Max's Principles
In Concert
Relational
What it is: Move together. The best decisions, insights, and breakthroughs happen in concert with others — not in isolation. When something feels stuck, the answer is usually more togetherness, not less.
What it is NOT: Not codependence or needing approval. Not avoiding quiet reflection. Not outsourcing your decisions to others.
When to invoke: Before big decisions, when feeling stuck or isolated
The question: Am I in concert with others on this?
Noticing is Doing
Internal Processing
What it is: The full felt-sense of something IS the transformation. Awareness creates change. No separate 'action step' needed.
What it is NOT: Not spiritual bypassing ('I noticed, I'm done'). Not passive observation. Not intellectualizing instead of feeling.
When to invoke: Caught in 'what do I do about it' spiral
The question: Have I fully felt this?
Once More Into The Fear
Direction / Courage
What it is: Fear and excitement share the same signature. The avoided thing contains the growth. Fear is a compass toward expansion.
What it is NOT: Not recklessness or ignoring danger. Not shaming yourself for fear. Not bulldozing your nervous system.
When to invoke: At a fork, feeling avoidance
The question: Which option scares me more?
Slow Mountain
Presence / Pace
What it is: Be solid, unhurried, present. Move deliberately, not frenetically. Don't be swept by others' urgency. Invoke mountain mode.
What it is NOT: Not procrastination as patience. Not avoiding real urgency. Not performing calmness while dissociated.
When to invoke: Feeling rushed, reactive, frenetic
The question: What would the mountain do?
Enjoy That Fucker
Quality / Mode
What it is: Enjoyment isn't the reward—it's the mode. Resistance signals lost thread. Find enjoyment or reconsider doing it.
What it is NOT: Not hedonism (only do pleasant things). Not avoiding difficulty. Not performing enjoyment you don't feel.
When to invoke: Dreading something, in 'should' energy
The question: How do I enjoy this?