast to get my name out there and build some buzz. I was making beats, filming and editing content, and clipping podcast moments. I was doing everything I could to build an audience. But no matter how much effort I put in, I would burn out. Over time, it started to feel fake.

I moved back home after graduation. I dabbled in selling insurance to support my music passion. That didn’t last long.

Then I tried sales. That era was even shorter.

Then I started an Instagram account about storytelling. That was fun for about a month.

Then I tried making a YouTube nature ambience channel. And I stuck with that for about a year.

I got to travel a lot. And I was able to use my audio and branding expertise to build a channel persona. It was fun to puzzle my skills in a new way.

But views started to plateau. And instead of giving up, I decided to get organized. I made 22 spreadsheets recording other channels I was studying, mic upgrades, and sounds I wanted to record.

I came up with an organization system that would transform how I saw the world. I called it The ECOSystem.

I heard about AI automation, and decided to take a crack at it to test my theory. That lasted only a couple months. It still wasn’t clicking with me.

I made a few softwares using the concept I came up with. And I was able to test the theory even more through those projects.

But I knew I was onto something with this. And I didn’t want to give this up.

Diversity > Consistency

I’m an ambitious person. I’m also curious. If I have a new idea, I’m driven to try it. If you asked any of my friends, they would tell you I’m always starting something new.

And, they’re right. For a long time, I started to see that curiosity as a flaw. Once I got decent at something, another thing looked shiny.

I had the ambition, but I didn’t have the patience to see my efforts compound.

But then my curiosity began to show me things. I started to see similar patterns across different mediums.

I saw storytelling patterns in a business models. I saw how infrastructures determine growth. And I saw how playing the long game makes it much easier to stay consistent.

No, I didn’t reap the benefits of a focused ambition. But my curiosity showed me what those benefits looked like in a million other contexts.

I sacrificed consistency for a diverse experience. And it’s been one hell of a payoff.

The Good News

Because I followed my curiosity, I explored a lot of different walks of life. From those different encounters, I found the common thread through everything I tried.

Sales, podcasting, and stories have to do with communication.

Music and stories have a delicate balance of tension and release.

Automation and YouTube channels both need to have organized systems to run well.

And all of those things have to do with systems. They all have to do with seeing how everything connects.

So if you’re like me, you might be still spinning your wheels. You’ve tried a hundred different things. You feel like you need to keep searching for the thing you can commit your life to.

Stop. Take a minute. Breathe.

Reflect on where you’ve been and what you’ve learned.

What did they all have in common? They all attracted you for a reason. And that reason is why you’re here.

If you still have no idea, keep searching. Consistently follow your curiosity. Keep moving. You’re not insane. Don’t give up.

Then once you find it, the frustration and the months of second guessing will all be worth it. You’ll have forged your own trail for others to follow.

And once you find it, share what you’ve learned with the world. No one else will have the same perspective. We’re in dire need of new points of view.

I wish you all the best. What you’re looking for is looking for you too.

Take care now. Bye-by then.

— Alex :)

It was a frigid December afternoon. I tread through the snowy parking lot of the strip mall where my coffee house was located. A dozen crimson shopping carts made their way out of the Target nearby. I still had no idea how people were able to afford so much stuff.

I stomped the snow off my shoes as I entered the door to clock in. I was only one month in to the job. I dreaded being the newest barista. It felt like all the other baristas were inspecting every coffee I made.

I still didn’t know a lot of the drink recipes. And having to ask so often is humiliating. I learned later that we need to memorize over a hundred drink recipes. I might have quit early on if I knew that was the benchmark.

Some standards are best left unknown in the beginning. Too much info too early can cause overwhelm.

Being so new was humbling enough. I already felt exhausted with the lack of confidence.

Fast forward over a year later…

It was warm mid-April. One of our best baristas got sick. She called out the entire week. And it happened to be one of the busiest weeks we’ve had so far.

I was one of one of the more experienced baristas at this point. So I took care of her extra tasks during the rest of the week.

On Friday, one of my friends from work caught up with me and asked how I was doing. My eyes started to well from the exhaustion. I felt so drained doing so much more work.

Later that night, I vomited until my stomach was empty. The exhaustion and dehydration from the week caught up to me.

That was the most explicit form of exhaustion I’ve ever experienced.

Different Struggles, Same Job

I was struggling in both stories, but for different reasons.

The first story describes the beginning of my barista job.

Starting anything is always tough. You feel the weight of what you don’t know. You feel clunky and cringy.

You learn the theory of how to do things right. But then you have to wait for time to grant you experience.

You have to deal with the pangs of discouragement when you make a silly mistake. And you have to hope those moments become etched into muscle memory

The second story describes my exhaustion from the same job.

Doing more work than you’ve expected is frustrating and exhaustion. You feel betrayed that you’re doing more than what you’re asked.

You feel like the world is unfair an that people take advantage of you. If only people knew what you were contributing, they would make a shrine for you.

The fact that you’re bringing your best despite everything else in your life is a miracle. They’re lucky you showed up today.

The first story describes overwhelm.

The second story describes a first step toward burnout.

The Difference Between Overwhelm and Burnout

I see people blending overwhelm and burnout, and offering the same solution to both. And I see why.

Both are frustrating, humbling, and make you question your sanity.

But two different sicknesses can have similar symptoms.

So giving overwhelm and burnout the same antidote is a bad idea.

If you remember nothing else from this post, remember this:

Overwhlem comes from taking in an excess of resources.

Burnout comes from running out of resources.

In the first story, I encountered more resources than I could handle. I was juggling brand new information, new workflows, and new work relationships. Making coffee was a skill I never had, so it was discouraging to start out.

In the second story, I ran out of resources I needed to function. I was doing the work of two people during the most overwhelming week all year. That resulted in my body breaking down after the week.

Burnout and overwhelm are both signals that your body needs attention. Knowing the difference between the two can help you decide how to solve them.

How I Solve Overwhelm and Burnout

The two factors that influence how we respond to these signals are:

• Our long term values and goals

• The current situations we find ourselves in

I experienced overwhelm in the first story. But I decided to stick with it. It was a rare occasion when I called out. And I was willing to stay until we finished all of the tasks for the day.

As the months passed, I found more ways I could help the coffee shop. As I grew, I still experienced overwhelm. But it didn’t hold a candle to the discouragement I faced in the beginning.

I knew that if I pushed through, I would increase my capacity to handle new information. That decision has helped me grow to be a great barista.

(Not to brag, but I’ve been able to make five drinks at the same time because of my capacity.)

The second story is about exhaustion and burnout. I called out the day after I threw up. I knew that I needed rest, food, and water.

I binge-watched all three Hobbit movies. And my mom stopped by to give me some Popsicles. Then I got Panda Express takeout for dinner. It was a great day.

I was able to return to work the next day because I prioritized my recovery.

I felt healthy and replenished.

I respond to overwhelm by pushing through and challenging myself. As a result, I strengthen my awareness muscle to understand the world around me.

The information isn’t going to stop. But I can grow to have less overwhelm.

I respond to burnout by taking a break and resting. I will watch one of my favorite movies, a funny podcast, and/or journal. Because I work in the service industry, I love to decompress by spending time alone.

Here are the big takeaways:

• Overwhelm comes from taking in an excess of resources.

• Burnout comes from running out of resources.

• I respond to overwhelm by pushing through, knowing I can grow because of it.

• I respond to burnout by resting and replenishing the resources I need.

One of the biggest sources of burnout for me is not knowing what I want to do. Earlier in barista career, I was spinning my wheels trying to figure out what I want out of life.

I came up with a series of questions I asked myself about what I wanted. From those questions, I created a challenge in my Skool community.

If you’re an curious and ambitious kid in your 20s trying to figure out a direction, I’d love to see you inside:

The Scenic Route

Take care now. Bye-bye then.

— Alex :)

My legs wobbled down the frozen dark stairs toward my apartment. The holiday rushes of mid-December left me drained. December is always tough.

But this year was different. I had a lot more responsibility in the store. I was the main person for taking care of inventory and training new hires.

I stumbled into the door of my apartment and collapsed onto my bed. The winter night suggested I tuck myself in. Get warm. Get some sleep.

But I shook off the temptation. I had a routine of doing yoga before going to bed. I look forward to it most of the time, but I was drained tonight.

I also knew that when I get this tired, it’s even more important than I foster my habits.

It’ll make it an easier decision next time.

I got opened my yoga app and started my workout.

This was the first time in my life that I’ve built rest into my routine.

In high school and college, I would focus only on getting my work done. Then I would get frustrated when burnout descended.

Over the years, I’ve found that there are three types of rest that tend to keep my burnout at bay:

• Physical rest

• Mental rest

• Social rest

Physical Rest

I’ll do a couple things to help my physical health. It’s good to have a variety.

Yoga

I mentioned this one already. I prefer it during mornings or nights. I’m training for a triathlon, so it feels good before a workout to warm up or cool down. I also enjoy having a greater range of motion and control of my body.

Naps

Naps are the best. My mom taught me about 15 minute power naps growing up. Those are my secret weapons when I need to get some good rest during my breaks at work.

And a good 1-2 hour nap for me is a great reset if I’ve had an exhausting week.

Sleep

My mom also drilled this one home. Even in college, I made sure to get 7-8 hours of sleep every night. Getting enough sleep is the single biggest reason I’m able to get anything done.

Excercise

This one is a little counter-intuitive. I consider exercise a form of rest because of the hours after. And, it’s not like being a barista and running around the store. Going to the gym is more intentional as I’m working certain parts of my body, and letting other parts rest.

