Introduction: Scientific x Spiritual x Entrepreneurial

= the FoFty Way

Nov 19, 2023

FoFty is a mindset, methodology, and practice that combines scientific knowledge, spiritual tenets, and entrepreneurship to help people navigate key cross-roads in their careers.

It is a program that consists of three sequential stages:

(i) Cognitive

(ii) Experiential

(iii) Kinship

Much of what is discussed is knowledge that exists in their own compartmentalized domains. Science and human physiology. Spirituality and mindfulness. Entrepreneurship and startups.

It is the weaving together and application of the blended knowledge that I share through FoFty, shaped by all the experiences I’ve gathered throughout my career. Therefore, the real authors and creators of FoFty are all the people who inspired me to make the effort and share my learnings with you.

Before embarking on this journey together, we must talk about what FoFty stands for. FoFty is an abbreviation of Founders of Lofty, so let’s clarify what both Founders and Lofty actually represent.

Founders

When we refer to Founders, we are describing each and every one of us. You may wonder how that may be, especially if you have never thought of or taken the leap to create a startup.

In fact, we are all Founders but in different states. The real question is, of what? If one removes the blinders and considers that startups are not limited to companies but can include anything, then one will arrive at the conclusion that the most important entity that a Founder can create is themself.

Whether we realize it or not, we all have the opportunity to start ourselves up. In fact, there are some of us who are serial entrepreneurs in the sense of reinventing ourselves multiple times over. As such, the concept is not new but what is novel is the methodology: applying entrepreneurial and startup principles to oneself in order to start oneself up.

Thus, imagine that you are a Founder, and that the startup you are creating is yourself.

This is what FoFty will help you do - to get unstuck, to help set the foundation for a change in career, to create a startup company, to go on a sabbatical, or to continue on your current path but with a new trajectory.

Even the most basic questions that Founders must answer become profoundly deep when applied to themselves. For example, “who is the customer” is a generic question that all Founders must have clarity on. The answer typically is some population segmented by age, profession, gender, income bracket, and so on. But what if the startup is yourself? Who are you evolving yourself for? Is it for your spouse? Perhaps your children? Or for your inner-self? There is much to reflect on and cement.

Lofty

Lofty is a symbolic reference to a position of height - it represents an elevated understanding of oneself. As one journeys through life, experiences are gathered that shape one’s mental map to the point where metamorphosis opportunities are inevitably presented. For example, “Midlife Crisis” is a commonly misunderstood term - what it represents is neither an age, nor a crisis. There is no nominal age for it to occur. For some people, it can occur in their twenties, hence the term “Quarter-life Crisis”. For others, it may be when they are in their fifties. There are even some who never go through metamorphosis no matter how many forks in the road they encounter. They do not understand that these crises are actually key elevation opportunities, so they choose to bury and avoid them, leaving gaps that yearn to be filled later on in life.

It is critical for Founders of Lofty to be aware when they are at one of life’s handful of forks in the road. There are not too many, and when they occur, they provide an opportunity for elevation, and a chance to start oneself up in earnest.

One of the secrets behind every startup company is that the founder behind the company almost always had some life changing experience, whether professional, personal, or spiritual that drove them to create the company. The deeper the experience, the less likely they will share it openly, which is why you don’t read or hear much about it. However, those in the circles of successful entrepreneurs will tell you that it is in fact the case: a metamorphosis triggered the startup company, not the other way around.

In our case, going deep into ourselves is critical especially because the startup is ourselves.

Scientific-Spiritual-Entrepreneurship

If one is to attempt to treat oneself as a startup, then self-introspection takes center stage. Mindfulness and spirituality are powerful utilities we can use to let go, be aware, accept, decide, and evolve.

Some of the most successful people such as Ray Dalio have testified to this, by way of meditation as an example. In fact, when I worked at Bridgewater Associates for Ray, I recall seeing that each floor of every building had a meditation room - what surprised me was that these rooms were always booked out.

Thus, the incorporation of mindfulness and spirituality into people’s careers, and also into entrepreneurship is not new.

Neither is the incorporation of science and human biology into our careers and entrepreneurship - there are many bio-hacking techniques people practice today, from sleep management routines to supplement intake and exercise schedules. I recall fellow startup founders in the Silicon Valley coworking space I used to work at taking triple shots of espresso right before a 20 minute afternoon nap to maximize the effect of “waking up.”

What is relatively new is the intersection of science and spirituality. In the past, these two were constantly at odds with each other but science is beginning to validate some of the oldest spiritual and mindfulness practices, thanks in part to developments in DNA / epigenetic research and medical devices such as 7 Tesla fMRI scanners. We now know that our thoughts play a role in our biological health by creating biochemical changes - and that they can play a role in both directions. For example, there is a new science emerging called epigenetic control which literally means control above the genes - a new form of biology where genetic expression is directly impacted by our perception of our environment.

Amazingly, science is telling us that we can “think” our future out, and that we are not victims or predisposed to our genetic makeup as individuals. We are learning that what we believe can affect our reality, and that power can go both ways, in either direction.

Combined with the novelty of treating oneself as a startup, the intersection of science, spirituality, and entrepreneurship provides an uncharted landscape for us to explore - a landscape that, as you shall see, is surprisingly unconventional and not what it seems at first glance.

What FoFty is Not

To conclude the introduction and clarify expectations, I’d like to take a moment to clarify what FoFty is not:

FoFty is not a career or life coaching platform

We de-school and help people unlearn all the boot-loaded programs they were fed since childhood in order to factory reset their minds. We disperse with certifications and are a facility to unlearn, cleanse, and reorient before acquiring new knowledge and practices. If you are looking for job application and resume writing tactics, there is no shortage of career and life coaches out there for you.

FoFty is not a therapeutic care platform

We take health very seriously - all health issues, including mental health should be treated by properly trained and licensed professionals.

FoFty is not a religion

While spirituality and mindfulness tenets are central to FoFty, we make the clear distinction that we are not a religion. There is no blind faith devoid of any knowledge or experience involved - only observation, introspection, and self-inquiry. This is by design, so that we remain universally compatible.

FoFty is not a cult

The ultimate goal is to build a decentralized organization providing people with knowledge and pathways to help them make their own decisions. Anybody can join and leave at any moment as they wish. There is no form of isolation, and we encourage questions and doubt to help evolve our program.

And with that, let’s get on with the journey!

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