February 14, 2025
Story [#30]

Everything You Run From Eventually Catches Up.

Or minute of Inner Complexity

Everything you see around you, and everything happening within you, is just a product of your brain’s work.

On a biological level, there’s barely any difference between reality and imagination.

This realization helped me understand the logic and motives behind people’s actions—and how it all affects me and my business.

I don’t even remember when or how I first became fascinated by the workings of the human brain.

At first, it was purely practical:

  • Why do people act the way they do?
  • How do they make buying decisions?
  • What drives their choices?

Later, thanks to my love of science and physics, I became curious about what’s happening in the brain on a physical level.

And even later, as I went through personal crises and started asking questions like:

  • "Why are we here?"
  • "What’s the meaning of all this?"

I began to search for the connection between the spiritual and the physiological.

This curiosity has led me, at least for now, to a deeper understanding of my own purpose and a new perspective on the world and the people in it.

The Brain: The Most Complex Biological System

It’s the command center that controls your entire body.

It’s the interface between reality and consciousness—a self-learning system that shapes your very identity.

I won’t dive into the endless research out there—from psychology to quantum physics.

Let your own curiosity lead you to your own discoveries.

We don’t feel our brain working the way we feel sore muscles or physical pain.

But we do feel the effects of its work.Inside your brain lives everything:

  • Your likes and dislikes
  • Your memories
  • Your ambitions
  • Your emotions
  • Your fears
  • Even your self-image and how you see others

It’s your brain that defines who you are.

You might not understand why you dislike something.

But your brain knows.

You might not be aware of the inner drives influencing your actions.

But your brain knows.

You might not admit what you’re avoiding.

But your brain knows.

Understanding This Opens the Door to Incredible Possibilities

On one hand, this gives you immense power for growth.

On the other, it inevitably forces you to face your own contradictions and fears, the very ones you’ve probably been running from all along.

Everything you run from eventually catches up with you.

Growth begins the moment you decide to face it head-on.

And for that, you’ll need the courage to look within.

If Everything Exists Only in Our Brain…

Then the inner and outer worlds are equal in its eyes.

This realization gives us the ability to:

  • Direct ourselves toward our goals
  • Reprogram limiting beliefs
  • Develop as individuals

Your brain doesn’t care if you imagine yourself as a superhero or if you actually are one.

Sounds like science fiction or madness?

Maybe.

But your metacognition, the ability to observe yourself from the outside (something no other creature can do), lets you use mental “hacks,” like identifying with a fictional hero, to overcome real-life challenges.

Some might say, "That sounds like schizophrenia, like a split personality!"

Well, here’s the thing:

Everyone on this planet has more than just a split personality.

We’ve got a whole collection of them.

Think about how differently you act:

  • With your parents
  • With your spouse
  • With your kids
  • With colleagues
  • With your lawyer
  • With your best friend
  • With your business partner
  • Or even on social media

You’re a slightly different version of yourself with each person.

Sometimes, you’re a completely different version.

And you know what’s even more interesting?

Every person has their own perception of who you are.

And it doesn’t match the version you think you’re showing them.

And definitely not the version you believe you are.

All You Really Have Is Your Mind and Your Brain

And only you get to decide:

  • What to think about
  • Which mental tricks to use
  • Which version of yourself to develop

My approach is simple:

If it works—why not?

Besides, understanding how the brain works doesn’t just help you deal with your own fears, it also builds empathy and compassion for others, who, just like you, are simply products of their own minds.

Disclaimer.

Every business has its nuances, and every founder has their unique context and resources. Whether or not my advice applies depends on your situation, experience, and needs. But one thing is universal—use your brain.

Think about how to apply the advice in your context before acting.

Your way.

How to Balance Marketing and Inner Peace

Marketers always say—study human psychology.

All our behavioral patterns and cognitive biases are leveraged for manipulation.

At its core, marketing and advertising are just conscious psychological manipulation.

The entire industry is built on triggering the right reactions at the right time:

  • Nudging impulse decisions
  • Capturing attention
  • Evoking emotions
  • Sparking interest
  • Building trust, etc.

All of this is then wrapped in weak justifications, claims that advertising "informs," "gives people choices," or "helps consumers find products and services that best fit their needs."

The truth is, people often don’t even know what they really need.

They might not even realize they have a problem.

That’s an undeniable fact.

And in theory, advertising helps them see this, guiding them toward solutions that improve their lives.

The Ethics Come Down to Intent

Good or bad?

That depends on the intent.

If the goal is to introduce a new product and clearly explain how it’s different, there’s nothing wrong with that.

If you genuinely believe that your product or service:

  • Is designed to help customers, not just make you rich faster
  • Acknowledges that your audience consists of complex, multidimensional people with fears, struggles, and aspirations
  • Doesn’t rely on deceptive or misleading tactics

…then in a world full of noise and distractions, you shouldn’t lose sleep over using these techniques.

Because, in reality, they’re completely ethical.

They’re simply based on how our brain works, how it determines what’s relevant and meaningful.

Just don’t lie—to yourself or to your customers.

That’s the one bulletproof way to build something sustainable.

Every founder has their own way of getting through hard days.

Mine is Nyx Thorne — a fictional hero I created to remind myself that clarity, courage, and rebellion are always possible.

Her journal reminds me (and maybe you) that it’s okay to struggle — and still move forward.

Life’s meaning boils down to one thing — the fight.

Once you’ve tasted the depth of life,
death no longer scares you.

Fear of death is just a consequence of a lost battle.

From the journal of Nyx Thorne.

That’s all for today. See you next week.
- Eugene

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Hi, I’m Eugene.

Strategist, operator, and product builder helping founders escape operational chaos and build businesses that work without them.

Over the past 20+ years, I’ve grown an international agency from one-person freelance to a multimillion-dollar business. I’ve led teams, scaled systems, burned out, rebuilt, and learned (the hard way) what it really takes to run a business that doesn’t consume your life.
Today, I work with small business owners and independent founders who’ve outgrown hustle advice and need practical structure.

I help them make sense of complexity, design simple systems, and create the kind of business they actually want to run.
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