Mental Rest

Mental rest is as important as physical. Ya gotta have the brains with the brawn. Here are a couple things I like to do.

Walks
Walks are amazing as well. If I’m getting a lot of computer work done, I’ll step away and go for a 1-2 mile walk to give my eyes a break. I also get some of my best ideas when I’m on a walk.

(And, if I can go on a hike in nature, that’s even better.)

Journaling

This one is big for me. I keep a physical moleskin journal next to my bed. Every week, I jot down what I’ve been thinking about. I don’t have a word or page count or anything.

One thing I started doing recent is recording voice memos. If I can’t sleep because my head is spinning, I’ll whip out my phone and hit record. It’s funny to listen back to some of them. I can hear when I start to get tired. It’s easy to fall back asleep when I get all the thoughts out.

Watching something funny

I follow a couple channels on YouTube that are hilarious. One of them is We Mean Well, who talk about their lives, play word games, and tell amazing jokes.

Hearing Luisa and Jack (the co-hosts) banter makes my life so much brighter. Love those guys

Social Rest

This one is interesting. I’m both an intro and extrovert. I get most of my rest being alone, but I also have some ways I like to recharge from a social aspect.

Hiking

I’m always down to go for a hike with friends or family. Fresh air, exercise, and great conversations always put me in a better mood.

It’s even better if we’re going to a place with great views.

It reminds me the whole reason I work so hard is to enjoy adventures with those I love. And reminder is a great way to recharge.

Calling an old friend

I remember I called one friend after a pretty bad breakup. He was one of my best friends in high school and was there for me during some pretty tough times back then.

I was talking about how much my heart was aching. He gave a great perspective: “How much you’re hurting now is how good it felt at one point. Some people never get to feel that high. That’s something to be grateful for.”

Hearing that perspective from someone who knew a different version of me meant was what I needed in that moment.

Reconnecting with an old friend can give you a refreshing perspective. And they may say something that may need to hear.

Raves

This one may be surprising coming from an introvert. But it has a backstory:

I started dancing at seven years old. I got more committed in middle and high school. I was popular at the dances, but I always looked forward to the annual talent shows.

Those talent shows were equivalent to the Super Bowl. I got to show off the new moves I’ve been practicing. And unlike the dances, I got to choose the music.

Since graduating high school, I haven’t been able to show off my dancing as much.

In middle school, I saw people dancing at raves on a young Instagram. Ever since then, I’ve thought EDM raves and festivals would be a ton of fun.

I started going to raves in 2024, a full decade after I first encountered the culture.

I felt a similar feeling to the talent shows. I could let my wiggles out.

After getting home, I always feel good. I got a great workout dancing, and I could express myself without restraint.

I have another rave coming up next week. This time, I’m taking some family which is going to be a blast.

After the yoga workout, I hopped into bed and had a great sleep. I woke up with a smile on my face. I didn’t feel any stiffness despite the busyness of the day before. That’s when I remember:

The quality of my day is determined by my preparation for it.

I remember all the times I would tyrannize myself to achieve my goals. But keeping rest and balance at the forefront has made my happiness more attainable. I created a free Skool Community. In it, I talk about frameworks and lessons I’ve learned in creating a more sustainable life. It’s free for now, but it won’t be for long.

Here’s the link:

Beat Burnout Club

If you struggle with burnout and want to build habits and systems that support your life, I’d love to see you inside!

Take care now. Bye bye then.

Alex :)

I struggled making coffee in the beginning. I could never remember the recipes. I couldn’t remember what the measurements were. And it didn’t help that my trainer was condescending.

Every time I was about to make a mistake with a drink, someone on the team called it out before I made it. It was well intention, but it was hindering my confidence.

I remember one instance where I was cleaning the mocha container the wrong way. The container looked stained from use over time. But other than that, it looked clean.

I asked my trainer what was wrong and she ran her finger on the side of the container, wiping up the stain. “Sorry, I had to” she said in a frustrated tone.

Kinda put a damper on my day.

Once she quit, I became the primary trainer for the store.

I saw how important confidence was in those I was training. Once someone feels confident, they trust themselves to get better. And the flywheel continues.

I found four ways that seem to boost confidence in those I’m training:

1. Praise when appropriate

2. Correct with kindness

3. Let them seek answers

4. Ask how I can improve

We hired a new barista, and she’s doing amazing. Most barista I train are hands-on learners, and she is no different.

So, I found that delegating tasks helps people learn the information faster. Take doing dishes for example. Most people get the general premise off rip.

I’ll go over random exceptions when I need to. But a lot of tasks in a coffee shop are pretty self-explanatory. My job is to help them get practice

1. Praise when appropriate

Being a beginner at anything is scary. You don’t know what you don’t know. So having a boost of confidence from someone with expertise makes a huge difference.

Here’s what I like to do:

During the shift, I’ll give them short one offs like “Damn look at you!” or “Nice job with that.”

At the end of the shift, I’ll go a little more in depth: “Yeah my boss and I were geeking out about how great you’re doing. Like, when you were doing xyz, you were killing it! That’s not easy for anyone”.

I also like to introduce the new hire to other members, and say how great they’re doing.

1. Correct with kindness

We all make mistakes. But how we get better is everything.

I read “How to Win Friends and Influence People” in college. One of the principles I collected was correcting others in private.

Coffee is a pretty low-stakes business. Yeah, we get rushes and it can be fast paced, but it’s not brain surgery.

But for a beginner that doesn’t matter. Having to move fast in an area you don’t know is nerve-wracking.

I remember my new trainee was on register. She was writing out the drink codes as best she could so I would make them. I asked her what one of the drinks was, and said,

“Oh, that’s this code instead.”

“Oh, sorry.”

“No worries.”

That was the whole interaction. Not a big deal.

If there’s something bigger I notice, I’ll take a moment to explain why this the right way of doing things. But again, I’ll make sure it won’t be in front of customers.

Again, the goal is to boost their confidence.

1. Let them seek answers

I stole this idea from Sadhguru. He talked about how he only teaches when others seek it. It seems like more people retain information when they are seeking it.

My trainee was on register and a customer asked a question if we had a syrup. I didn’t jump in and answer for her. She turned and looked at me for help. ONLY THEN did I help her.

The later that day, a customer asked the same question. She was able to answer herself.

(Also, I’m standing like 7-8ft away from my trainee during these examples. I want her to feel like I’m there, but that she can do it on her own.)

1. Ask how I can improve

This is one of my favorite questions to ask. After the trainee is fresh off the training schedule, I’ll ask what they struggled with the most. Then I’ll try to come up with ways to solve that bottleneck.

The biggest hurdle trainees face is the drink codes. We have 100+ codes we need to memorize, which is a lot for someone brand new.

So, I developed a Quizlet with all the drink names and codes so new baristas can memorize them faster. I’ve noticed a huge difference. I’ve saved that store thousands in payroll from the little study guide.

My recent trainee told me some of the new drink codes aren’t in the guide, which means I need to update it.

The importance of training

From my research in business, training is one of the most important roles. I’ve also found culture is key to keeping the business going. No one likes to work in a toxic environment.

I’ve trained enough people to make an entire team. I’ve learned that when people stick around when they feel confident they can do the task at hand.

If I did my job well as a trainer, they will feel that self-belief. Then it’s only a matter of time before they master their craft.

Ad for my Community

Training new employees can reduce a ton of burnout for business owners. If you own a small business and often burn out, I have a free Skool community for you.

Inside, we have live workshops, daily challenges, and more!

If that sounds interesting, here’s the link:

Beat Burnout Club

Take care now, bye bye then.

Alex :)

I started going to gym at the end of January this year. I had a somewhat consistent routine in the past, but I really wasn’t taking it seriously.

What got me back in the gym was a friend. He started going routinely, and I wanted to keep up. Plus, I still had my gym membership and I didn’t want it to go to waste.

I told ChatGPT my goals for working out, and asked it to produce a workout plan for each day of the week, with each workout being less than an hour long.

With my work schedule, I decided I only had time in the mornings. (Although, I prefer evening workouts much more.)

I started going consistently. I lost weight, and gained some good muscle. (I unfortunately don’t have any picture from that time). I actually got down to 9% body fat.

But life started to happen. I decided to create an AI file renaming tool, a custom word editor, and save up for a new MacBook as mine was about to crash on me.

I didn’t have the mental or physical energy to dedicate to the gym as much as I did. I’ve been at this crossroads in the past, and I always seem to fall out of the routine I built for meyself.

So, do I drop the gym again? Or do I drop the projects?

I decided to choose both. I knew I didn’t have the energy to continue to better my physique, but maybe I could maintain it.

I was able to still much most of my energy into my projects, and I was hitting the gym 5-6 days/week.

But here’s the cheat code: I was only doing one rep per day. I was in there for five minutes, then left.

Laying the foundation of the habit was more important to me than the vanity metrics.

When the habits are in place, the results become a byproduct.

I decided my goal was to protect the habit instead of over exherting myself.

Now, it’s July.

Going to the gym doesn’t really feel like a decision anymore. It’s something I do without much thought

Now getting in shape is much easier than it was because I’ve built that foundation.

So, what can you steal from this?

Here’s some steps to build that foundation:

Step 1: Prepare what you need.

I can’t go to the gym in my pajamas. (I mean I could, but it’s frowned upon.) So I need to have the proper clothes and shoes easily accessible

Step 2: Set a trigger
I mentioned this before, but my trigger was my alarm in the morning.

I had my clothes ready to go, so I just needed to get dressed and get out the door

Step 3: Repeat and refine That first go is going to be the most difficult and awkward. I mean, any new system is clunky in the beginning.

