Read This Before You Chase Another Win — It’ll Save You Years of Pain
Listen…
I hope your next success breaks you.
Because if it does, you’ll FINALLY be forced to face the parts of you that would’ve sabotaged it anyway
You pour the concrete, stack the bricks, polish the floors.
Hang banners that say “Look at MEEE… Success is coming!”
And you visualize the beautiful view from the top of the hill.
But deep under the surface, your foundation is crackin'.
A fault line runs through it - built from…
👉unhealed shame
👉suppressed rage
👉unmet needs
👉fear of being seen
👉unconscious self-worth stories
A lifetime of Ruins... Or?
You can build fast.
Make it look shiny.
Or you can reach impressive heights - for a time.
But the higher you reach, the more pressure pushes down on the cracks.
And when the winds of life blow (and they will 100% of the time)
This is when the cracks reveal themselves.
Suddenly…
➡️You sabotage the deal.
➡️You burn out just as things take off.
➡️You lash out in relationships.
➡️You lose the capacity to hold what you built.
Success without "shadow work" is a tower on a cracked foundation.
The taller it grows, the harder that fker falls.
Ancient wisdom says:
"Before you build upward - you must go downward – As above – So Below.”
The Great Work isn’t about stalling your dreams.
It’s about making sure the ground beneath them can hold the weight.
When you reclaim the exiled parts…
When you meet the shadow you’ve run from…
When you turn the raw lead into gold…
You don’t just build.
You build something that can bare the weight of your success.
I thought I knew what this all meant when I was younger 😏
I thought success was strategy.
Mindset was enough.
And thought if I just pushed harder, I’d outrun the cracks.
"I was wrong.
Ignorant.
And to my own undoing, I did what I ‘knew’ best...
Stacked wins on top of unexamined wounds."
I mean... c'mon!
I did what I ‘knew’ best at the time 😉
Every time I climbed higher, the ground trembled harder.
Later, when I finally began this Work, I realized something else…
The most successful people in the world?
They’ve already walked this path (whether they knew the ancient names for it or not.)
👉 Tony Robbins calls it “changing your state” - but that’s really altering your vibration and transforming trapped emotional patterns.
👉 Oprah Winfrey speaks openly about “bringing your whole self to the table” - but that’s the essence of shadow reclamation.
👉 Will Smith once said: “You can't achieve outward success until you clean your internal house.”
He’s talking about walking into the dungeon of your mind (where all the repressed shit is stored).
👉 Ray Dalio — the billionaire hedge fund leg-end - built an entire philosophy around “radical truth and radical transparency” - meaning...
Bring what is hidden into the light.
👉 Michael Jordan: known for extreme discipline, has spoken about “embracing fear, not avoiding it” another shadow principle.
Transmutation, not bypass.
Listen... this ain't woo woo shit.
This is REALITY
It's how the real players operate.
The ones who hold success without crumbling.
They’ve done The Work.
"Or life forced them to do it."
And those who refuse?
You see them fly high - and fall faster.
Again. And a fkin’gain.
So if you’re still trying to build the tower without laying the foundation - you already know where that leads.
I’ve walked that road.
Now I walk another.
And if you’re ready to pick up the torch - I’ll show you the path."*
👉 DM me: "Torch in Hand."
Dedo,
Thank you for sharing such a compelling and introspective piece. Your exploration of the hidden emotional undercurrents that can undermine success is both profound and relatable. The metaphor of building a tower on a cracked foundation vividly illustrates how unaddressed inner wounds can impact our external achievements.
Your references to figures like Tony Robbins, Oprah Winfrey, and Ray Dalio effectively highlight the universal importance of inner work across various domains. It’s enlightening to see how these leaders emphasize self-awareness and emotional healing as integral to sustainable success.
I’m curious to learn more about the practical steps you recommend for initiating this “shadow work.” For someone new to this concept, what initial practices or resources would you suggest to begin uncovering and addressing these foundational cracks?
Thank you again for this thought-provoking article. Your insights offer valuable guidance for anyone seeking to align their inner and outer worlds on the path to authentic success.
Sincerely,
Steve
Steve… what a thoughtful and beautifully reflective comment.
You’ve grasped the heart of it, my friend…
We can stack achievement after achievement… but if the foundation stays cracked, sooner or later the whole tower’s gonna fall.
As for where to begin with shadow work, love that you asked.
The key’s NOT to “fix” yourself (you ain’t broken), but to turn toward what’s been exiled within you with curiosity, NOT judgment.
A few practical first steps I recommend:
Body as compass:
Tension, procrastination, emotional spikes — these are messengers. Instead of pushing past them, get curious: “What old story or fear might this be protecting me from?”
Tracking patterns:
Notice where life loops. Relationships, business plateaus, and repeating conflicts – these patterns reveal the cracks worth exploring.
Journaling with depth prompts:
Questions like:
“What am I afraid people would see if I stopped performing?”
“What am I avoiding by staying busy?”
“What part of me have I disowned to fit in or be accepted?”
Trusted mirrors:
Books are great, but dialogue is gold. Whether through a coach, a circle, or a trusted ally, being witnessed in this work brings profound clarity.
If you’d like, I can share a few resources I trust, not the overcomplicated stuff, but simple, potent tools to help you walk this path with courage and grace.
Here’s one for starters: RITE OF THE THRESHOLD GUARDIAN
You’re already doing the most important thing (asking the question).
The ember’s lit.
Now the journey deepens.
Grateful you’re here in this conversation, brother.
In your corner
Dedo (Chief MEME Officer)
Years of pain can feel like an endless journey, whether it’s physical, emotional, or psychological. Many people struggle to find relief, often cycling through treatments, therapies, or coping mechanisms in search of answers. From my own experience, chronic pain—whether from an injury, illness, or unresolved trauma—can wear you down, making even small victories feel monumental. In my opinion, while pain is deeply personal, sharing stories and strategies can foster connection and hope, reminding us that healing, though nonlinear, is still possible.
AJ… This hit home!
Funny thing about healing… folks expect a straight line.
But, it’s more like a dodgy spiral staircase in an ole lighthouse… creaks, twists, occasional dark corners – but you ARE rising.
And yep…
Sharing the scrapes and lessons along the way?
That’s what turns an endless-feeling slog into a path others can follow.
Appreciate you voicing this my friend… more needed than ever.
Up we go.
In your corner
Dedo (Chief MEME Officer)