Max Simon

I think a lot about freedom

In my earlier years it was freedom to make my own choices.

To be my own person.

That’s actually what drove me to become an entrepreneur in the first place.

I wanted my independence, and I wanted it bad!

But over time I realized that this kind of freedom is always available to us… regardless of our circumstances.

Meaning, even if people don’t like your choices, you are always free to be who you want to be.

It will probably p**s some people off, but so be it.

Then it became about financial freedom.

So I worked my ass off.

Made a lot of money. Built big teams. And discovered something uncomfortable.

The more money I made, the less free I actually felt.

Because I was working all the time, managing so many people, constantly focused on the business.

I wasn’t free at all.

Plus the more stuff you buy, the more stuff you have to manage (funny how that works)

So then I went deeper in my pursuit for freedom.

What did this REALLY look like?

I realized it wasn’t anyone else trapping me.

It wasn’t my circumstances.

It wasn’t even money.

It was my own thoughts, feelings, emotions, and patterns.

So I devoted myself to layers and layers of spiritual practice.

To unwinding the thinking that kept me stuck.

To letting go of the belief that I was never doing enough.

To releasing the need to prove myself.

Ahhh, finally! sweet relief.

That’s when I started to taste what true freedom actually feels like.

Freedom from yourself. The loudest enslaver of them all.

So yes, celebrate your external freedom today.

It’s not a small thing and I don’t want to diminish it.

But if you’re feeling heavy, stuck, or trapped on the inside, regardless of what you have on the outside…

Make today the day you decide to do the real work.

The inner work that isn’t flashy. That nobody sees.

Liberate yourself from yourself.

Because from my experience, this is the only way to feel truly free.

Happy Fourth, my friends.

How are you celebrating today?

Much love, max

I’ve been in the media over 1,000 times, and I couldn’t care less.

That probably sounds weird coming from someone who chased press coverage relentlessly for years.

But here’s how the shift occurred.

I built a company that earned a massive amount of media attention.

Interview after interview, week after week. It culminated in a Today Show special that reached millions of people.

But then, the novelty wore off.

I started repeating the same thing I’d said a hundred times before. Over and over again.

And at some point, it actually started to feel like a nuisance, which was super strange, because it’s exactly what I thought I wanted.

So I stopped, tuned in, and looked closely at what was happening inside of me.

And what I found wasn’t pretty.

It was mostly ego.

Meaning, I was deeply driven by this desire to be seen as someone important.

Someone successful.

Someone who was doing something impressive.

But I had essentially “achieved it”, and yet I didn’t feel any better.

So I went inside to figure out what was actually true and meaningful as a fuel source.

I realized that it was:

- Dharma: aligning my life with real purpose

- Service: genuinely helping other people

- Presence: having real time and freedom to be with my family

- Character: just being a good person, every single day

And ya know what?

None of these thing’s are dependent on what happens outside of me.

I can live them every day regardless of what’s happening in the business.

Regardless of how much “coverage” I’m getting.

Regardless of how successful I am.

And honestly? It’s made me happier.

More well-rounded.

A better husband, father, and leader.

I have nothing to prove anymore.

And here’s the part that surprised me most…

It hasn’t changed my impact or reach one bit.

So if you’re pushing like crazy to “be somebody”….

It might be worth pausing to check in on what’s really driving you.

Because your fuel source matters more than you realize.

lmk your thoughts.

7 fast people problems… can you relate?

Something unexpected happened after I posted about being FAST.

The response was real.

People reached out. Sent messages. Shared their own stories. Some said it was exactly who they are.

And it made me realize… there are probably WAY MORE people dealing with this than I thought.

People who move too fast (in mind, body, energy) but don’t really talk about it.

Or think they’re the only ones. Or have been told their whole lives to “just slow down.” HA!

Here’s the thing though.

I’ve been working with my fast energy for multiple decades now, and I’ve developed some pretty effective strategies for harnessing it instead of letting it run me into the ground.

So let me spell out the main problems I’ve dealt with being fast… and you tell me if this sounds familiar.

Speed problem #1: Restlessness and impatience.

Sitting still feels like torture. Waiting feels impossible. Everyone else moves (and talks) in slow motion and you’re over here vibrating at a different frequency.

HURRY UP PEOPLE!

Speed problem #2: Careless mistakes.

You move so fast you miss details and skip steps. So of course, you have to go back and fix things.

Then you beat yourself up for being “sloppy” when really, you were just three steps ahead already.

Speed problem #3: Sleep and rest are HARD.

Your body is tired but your brain won’t shut up. You know you need rest but resting feels like wasting time. So you push through until you crash.

Speed problem #4: A million ideas.

New ideas flood in constantly. Each one feels urgent and exciting. So much opportunity!!

But committing? Staying with one thing long enough to see it through? Staying the course? That’s hard.

Speed problem #5: Changing things just because.

You like to pivot. You want to redesign. You love to reimagine.

And it drives everyone around you absolutely crazy because they’re still processing the LAST change you made.

Speed problem #6: Organization is painful.

Filing things properly? Cool concept. Tell it to someone else.

Then of course your environment reflects this messy truth too, although you’ve made peace with it (mostly).

Speed problem #7: Memory is not good.

Not because you’re forgetful. No. But because your mind is already racing toward the next thing before the current thing has even finished.

So my speedy friends….

If any of this is true for you, drop a comment and tell me which one resonates.

I’d love to know if there are more of us out there dealing with being fast all the time…

Because what I’ve learned about working WITH your speed instead of fighting it… might be helpful.

But please LMK before I move onto the next thing 😂