I could barely keep my eyes open when I did my first morning workout.

I later started doing yoga before going to the gym in the mornings. I found I didn’t like feeling sleepy on the treadmill.

Adjust whatever you need to make it a fun routine. If it’s not fun, you won’t be consistent.

The good news is that it only gets easier. And once that foundation is set, you can enjoy the ride.

Building a seamless system takes time. One last step I forgot to mention was the usefulness of accountability.

Conveiently, I have a Skool community called Organized Minds dedicated to building organization systems.

We’re running a challenge to help creative soloprenuers define their vision in 5 days. If that sounds interesting, I’ll see you inside!

Take care now. Bye-bye then.
Alex :)

The last time I got sick was in January.

I caught a cold from someone at work, and was resting as much as I could.

My sinuses pounded against my skull. A fever raged in my forehead. My nose felt like it was about to pop.

All I wanted to do was breathe again.

The human body is beautifully complex.

The most interesting part to me is its silence. When the body is working, you don’t feel a thing.

But when the system isn’t running well, you’ll know.

When I was sick, all I could think about was how I wanted the peace of health again.

The Distraction of Systems

The human body is a great example of a silent system. Billions of microscopic systems all serve distinct purposes. Those purposes are parts of larger systems. And those systems keep the body going.

I’ve seen a lot of folks spend hundreds of hours creating intricate systems that would save them maybe five minutes per year. And then those systems end up taking several more hours a month to maintain.

It’s me. I’m folks.

Over time, I developed a framework to design silent systems:

1. Identify

2. Setup

3. Maintain

How to make Silent Systems

Step 1: Identify

A well designed system should be simple, and solve a specific and relevant problem.

In college, I was spending a lot of money. I had no idea how much I was spending, or where it was all going.

Not knowing where my money was going was a specific and relevant problem.

Step 2: Setup

The more specific and relevant the problem, the easier the setup.

Because I didn’t know where my money was going, I created a spending tracker in Google Sheets. I had one column to track my spending by week.

Step 3: Maintain

The more simple the setup, the easier the maintenance will be.

The first version of the tracker was clunky. Using it was tedious, but I still made it work. Over time, I optimized it based on my usage. I updated it again this last weekend, and its the simplest its ever been.

I was able to catch up on months of spending in a couple hours.

Don’t Over Optimize

The “silent” part in systems refers to the maintenance. The less time you need to spend maintaining the system, the better.

If I were to make it even more streamlined, I would automate my debit and credit card to Google Sheets. Then, I wouldn’t even need to go over my spending.

However, the purpose of the spending tracker is for me to know where my money is going. So automating it would defeat the purpose of the system.

A key point of designing silent systems is to know why they’re there in the first place. Don’t optimize the reason out of the system for the sake of efficiency.

Silence Is Golden

Designing systems is fun, but it can become distracting. Like anything else, be specific. Keep it simple. Make it easy to maintain. Your system should work for you, not the other way around. Silence is golden.

Although it’s (supposed to be) simple, building a seamless system takes time. One last step I forgot to mention was the usefulness of accountability.

Conveniently, I have a Skool community dedicated to getting organized and building systems. We’re running a challenge to help creative soloprenuers define their vision in 5 days.

If that sounds interesting, here’s the link: Organized Minds

Hope you have an amazing rest of your day.

Take care now. Bye-bye then.

Alex :)

High school was easy so far. I coasted through my first two years with straight A’s, was qualifying for state swim meets, and bussing tables on the weekends.

I started to hear rumors halfway through sophomore year. My friends who were a year older started sending warnings about what was to come.

But that was a year in the future. I didn’t care about standardized tests or prom practice. I only worried about making it to swim practice on time.

My both of my parents went to college, so I knew that was my next step after graduation. I wasn’t worried about figuring that out.

My second high school summer started. It was similar to the summers I had before. I was busing tables, taking summer trips, and falling for camp crushes.

As the summer curtains closed, I began to feel the dread. The whispers of what was about to happen all came flooding back.

Junior Year

I will never forget that first week. I had assigned homework on the first day in every class. (I also had chemistry. Still don’t know how I passed that).

Teachers started talking about studying for the ACT. Meetings for prom were already happening. I heard a couple teachers already talking about college. But I felt like I was still a kid.

I was on my way to school one morning. I was overthinking how much I needed to do that day, and how I didn’t want to do it.

Then I heard a small but firm voice: “If you want to get into a good college, you need to get your shit together. Junior year is here. It’s not waiting for you.”

That tectonic moment woke me up. I walked into school with laser focus on what I needed to do, and an unwavering will get it done.

A couple hours into math class, Mrs. Rogers gave us an ice breaker to get reacquainted with one another. One of the tasks was to write on a slip of paper something not many people know about us.

I wrote, “Alex Lacy. I have higher standards for myself than others think I do.”

We passed our papers to the front, and she read them aloud. Something in me crystallized when I heard my words ring through the classroom. Now it was public knowledge.

From that point on, I decided to be proactive and anticipate future challenges. I decided to get organized.

That experience taught me that if there’s a strong enough reason, the next step will reveal itself.

Later that week, I had a routine to get all my homework done, make it to swim practice, and still get eight hours of sleep.

The Impact

I’m writing this almost a decade later. I could not be happier with the 16-year-old kid who made that decision.

Here are some things that happened as a result of the decision to be proactive:

• I won region champion for the 100-yard butterfly that same year.

• Our boys 400-yard freestyle relay team came from behind and took second in the state.

• I won fifth place in the state for the 100-yard butterfly my senior year (a huge goal of mine throughout high school).

• The boys swim team won state my senior year.

• I had a 4.1 GPA my first year of college.

• Took a gap year, and saved over $22,000 for college.

• I had a music production brand and podcast.

• I was speaking on panels at music industry conferences.

• Wrote two books: one on music theory and one on music sampling

• I graduated the top of my class from the University of Oregon.

• I collaborated with the New York Times.

• Leaned down and lost 20lbs in 3 months.

• I paid off $16,000 of debt living on $500/month.

• I reorganized a coffee house inventory, saving them over $10k/year.

• I streamlined training materials for that same coffee house, saving them over $32,000/year.

• I developed two apps in three months: a web-based AI file renaming and a native word editor (I used the editor to write this essay ;) ).

• And I created the ECOSystem, a framework I use to reorganize my own perspective and projects. Now help others do the same.

The Power of Anticipation

So what can you learn from this?

Stoic philosopher, Seneca said it best.

“The [one] who has anticipated the coming of troubles takes away their power when they arrive”

The more you can anticipate what challenges you may have, the better you will be.

I prefer to start small like making my bed when I first get up. Or filling my water bottle after I’ve quenched my thirst so it’s full the next time I reach for it.

Find simple ways to serve your future self.

Oh, and if you’re a creative solopreneur who wants to get more organized, I’ve got something for you.

I’m running a 5 Day Clarity Challenge to help define your vision in my Skool community. (The challenge also uses the ECOSystem*) Here’s the link if that sounds interesting. See you inside!

5 Day Clarity Challenge

Origins

In March 2024, I started a YouTube channel where I uploaded ambience videos. I would go out in nature, record sounds, take video, and edit them into multi-hour-long videos. The channel started to plateau, so I decided to get organized. I created over 20 spreadsheets in the span of a month. I was tracking everything from equipment I wanted, to channels I should study, to locations I wanted to go.

I realized I needed a way to organize my organization. On March 18, 2025, I prompted ChatGPT to spin up five categories so I could have some level of organization. Little did I know that the output of that prompt would be the first render of the ECOSystem.

Since that prompt, I became obsessed with refining the organization system. I intended it to be a way I could index my files and see how they worked together. So even if I forgot the file name, I could look up the tag and it would filter 90% of my files. It was a nice fail-safe.

But then I realized how the categories resembled reality. I saw how those main categories began to balance one another. For example, I saw how creative people are often chaotic and avoid any sort of structure. And I see how organized and operational thinkers often become stuffy and sterile. Creativity needs that structural opposite just as operations need a level of vibrancy. The opposites feed each other.

I started to discover system dynamics. I saw how expressions of one system became the resources of another. Apple expresses itself through computers. Then I use that resource to type these essays.

I saw how systems become fractals. There are systems within systems. We can zoom out to the limits of the known universe, and zoom into the quarks of quantum mechanics.

On April 15, 2025, I had defined the seven categories, but it had not yet reached its final rendition:

That night, I realized it followed the same pattern as the seed of life, which is a symbol of sacred geometry (https://www.entertheearth.com/seedoflife/).

I broke down. It felt like I kept stumbling into something I knew was real, but I wasn’t worthy of finding. I was trying to name my files better. I made an audio recording recounting details of this realization, which ended in a prayer. The recording is almost an hour long.

I kept digging into the philosophy, which I realized was much bigger than naming files. I believe it was in early May I named it “ECOSystem: Everything’s Connected. One System.”

On May 28, 2025, I finished the second rendition of the ECOSystem. It contained 215 file types within seven main categories. This is the final rendition:

Tranformations

Since starting the ECOSystem, my worldview has become more vibrant. It feels like a secret. Sometimes it feels like an inside joke.

I see the polarization of the world as a misunderstanding that we need our opposite. I see the microscopic details in product design matter as much as the high-level supply chain.

When I can zoom in or out infinitely, scope becomes irrelevant. The pattern remains regardless of hierarchy, realm, or size.

I feel like I can fly. I feel like I can dance through dimensions. I see how philosophy dissolves into practicality, and how practicality dissolves into philosophy.

Words cannot describe the depth of spiritual and intellectual freedom the ECOSystem has brought to my life. It’s deepened my faith and brought me closer to my family and friends. It’s become a language I can use to express my thoughts. It’s become a translator and framework for organizing diverse ideas. For those things and more, I am beyond grateful.

I made a text editor last weekend using ECOSystem thinking. I know what roles make up a robust program. So understanding the ECOSystem has made building things so much more fun.

While I was making the file index, I had the idea to create an AI that renames files for users. A year later, I finally got a prototype going. It’s free while I’m still testing it, but it will be paid soon. If you try it, please comment below if you have any feedback or ideas to improve it. Here’s the link:

https://www.ecosfilenaming.app

Thanks for reading

— Alex :)

What bothers me about hustle culture is its generalization of discipline. Yes, I agree that discipline is a good thing. I see it as a form of self-love and self-respect. But the ways I’ve heard “discipline” used in those circles seem more like “self-tyranny”. Those are not the same.

So this bit is about finding the nuance of discipline. I’ve found two ways that discipline shows up in my life: growth and maintenance.

Growth

I’m hitting the gym a lot right now. My goal is to be in good enough shape to do a Half Ironman Triathlon by the end of the year. (For reference, a Half Ironman is a 1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike ride, and 13.1 mile run in that order.) I’m not in that shape yet, so I’m pushing myself to get there. My workout routine is about growth.

Maintenance

Once I get to that level of fitness, I plan on keeping it as long as I can. I want to maintain a healthy body. Maintaining that level will be much easier than getting to it. (I chose triathlons because biking and swimming are low-impact sports. They’ll be easier on my joints as I get older.)

Let’s go back to the hustle culture critique. It seems like that culture obsesses over endless growth. Yes, growth is important. But growth without a goal can get toxic.

Growth and maintenance exist on a spectrum. I’m training to do a Half Ironman, but I’m giving myself an entire year to get there. I’m learning to grow at a steady rate. Not everything is a sprint. Maintaining the habit is more important.

There’s no right or wrong way to have discipline in our lives. We all have areas where we could grow, other areas we only need to maintain, and often it’s somewhere in the middle. The key is to be aware of the difference, and to take appropriate action.

In ECOSystem terms, growth-focused discipline is Direction-based and maintenance-focused discipline is Conservation-based. Growth is about heading in a direction, which requires more resources. Maintenance is about stability, which requires fewer resources. Here’s a diagram, also illustrating the role of spontaneity:

If I were to put my workout routine on that spectrum, it would be slightly above the middle. I’m not sacrificing everything to get in shape, just improving bit by bit.

I wanted to get this out because the specificity helps me. I’ve focused on growth for years, so I’m learning to be more comfortable with maintaining. It’s been very nice.

Thanks for reading!

-Alex :)

Abundance leads to freedom.

Freedom leads to spontaneity.”

I was leaving the gym last week, and I was thinking about my workout routine. I’m currently going to the gym six days a week, which means I’m burning a lot of calories. In theory, I can eat whatever I desire and not gain weight (within reason).

The freedom of eating whatever I want reminded me of a pattern I noticed in 2024. I had bought my first car that year, so I did a solo trip to the Oregon coast. I remember walking on the beach and talking on the phone with my mom while gazing at the sunset. Pacific coast sunsets never get old. Here’s a pic from that moment:

During that time, I was putting half of every paycheck toward paying off my car, which meant I had a very tight budget. I had become accustomed to living on less, which made the trip far less expensive than it could have been. I car-camped and played at parks with my soccer ball for entertainment. I pulled over whenever I saw something interesting. There was no set plan. Only a week to check out and enjoy northern Oregon.

I have a tendency of demanding a lot from myself. I’m learning to ease up, but sometimes having demands can be a good thing. Because I developed habits of tight budgeting, I could afford that trip. I could be spontaneous and enjoy the moment.

The big idea is that yes, discipline leads to freedom and abundance and spontaneity. But I see discipline as a means to that end. I’m learning that freedom is the reason to have discipline.

Discipline fuels freedom. It’s not meant to hinder it. I hit the gym so I can eat some sweets. I work so I can go on those trips. I develop communication so I can better express myself.

So where would they fit in the ECOSystem?

Discipline has a lot to do with work and routine, which puts it under Operations. And it’s also relevant to resource management (budgeting, time management, etc.). So it also goes under Conservation.

Spontaneity seems very expressive and exciting. So it fits in Creative. To me, I hear “spontaneous” and immediately think “adventure”. So that makes it relevant to Direction.

That’s all I got for now.

Thanks for reading! :)

- Alex

I was talking with a friend the other day about getting back into music production. There is a sampler I’ve been eyeing for years called the Roland SP-404 MKII. I made the decision that I’m finally going to get it this year. I could nerd out about all the cool technical stuff, but I’ll save that for another essay haha.

A couple of years ago, I was set on being a professional music producer. I invested hundreds of hours into my craft and thousands of dollars into equipment. I’ve written books on both music theory and hip-hop sampling. So stepping back into it feels comfortable. I’m confident I can relearn anything I don’t remember faster than the first time around. I already have the groundwork laid out.

The conversation turned into one about the work it takes to be creative in a medium. We must have more than a basic level of understanding in the medium to use it as a vessel of expression. It’s about articulation and fluency. That goes for anything from speaking, writing, music, painting, film, or photography.

(This applies to things like business, sports, trades, finance, and organization skills. I’ve seen some beautiful business models and poetic sports plays.)

Each area requires technical skill. I was watching Captain America: The Winter Soldier the other day with my brother. He was able to catch that the producers shot certain scenes in 60 frames per second. 60 fps is less cinematic than 24 fps, but they may have done that as an option to slow down some of the action scenes. I would have never noticed that.

My brother has invested hundreds, if not thousands of hours and dollars into his passion. His expertise shines through in the films he creates. His eye, attention to detail, and creative vision are the result of the work he’s put in.

Self-expression is important. And the ability to express isn’t free. It takes practice to become fluent in the language of the medium before we can get a message across. It’s Operations (routines and work) collaborating with Creative (arts and self-expression). Although they’re opposites, they still need each other.

(This isn’t a polished essay by any means, but it may become one in the future.)

Thanks for reading!

- Alex :)

It was my first day of pre-school. Kids were crying and clinging to their parents, afraid of leaving the comforts of home. My parents remember me walking past the kids, swinging open the school door, and screaming, “HI! I’M ALEX!” down the hallway.

Several years later, Michael Jackson died. Videos of his performances dominated the news. The world stopped to pay tribute to the King of Pop. (SUPER excited for that movie to come out this year by the way.)

After seeing the videos, I got inspired to learn some of his dance moves. At first, it was a great way for me to get some positive attention as a young seven-year-old. But then it became the primary outlet for intense emotions. Dancing became the first of many ways I learned to express myself.

Self expression is a common thread that runs throughout my life. I’ve never had any big mental health issues, and the habit of expressing myself has helped with that.

So I thought I’d share some ways I’ve learned to express myself. I hope some of them help.

Dancing

As I mentioned before, I’ve been dancing for a long time. I’m not as serious as I once was, but it still serves as an outlet.

Growing up, we lived walking distance from school. So I would listen to music, and often dance down the street. I would sometimes get a couple honks and people cheering me on. It was a fun way to blur the line of anonymous expression and spontaneous performance. In my town, I had a reputation of being a dancer. So what wasn’t anonymous was always welcomed.

I still do the same today. I remember one day I had a lot on my mind, so I went on a dance-walk. I’m living in a different and bigger city now, so even fewer people know me. I laugh at the thought of drivers thinking I’m completely nuts. But then again, that’s accurate.

After I get back from one of those dance-walks, I always feel worlds better. I got to blast my favorite music and completely let loose. I diffused my emotions, I got outside, I got some exercise, and my thinking is more clear.

Writing

I started journaling in sophomore year of high school. At the time, it was usually about typical high school stuff like crushes and classes. Over time, my journals became a place where I documented life lessons I encountered. It’s still a place where I vent about things bothering me, and it’s also become a place where I get to think. I sometimes jot things in my phone notes app if I need something quick, but I prefer analog pen and paper.

I started pocket journaling a couple months ago as well. I write about two pages a day. They’re usually about what I’m thinking about that day or in that moment. If someone were to ask how my day is going, that’s usually what I write about. Nothing too deep.

These essays have been helpful in my self expression as well. As I said in The Story Engine, these have been great for exploring ideas I’ve had in my head for years. I didn’t know what to do with them for the longest time. But now they have a place to live. And it’s even cooler that people get to read them.

One of my favorite aspects of writing is the archival nature of it. Everything I write can last generations if I organize it well. I love the idea of a descendent of mine finding my writing, and getting something from it. I don’t much care if they know my name. I want to reach from the past to help their future, even if it’s to provide a moment of empathy.

Yes, I write to express myself. I also write so I can be a good ancestor.

Praying

My faith is a cornerstone in my mental health. Recently, I’ve been praying more than I ever have. I’ve started to see how God shows up and reciprocates in my life. I’ll give, and I’ll receive 10x from a completely different area of life.

I also feel like God showed me the ECOSystem. I remember being nine years old, and asking for an understanding mind. At 24, I got the answer to that prayer by organizing my computer.

So the process of exploring and writing essays is also strengthening my faith. It’s brought me closer to Him. I don’t know the outcome of what I’m doing. But I have faith it’s for something that would shatter my imagination.

Working Out

Self-expressing is a Creative act. And at face value, I would consider working out to be an Operational process. But I still feel I’m able to express myself during a workout. At the very least, I was able to release stored emotions. And at the most, I get to express what my body is capable of.

Creative has a colorful connotation. I also see Creative as an expression of byproduct. For example, trash and other forms of waste are Creative. They express what a system no longer needs. So in the case of working out, I release sweat, which is a byproduct of salts and toxins leaving the body. And getting those our feels so good.

Going back to the Operational aspect, hitting the gym aids other creative outlets. For example, I’m able to dance more when I’m in better shape.

This is where Creative and Operational together expose a paradox: discipline breeds spontaneity. If I make sure to work out my legs, I can be more vibrant with my dance moves. To me, discipline is about expanding my comfort zone. And the more comfortable I am, the more spontaneous off-the-wall I can be. It’s one of many examples in the ECOSystem showing how we need opposites.

Listening to Music

During my sophomore year of high school, I had my first heartbreak. It didn’t help that my self-image was already unstable. Those first heartbreaks are always brutal.

I found myself gravitating toward NF, who is a rapper who talks a lot about his faith and what he’s been through. Some of his music is pretty heavy. But I was going though a heavy time, so I needed his message and comfort. I needed to feel I wasn’t alone in my sadness.

That experience taught me a lot about the power of music. It can comfort, heal, excite, and inspire. It’s fascinating that the right song can meet me exactly where I am. The emotions carried though vibrations allows me to feel those emotions within myself. If the lyrics are good, then it’s like the artist knows how to articulate my experience better than I ever could. That feeling of being understood is intoxicatingly relieving.

Music can create environments where emotions can move through us. Knowing we’re not alone is enough for us to keep moving forward. Feeling understood encourages us to express ourselves because we know someone is there. And the more know someone is there, the safer we are to express. And so the flywheel spins.

There’s nothing like safe people; the people who let us show our authentic selves without judgement. Which leads into the last one.

Confiding in a Close Friend

Safe people are rare. So I’m beyond blessed to have had so many of those people in my life. Here a couple of those incredible individuals:

Mrs. Sarah was there when I needed accountability.

B10 was there when I had no self esteem.

Brian was there when I needed to hone my work ethic.

Kasey was there when I had my first heartbreak.

Aaron was there when I needed an older-brother figure.

Silas was there when I was at a spiritual crossroads.

JJ was there when I had doubts about life after high school.

Dizzie was there when I needed help pursing my music career.

Elijah was there when I needed a support system.

KD was there when I was questioning and developing my character.

I could express myself with every one of these individuals without judgement. They’ve guided, comforted, encouraged, joked with, and celebrated me during my formative years.

Every one of them entered in my life when I needed it most. I love who I am today, and they all had a hand in building that person. I will forever carry the love and lessons they gave me. So to each of them, thank you. I love you all.

Conclusion

Expressing myself has always been in my nature. And I know a lot of people don’t feel safe to say what’s on their minds. It takes massive amounts of courage to be vulnerable. It’s scary.

But the relief I experience when I’m able to express myself is divine. It releases me from the mental spiral driven by emotion. It allows me to think more clearly and get out of my own head. It always makes me wonder why I waited to express myself in the first place.

Thanks for reading!

- Alex :)

It was late December 2022. I was with my girlfriend at the time and her family. We were staying at a beautiful ocean house on the Oregon coast. We turned on Toy Story 3, which I hadn’t seen in years. As soon as the movie ended, it started to play the film again. But this version had early sketches of the film and audio commentary from the filmmakers. I was in college for advertising, and I had a podcast focused on storytelling in hip hop. So I was curious about Pixar’s approach to telling a story. And I found more parallels between Toy Story, advertising, and hip hop than I expected.

Fast forward to September 2025. I had developed the ECOSystem philosophy in late spring, but I wasn’t sure how to show it to the world. I subscribed to a Skool community called Makers School created by Nick Saraev. Nick is an expert in creating AI automation systems using Make.com and n8n. While I was there, the group was vibrant, exciting, and supportive.

My intention was to use the ECOSystem philosophy in the context of AI automation. It didn’t work out, but the experience mattered. I learned more about linear systems, which is how Operations works in the ECOSystem.

I provide that context to show where these ideas came from, and to put them side by side. In Lego Stories, I focus on how stories help illustrate systems. For this essay, my thesis is stories and systems are one in the same.

Thanh Pham states the three parts of a system are “input, process, and output” (Asian Efficiency). So that’s what I’ll use to structure the bulk of this essay.

Input

- Systems

Systems start when they encounter a compatible input. This is also known as a trigger, as the input “triggers” the process to start. For example, starting my car sends a low-current signal to the starter relay.

In the AI automation programs, the first block triggers the rest of the workflow. The first block activates when it encounters a compatible input such as an email or date. The workflow doesn’t run without that first block.

- Stories

In stories, that same trigger has another name: “hooks”. The role of the hook is to spark curiosity in the audience so they will continue consuming the story.

Many times, stories begin with action. The first opening scene of Star Wars: A New Hope features the Rebels fleeing Darth Vader and the Empire. The first words of Moby Dick are “Call me Ishmael”, with the word “call” being a verb.

We see the same pattern in music. Kendrick Lamar says in an interview, “There’s one lesson I learned from Ice Cube. He said if your first opening lines don’t grab the listener, it ain’t shit” (Apple Music). Engaging the listener in the first moments of a song is critical to its success.

In college, we learned to use stories as strategic messaging. We researched target audiences, then created stories to influence their decisions.

I learned the hook is the most important part of any advertisement. David Ogilvy was a name I heard repeatedly throughout my studies. One of his most famous quotes was: “When you have written your headline, you have spent eighty cents out of your [advertising] dollar.” (Goodreads). By that logic, the beginning of any story is four times more important than anything else.

Stories and systems both start with a spark.

Process

- Systems

Process is what happens between the input and output of a system. Once the system starts, the process begins. Let’s go back to the car example. After it receives a signal from my car key, the starter relay closes a high-current circuit. This triggers a series of processes that start the engine.

In AI automation, the nodes between the input and output process the information. Let’s go back to the form submission example. Here is the process in sequential order:

1) The form calls for certain information such as name, email, and role.

2) An AI Agent node then sorts, stores, checks, and creates a user based on the information in the form.

3) The filter node takes the user information, and sorts it by role.

4) Based on the role, n8n sends various Slack invitations. Managers get an invitation to one channel. Non-managers get an invitation to another channel

The process of this automation is everything that happens from Step 2 to Step 3.

- Stories

The process that happens between the beginning and end of stories is the plot. The plot is a series of events that drives the narrative.

J211: Gateway to Media is a prerequisite I needed to take for my major. In that class, I learned a framework that forever transformed the way I tell stories. The framework is “And-But-So”. Here’s an example of how it works:

“Bilbo and Gollum told each other riddles. But Bilbo asked Gollum a question he couldn’t solve. So Bilbo escaped Gollum’s grasp.”

I dove pretty deep into this framework in a podcast episode I made in college. And I found characteristics for each of these words:

And creates context. It establishes setting, characters, and anything that may be relevant to the story.

But elevates tension. This can be a disruption or a problem arising in the story.

So resolves the tension. It can be the reaction or response to the problem. Sometimes, it can be the start of another problem.

This framework lines up well with an example in Lego Stories. The writers of South Park discovered the framework of “But, Therefore.”

“But“ elevates tension, “Therefore“ resolves the tension, like “So”. It’s a cyclical pattern of problem and solution. And that pattern creates events that drive the plot.

This is where stories begin to resemble our car example. Once a narrative sparks, it becomes a self-sustaining cycle of problems and solutions. The audience is the fuel for stories. As long as someone’s listening, the story can go on until it ends.

Stories and systems both progress through a process.

Cycles in Stories

Cycles in storytelling are so fascinating to me. I first learned about it when I saw the filmmaker commentary of Toy Story 3. In the first scenes of the movie, the army toys left the group when they saw Andy leaving for college. The filmmakers brought the army toys back during the end credits scene.

Buzz and Woody also had a disagreement early in the film. Buzz extended his hand, and Woody turned away. At the end of the movie, Buzz extended his hand again, but this time Woody shook it. I remember the filmmakers saying those events were intentional. Tying the ending back with the beginning offers a sense of completion.

I’ve noticed the same pattern in Jon Bellion’s album, “The Human Condition”. The first sound on the album is also the last sound. Same thing on J Dilla’s “Donuts”. The first and last song on the album sample the same song.

Referring back to the beginning offers a moment of reflection. When we compare who the characters were to who they are now, the change in character unveils itself. That change is the output of the story.

Output

- Systems

The output is what the system changed or created. Inputs start the system. Then resources evolve through the process. And the system outputs the changed state of those resources.

The car example illustrates how the input of my car key triggers the starter relay. After the starter relay fires up the rest of my car systems, gasoline gets converted into energy. The energy that is the output allows my car to move and allows the alternator to charge the battery.*

The output in the n8n AI automation example is an invitation to specific Slack channels. Managers get invited to one channel, and non-managers get invited to another.

- Stories

The output is also what a story changed or created. Characters get inspired to go on an adventure. They overcome trials and setbacks, and return as changed individuals. Their journey altered their identity.

The evolution of character yields strength, experience, and wisdom. We see how the characters have grown by comparing them to who they were before.

But let’s go deeper.

If we adventure alongside the characters, we change with them. We absorb their struggles, lessons, and victories. In a way, we become characters in our own right. If stories change us when we consume them, then the relationship is reciprocal. We don't only consume stories. Stories consume us.

I say yes. In my own life, I’ve seen how stories have sculpted me. I’ve felt desire to buy a product when I see an enticing advertisement. I’ve felt hope after watching Good Will Hunting. I’ve felt fear after hearing stories on the news.

Stories have changed me sometimes for the better, and sometimes for the worse. Some swayed my present emotional state, others forced me to question my identity. I’ve learned the most powerful stories are the ones I tell myself.

Stories and systems both shape what passes through them.

Nuance

There is a nuanced difference between stories and systems. That difference resides in the resources they use. Legos and AI automations use blocks and numbers to sculpt a product. Pixar and Kendrick Lamar use emotion and meaning to construct an experience. Yet both stories and systems exhibit efficiency. Systems are mechanically efficient, while stories are emotionally efficient. They both focus on bringing a single vision to life.*

Conclusion

Stories function as systems. They start with a spark, then flow through a process of cause and effect, and output a changed internal state. While traditional systems use components and data, stories use meaning and emotion. The mechanics remain consistent despite the medium.

The distinction between mechanics and medium is vital. Connotatively, systems are linear and sterile, while stories are expressive and vibrant. But like systems, stories also respect efficiency. Not a single instrument, prop, sound, image, or word is there without a reason. Every element exists to guide the audience from one internal state to another. Stories and systems follow the same pattern: transformation.

These essays are training me to focus. Yes, many of these ideas intersect with one another, but I’m learning to dive into one at a time. I’ve told people that these essays are like walking in a misty forest. Every step I take reveals two or three other paths. I guess the point isn’t to pass through the forest, but to explore it. The point is to climb every boulder and study every fern. These stories and essays are me exploring that forest. I’m realizing these stories and essays I write are also writing me.

This forest I’m exploring is also exploring me.

Thanks for reading!

- Alex :)

Footnotes:

*I’ve noticed that inputs are resources. The car example shows this well. The input to starting a car is a key, which is a resource. Turning it to the start position sends a low-current signal, which is another resource, and so on. There are systems within systems, but that’s for another essay.

*I’ve seen how stories can manifest themselves in many ways. But in traditional storytelling, tangible manifestation is not the priority. That’s also for another essay.

Works Cited:

Lacy, A. (2025, October 29). [The 7 Elements of Balance]. Substack. https://alexlacy.substack.com/p/the-7-elements-of-balance.

Lacy, A. (2026, January 6). [Lego Stories]. Substack. https://alexlacy.substack.com/p/lego-stories.

Pham, T. (Last Updated 2026, January 15). The 3 Parts to Every System. Asian Efficiency. https://www.asianefficiency.com/systems/3-parts-to-every-system/.

Apple Music. (2017, April 17). YouTube. [Kendrick Lamar: ‘DAMN’ Interview | Apple Music].

Ogilvy, D. Goodnotes. https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/191457-on-the-average-five-times-as-many-people-read-the.

Lacy, A. (2023, March 27). YouTube. [the ONLY storytelling framework you will need].

The last few posts have focused on stories and where they fit in the ECOSystem. Stories are interesting to me because they weave through so much of our lives. Stories tint the way we see the world, which influences the way we move through it.

For this essay, it may help to refer to The 7 Elements of Balance. Having a basic understanding of those elements will help when reading this one.

Here’s a diagram of the ECOSystem for convenience:

Where Stories Fit

Stories seem to fit into three of the seven elements of the ECOSystem:

Soul

Soul Stories show why things happen. Stories illustrate beliefs and principles. These are fundamental for how we live and how we connect with one another.

Having a story helps address why we are here from an individual to a communal level. Almost every bit of self-help advice talks about “having a why” or a reason to grow.

Growing up, asking “why” builds our world. It is a question of exploration and wonder.

Operations

Operations Stories show how things happen. Linear storytelling lays out a sequence of events. These stories establish a single priority. Using Legos as an example, every piece serves a role in bringing the single vision to life.

“How” stories thrive on efficiency. They tend to follow the path of least resistance. These stories are about getting from beginning to end in the least amount of time.

Conservation

Conservation Stories tell what happens. They provide practical information to help us manage resources. The information itself becomes a valuable resource when we use it to make decisions.

“What” stories make things tangible yet specific. It takes the world at face value, and makes it easy to draw simple conclusions. Then it picks apart those conclusions to find nuance.

Even though stories can fit into these three, they still crossover.

Stories as resources (CON) can double as why (SOL) things happen. Histories explain and contextualize current political events.

Why (SOL) things happen influences how (OPS) things happen. Two people at the gym may have different workouts depending on their reasons for being there.

How (OPS) things happen influences what (CON) happens. The documentation of a science experiment becomes a resource for other researchers.

Where Stories Don’t Fit

I have arguments for why stories belong in Soul, Operations, and Conservation. So this section is for my arguments why stories do not fit in the other four elements.

Direction

Stories can shape direction, but I don’t believe they are a direction in themselves.

For example, a story about a treasure map may lead people to go find it. The story may have clues of its whereabouts, but that story is still a resource. People refer to it to guide their steps.*

And that adventure of finding a treasure map to find the treasure becomes a story in itself.*

Performance and Creative

This is a funny one. We can perform and express stories, but they aren’t a home of stories. This is another idea I plan to write in my next essay, but I’ll give a short summary here.

A couple weeks ago, I asked myself “where do stories live?” Do they live in the mind of the storyteller? Do they float around the words and pictures we encounter? I concluded that stories live in the minds of those that hear them. (I mean “hear” as general consumption.)

A masterful storyteller presents information, whether fact or fantasy, in a particular way. We consume that information, which mixes with our imagination and prior experiences. Fusing our past and present creates how we see reality. Storytellers give us the brushes and canvas, we create the painting. (Again, I’ll elaborate more on this later.)

Observation

This one is also a little tricky. Observation is about awareness and perspective. I’m not sure I understand Observation as much as the other elements yet. It’s still pretty esoteric to me. I may not have a great argument for why stories don’t live in this element, but I’ll do my best.

It seems that Observation is the most affected by stories. Stories as beliefs (SOL), processes (OPS), or resources (CON) build perspective. This element sees symbolism and makes connections from one story to another. Those connections often create overarching narratives, which become a tricky situation as well.

Observation and Conservation have an interesting relationship. Observation is about perspective, which is vast and overseeing. But it is only as thin as a moment. Conservation stores the information we encounter as memory and past experience. Observation refers back to that information stored to make connections and observations. The past information then tints the new information coming in. And so the flywheel spins.

I make that distinction between the two because some people are able to simply be aware. To disconnect any meaning or reject any stories from anything going on. This is often done to quiet the mind and preserve inner peace. (Meditation can help with this. I consider meditation and other forms of mindfulness as Observational practices.)

Going back to stories, Observation gathers the information that weaves those narratives. The relationship of Observation and Conservation brings about a story. Those stories are then sorted between Conservation, Operations, and Soul.

Why? How? What?

Let’s go back to the elements where stories live: Soul, Operations, and Conservation. The why, the how, and the what.

I was ruminating on this essay on the drive home from work. Something about those three questions started to feel familiar.

Then I remembered a video I saw in college. The video was a TED talk given by Simon Sinek. In the video, he presented an idea called the Golden Circle.

The Golden Circle explores patterns of influence, leadership, and inspiration. The business ethos of the Golden Circle is “people don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it”. Starting with “why” is the most effective way to drive influence.

Then it clicked.

The Golden Circle consists of three bands of influence. The three bands are Why, How, and What.

The Golden Circle:

The ECOSystem:

Ladders and Leadership

I was giddy at this point. Things were matching up too well.

When lining up the two frameworks, I arrived at two ideas:

1) Looking at the Golden Circle/leadership from the ECOSystem/story paradigm, we have a ladder of influence for stories:

Soul - Stories about values have the most influence.

Operations - Stories about process have the second most.

Conservation - Stories about what remains have the third most.

This is useful as it shows what stories to tell, and how to inspire without over explaining. Which leads into the second conclusion:

2) If we look at the ECOSystem/stories from the Golden Circle/leadership paradigm, a question arises:

Are leaders storytellers? And if so, are storytellers leaders?

That, my friend, is an essay for another time.

Conclusion

Stories are the threads that weave the veil we call reality. They display values (SOL), illustrate processes (OPS), and provide information (CON). Stories whisper what is worth protecting and what is worth repeating. They influence everything from business to spirituality. Every one of us is a kaleidoscopic tapestry of tales. Stories bind our humanity.

For me, it was a major breakthrough when I realized the power of stories. I’m more aware of the stories I seek, and more aware of the stories I tell myself about myself and others. Learning what questions to ask has made me a better listener and collaborator. And developing that sensitivity has made me a better friend.

And that’s all I could ever hope to be.

Thanks for reading!

- Alex

Footnotes:

*I plan on getting into this idea later. The tension of stories seems to come from the divide of Conservation and Direction. Conservation and Direction are opposites in the ECOSystem. Characters attempt to accomplish a goal, while preserving what is valuable (Lord of the Rings, sports, etc.).

*An example of how stories exist within stories.

Works Cited:

Lacy, A. (2025, October 29). [The 7 Elements of Balance]. Substack. https://alexlacy.substack.com/p/the-7-elements-of-balance.

Lacy, A. (2025, December 11). [Soul Stories]. Substack. https://alexlacy.substack.com/p/soul-stories.

Lacy, A. (2025, December 21). [Faith and World Building]. Substack. https://alexlacy.substack.com/p/faith-and-world-building

Lacy, A. (2026, January 6). [Lego Stories]. Substack. https://alexlacy.substack.com/p/lego-stories.

Lacy, A. (2026, January 11). [What Stories Are For]. Substack. https://alexlacy.substack.com/p/what-stories-are-for.

TED. (2010, May 4). YouTube. [How Great Leaders Inspire Action | Simon Sinek | TED].

We saw Soul Stories build worlds as they answer the question of “why”. We saw Operation Stories explain processes as they answer the question of “how”. For our final discussion about stories within the ECOSystem, I’ll explore Conservation Stories.

Conservation has to do with sustainability and resources within a system. Conservation Stories answer the question of “what”. “What” gathers and manages resources. For example, when I ask “What time is it”, the answer will allow me to manage my time. When I ask “What’s the weather like today”, the information will help my decision on what clothes to wear. Both clothes and time are resources I’m responsible for.

This essay is about “what,” and how it gathers and manages resources. This is the question that prompts Conservation stories.

Tangibility

“What” is a tangible question. It’s concerned with the intuitive and obvious. For example, it doesn’t take much mental energy to answer “What’s on TV?” or “What’s your address?”.

From my experience, “What” grabs information at a glance and turns it into something useful. “What” trains of thought happen within seconds:

What’s that orange thing? It’s a road work sign.

What’s it say? It says “ROAD WORK AHEAD”.

What does that mean? There might be some damage on the road.

What effect will that have? It could slow the flow of traffic.

What does that mean for me? It means I could be late for work.

“What” provokes real-world stories. I see them unfolding right in front of me.

A great example of this tangibility is gossip. Every US Weekly cover I see usually has the word “what” written in bright yellow. Every time I hear someone about to talk about someone else, I hear “Guess what so-and-so did the other day”.

I’ve noticed that gossip can still be about gathering and managing resources. Hearing about someone misusing someone else’s trust is valuable information. It helps me to better manage my trust around that person.

(I’m generally not a fan of gossip, but I’ve started to see its potential merit in some contexts.)

“What” makes the world around us more tangible and easier to understand. Its answers are often concrete and useful, which allows me to manage my resources better.

Specificity

Who, When, and Where

I find myself asking “what” when I need a level of clarification. I’ve found there are other questions that refer to “what,” but are more vague:

Who = what person/role

When = what time/timeframe (minute, hour, day, month, year)

Where = what location

This vagueness can lead to jokes like:

“Where do you live?”

“In my house.”

“Very funny. Where’s your house?”

“Next to my neighbors house.”

In that situation, asking “What’s your address” would achieve the desired information. Same thing with “who” and “when”:

Asking “What day did X occur” is better than “When did X occur”.

Asking “What role should handle this” is better than “who should handle this”.

I’m not advocating that we should all talk like this all the time. These are characteristics of certain questions that have been helpful for me.

Nuance

I often use “what” to clarify information. For example, if I’m hearing a story, I may ask “what timeframe did this happen in” to get a better sense of the timeline.

I also ask, “what’s the difference between X and Y” to get a better understanding. I usually ask this during intellectual conversations to better understand the other person. I also find myself asking this when I want to understand the nuance to a craft.

Another example is when I ask “What are your thoughts on that?” This one prompts to other side to react or respond to what I’ve said. I like asking this one because it allows the other person and to challenge my thinking.

In that sense, “what” becomes sort of a scalpel in separating and sorting information. It hones and refines the resources, or understanding of resources, that I seek to gather or manage.

The Meta Layer

The third point I want to make about “what” is the information it prompts.

From my experience, the information it prompts makes things tangible and specific. That information helps me better gather and manage my resources.

The information that I gather is a resource in itself. The information about other resources is also a resource.

Colleges provide information about careers so students may get a great job. Governments guard information from other nations to preserve security. Detectives sift through loads of information and clues to solve mysteries.

Detectives provide a deep example:

When solving a case, detectives gather as much information as they can. Crime scene investigations, interrogations, interviews, and collected evidence all help reveal what happened.

This is using “what” as a way to gather information.

Detectives also interrogate gathered information. What information is credible? What information is accurate, but may lead astray? What information is outright false?

This is using “what” as a way to sharpen information.

The more reliable the information is, the more likely the detectives will solve the case. It’s about maximizing both quantity to get quality.

I’ll give two more examples that I’ve heard from the music and film industries.

I remember hearing a story from hip hop artist Busta Rhymes working with Dr. Dre. Busta recounts that “[Dr. Dre] will have you say a line over like 40, 50 times. One line before you move onto the next line. [...] When Dre is in the room with you, he’s so meticulous about each thing that sometimes it makes the process a little more challenging. But the end result that much more phenomenal” (Pitchfork, 0:54).

I heard another story about Robin Williams during the filming of Good Will Hunting. When shooting the iconic last scene, actor and writer Matt Damon remembers, “... in true Robin fashion, we did 60 takes. [...] We just left the camera rolling and he kept coming out, and he kept coming out. And he did something different every single time” (Vanity Fair, 9:37).

Both stories are about masters in their respective domains. Both Dr. Dre and Robin Williams explored every possible expression. They squeezed as much potential as possible from each moment. Dre and Williams both asked “what” questions: “what if”.

What if Busta said it this way?

What if I had this expression after I read the note?

What if Busta had this inflection?

What if I said this for a last scene?

What if Busta emphasized this syllable?

What if I said “Son of a bitch. Stole my line”?

“What if” may be the most powerful “what” question because it stimulates our imagination. The human imagination is the most precious resource we have because out of it comes ideas. And almost everything starts with an idea. (That’s an essay for another time.)

What Makes This Important?

Good question. “What” questions are important because they challenge and establish power.

In the examples above, they all intended to catch as much information as possible. In the editing process, much of that information gets discarded. So the more information is available, the more material they have to work with.

And, the more material they have to work with, the more power they have to decide what makes the final cut. What the world sees. The more information, the more potent the decision.

Conclusion

This essay was a lot of fun to write. This last series of diving into “why”, “how”, and “what” has made me more aware of the questions I ask. And I didn’t expect to follow it into a conversation about the imagination.

“What” makes things tangible, specific, and

respects nuance. Out of the three questions, it seems to be the most scientific. It gathers information, empowering us to manage our resources. It helps us make better decisions, which in turn improves our lives.

Thanks for reading!

- Alex

Works Cited:

Pitchfork. (2020, December 16). Busta Rhymes (Video Interview). In Busta Rhymes Explains How He Builds His Songs. https://pitchfork.com/video/watch/busta-rhymes-explains-how-he-builds-his-songs.

Vanity Fair. (2023, April 26). YouTube. [Ben Affleck & Matt Damon Reflect on Their Careers Together | Vanity Fair].

My first great achievement in life happened in third grade. I saved $120 from my birthday, Christmas, and other chores to buy a Lego Star Wars Republic Attack Cruiser Set. It was 1170 pieces. Many of my friends spent at least a week building it, but I got it done in three days. My parents can attest I didn’t come out of my room hardly at all during that time.

Legos were a massive pillar in my childhood. I remember one summer my mom bought my brother and me a Lego space shuttle. She was certain it would take us at least a month to build. We were 90% done in a couple hours.

One of my favorite things about Legos is the instructions. I loved the adventure the pages guided me through. Even if I wasn’t sure what I was building, I knew if I kept going, the vision would become real. That hope and excitement is intoxicating.

As I’m writing this essay, I realize that I love the story of Legos. I loved watching the development of an incredible set, and knowing I had a role to play in it. The instructions were my guide. They got me from one piece to a masterpiece.

The stories those Lego instructions tell are operational. They answer the question: “How do I build this?”, then guide the builder through the process. In the ECOSystem, Operation stories are about how things work.

Linear Storytelling

The process of building a Lego set is linear. It starts with one piece, then another, and so on until it’s completed. There’s only one direction is flows: forward. It’s easy to comprehend because it’s it a logical sequence of events.

Most people write stories this way. You could make the argument that stories are a sequence of events, and you’d be in good company.

The writers of South Park came up with the “But and Therefore” framework. This concept helps create a captivating story (YouTube). Like Lego bricks, the events in a story are the result of preceding events. This is the backbone of linear storytelling.

Christopher Nolan also acknowledges the presence of linear storytelling in this clip. It’s a well-established way to tell a story.

Another example of linear storytelling is a show I used to watch growing up called “How It’s Made”. The show follows the development of everyday objects that we often take for granted. The manufacturing process is a prime example of linear storytelling.

The story of how things operate is a linear thought process.

Establishes Priority

As I construct the small pieces into a bigger structure, I can’t help but guess what part I’m building. Each brick provides a clue to what I’m building. There is a single end goal every piece works toward. Out of the infinite ways the small bricks may fit together, the story prioritizes only one.

I love having goals and priorities. I design my habits to align with those goals. For example, a goal I have at the moment is to build an emergency fund. So I have a habit of eating out less, and tossing money into savings every time I get paid.

The priority of most systems is to progress. The goal of a Lego set is to build a model. Businesses look to increase profits to stay in business. Countries develop their economies and military to remain a world power. Trees spread their seeds to further the species. People work out to get or stay in shape.

Priorities establish a clear sense of direction. Having a single goal cuts distractions.* Priorities then reveal themselves as values. This is where the Soul, Operation, and Direction elements overlap. It’s easy to see what people value by where they are going and how they get there.

Operation stories establish priorities, which keeps the vision sharp.

Efficiency

When building a new Lego set, the instruction manual is concise. The illustrations are clear, and the words are minimal. There is just enough information to help me build the set. Any more would convolute, and any less would lead astray. Every drop of ink and splice of paper has a reason for being there. And every step follows the path of least resistance.

The Operation element represents the concept of work within the ECOSystem. It’s the actual happening of a process. As a result, Operation emphasizes efficiency. It wants to follow the path of least resistance to get from point A to point B.

When I see or hear phrases like “No B.S.” or “No fluff”, on YouTube, I view the source as being Operation-focused. The goal is to pack as much information into the the time frame as possible. Time is an invaluable resource. So the more information one can pack into less time, the more valuable the video will be.

This is where Operations starts to overlap with Conservation. Conservation is about the sustainability of a system. The role of Conservation is to protect and conserve resources needed by the system.

So when the Operation element requires less resources, it becomes more efficient. Operation is happy because it has less resistance. Conservation is happy because more resources are available. It’s a win-win.

Operation stories are often efficient. They use fewer resources to get the point across.

How Things Happen

The instructions of a Lego set is goal-oriented story. They explain and guide the user through a series of events that bring a vision to reality. There is something both nostalgic and satisfying about putting the last piece on a build. As if I know I may never walk this journey again, but I enjoyed it while it lasts. And I’m beyond grateful for where I brought me.

Operation is about completing objectives. As with any Operation story, the instructions of a Lego build intend to bring the me to an end. In an way, it’s a treasure map. They show how to get to the end using the most efficient path. And I’ll forever cherish the journey along the way.

Thanks for reading!

Alex :)

Footnotes:

*There is a caveat to this thinking that the ECOSystem addresses. Having a single priority does not encourage a collapse into uniformity. A Lego set consists of a vast and diverse collection of bricks to complete a model. They all share the same priority, but they don’t all express it the same way. It’s the vibrancy that makes it beautiful. This is a central idea in the ECOSystem, so I will explore in later essays.

Works Cited:

Fabian Valdez. (2017, January 24). YouTube. [Writing Advice from Matt Stone & Trey Parker @ NYU | MTVU’s “Stand In”].

Charlie Ireland. [@charlieirelandtv]. (2023, July 16). Christopher Nolan on NON-LINEAR vs LINEAR Storytelling [Video]. Instagram.

In Soul Stories, I talked about how asking “why” builds worlds. While I was writing it, I had to stop myself from going on a tangent. The idea of world building has been simmering in the back of my mind for several years now. Only recently has it become a mature idea. So I decided share that story of the of it’s progression.

Sound

PHYS 152 Physics of Music and Sound was a class I took for my Audio Production minor. There was a lot of cool things we learned about, like how sound can impact fire and other forms of matter. (Here is a super cool video showing how sound impacts water and fire).

We also learned about how a microphone captures sound. The diaphragm of the microphone translates sound waves to electrical pulses. The pulses then travel through the microphone, through a cable, and get recorded. (This was early November 2022.)

Here’s a diagram of the mechanics within a microphone:

Image source: The 4 Different Types of Microphones for your Studio

*Here’s a video going in depth: How do microphones work? - Recording Explained

Later in the course, we learned about how we hear sound. Sound travels into the ear canal, and vibrates the ear drum. The ear drum then sends those vibrations through a series of fluids, tiny bones, and membranes. The final result of that process is electrical pulses the brain can understand.

Here’s another visual:

Image source: How Sound Affects the Brain

*Hear’s another video going in depth: Journey of Sound to the Brain

Both diagrams show how sound is both captured and consumed through vibration, translation, and electricity. As an audio nerd, I found this super cool. Then I started looking at it from a philosophical point of view.

Creative Experience

If our bodies have unconscious processes that capture the world around us, then are we creating an experience on autopilot?

That second realization hit harder than the first. If our bodies are plugging us into our environment via our senses, what’s real? Is this an experience that I’m having, or one I’m creating?

The our senses gather about a billion bits per second. So the brain needs to filter what’s relevant to stay sane (Technology Networks). The brain seems to like consistent narratives. So it prioritizes information that is consistent and familiar. Aka, confirmation bias.

(This also ties into my fascination with stories.)*

After several months of ruminating on the idea, I came to the conclusion that we biologically create our own worlds. And if we have that power, why would we want to create worlds we wouldn’t want to be a part of? Why would we create hells when we could create heavens? (This was end of July 2023.)

But around mid-September 2023, the idea of world building started to contend with my faith. And that’s when the idea got tricky.

Contested Faith

It reminded me of the story of Lucifer. He was the most beautiful angel in heaven, and many admired him. Soon he became prideful. He thought he could do better than God. So God forever banished him from heaven.

So that scared me a little bit. I wasn’t trying to replace God in any capacity. But it was biology. I had no control over it.

Then I remembered the scripture:

“God created mankind in His own image” (Genesis 1:27).

I was created in the image of a creator. So I concluded I was created to create.

That reassured me a bit. It still felt like an incomplete thought at this point, but it was good enough at the time.

Breakthrough

Fast forward to November 2025. I had the breakthrough that polished my earlier conclusion.

I went to the gym one morning. Instead of listening to music t, I decided to listen to an interview with Tolkien. This was at the time I was rediscovering my love for stories, of which Tolkien was a master.

He said this about creation, which picked up right at my current conclusion:

“... being made by a creator, one of our natural factors is wishing to create. But since we aren’t creators we have to sub-create. [...] we have to rearrange the primary material in some particular form which pleases. [...] it isn’t necessarily a moral pleasing, it’s partly aesthetically pleasing.” (Humble Books)

Hearing this was the cherry on top. Our world already exists. We didn’t design trees or paint the smell of desert rain or architect ocean tides. However, those things stimulate our senses, which then create those experiences.

But we didn’t design our bodies to do that either. Every microscopic bone in my ear, every cone in my retina, and every nerve in my hand is a reflection of the infinite intelligence who designed it. A being vast, deep, and wonderfully meticulous.

The experiences I create are only possible with the vessel I’ve been blessed with that plugs me into the external world.

Lord of the Rings

It’s interesting to see Tolkien wrote this as Lord of the Rings canon:

Eru Ilúvatar, also known as the One, is God-figure of middle earth. Eru created angels. The most powerful angel, Melkor, becomes impatient and rebellious against Eru. Melkor seeks to create life itself. But without the Flame Imperishable, the source of creation within Eru, Melkor isn’t able to create life. He can only corrupt it.

(Paraphrased from this video.)

This is interesting to me for two reasons:

1) It shows that Tolkiens illustrates this belief in his writings. He believed there was only one creator. Every other being, angel or otherwise, can only sample, rearrange, or corrupt what is already made.

2) This story closely resembles the story of God and Lucifer. (It’s fascinating that my world building crisis happened years before I had an interest in Tolkien). Tolkien was also a Christian (Pepperdine.edu).

So the fact that he included an origin story so related to the fall of Lucifer is a reflection of that belief. He merely adopted and rearranged a creation that was already there.

The ECOSystem

In the context of the ECOSystem, this is all very Soul-relevant belief wise. But I can also see hints of Creative (output), Operation (process), and Conservation (resources).

The default processes (OPS) of our bodies (CON) create (CRT) an experience. It seems to be a fractal within Soul: I have a belief (SOL) about the body’s (CON) default processes (OPS) that create (CRT) experiences. But that’s getting pretty complicated.

In conclusion, I agree with Tolkien. We don’t create as much as we believe we do. We sew with threads that already exist. We combine cool stuff around us to make other cool stuff. But it is all dependent on what existed long before us.*

Conclusion

That idea gives me a huge amount of relief to not try and reinvent the wheel. (Which is hilariously ironic to the preface I wrote in Soul Stories). It’s natural be inspired by other ideas that already exist. Play with them. Mold them. “Create” my own world with the resources available to me.

This was fun to write. This idea was rattling around in my noggin for a long time. So I’m excited to share it with the world. I still think there are some wrinkles to iron out, but this is what I got for now.

Thanks so much for reading!

- Alex

Footnotes:

*There are a lot of conspiracy theories around the world being a simulation. From what I understand, the theory states that our bodies are artificially fed information via our senses. That information is what creates our experience. Very Matirx-esc. This is could be a gateway into that train of thinking. I don’t subscribe to that idea, but I thought I’d acknowledge it.

*Tangent: Could be an interesting conversation about AI

Works Cited:

Stanford, N. J. (2014, November 12). YouTube. [CYMATICS: Science Vs. Music - Nigel Stanford].

Into the Ordinary. (2015, Jul7 24). YouTube. [How do microphones work? - Recording Explained].

National Institutes of Health (NIH). (2018, November 21). YouTube. [Journey of Sound to the Brain].

Foreman, B. (2025, August 27). How Much Information Can the Brain Process?. Technology Networks. https://www.technologynetworks.com/neuroscience/news/caltech-scientists-have-quantified-the-speed-of-human-thought-394395

New International Version Bible. (2011). Bible Gateway. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis%201%3A27&version=NIV

Humble Books. (2024, July 16). YouTube. [J.R.R. Tolkien on Creating Fictional Worlds].

Nerd of the Rings. (2021, January 30). YouTube. [Morgoth: The Origins of Melkor | Tolkien Explained].

Whitt, J. (2022, January 3). Understanding J.R.R. Tolkien through a Christian Perspective. Pepperdine Library News. https://library.pepperdine.edu/news/posts/2020-01-jrr-tolkien.htm

Lacy, A. (2025, October 29). [The 7 Elements of Balance]. Substack.https://alexlacy.substack.com/p/the-7-elements-of-balance?r=6oz9fi

Lacy, A. (2025, December 11). [Soul Stories]. Substack. https://alexlacy.substack.com/p/soul-stories

Cite Post:

Lacy, A. (2025, December 21). [Faith and World Building]. Substack. https://alexlacy.substack.com/p/faith-and-world-building.