The Exit Tax To Freedom – Waking Giants

The Lone Leader Weekly

28th June 2023

You Are Trapped.

By your identity, your past and your thoughts.

#1. Only You Can Decide To Let Go.

When you are holding on too tight, your strength becomes your weakness.

#2. Failure Will Set You Free.

But only if you translate that failure into freedom.

#3. If It’s Painful.

It means something. Keep going.

And Suffering Is Guaranteed.

Forgive me for pushing you; I have realised that the society we now participate in has become weak and entitled, but that doesn’t mean you have to participate.

This week, I heard a new term: ‘ There is an exit tax to freedom’. On my daily walk with my fluffy companions, this little gem was shared and stopped me in my tracks.

When we think of tax, we generally see it as a burden or unfair. But in my experience, anyone who pays taxes, especially a lot of tax, doesn’t mind paying; they want to see it go to good use.

It’s hard to be taxed so aggressively when the poor are getting poorer, the homeless are still homeless, and the education system still sucks… A LOT! (I promised myself I wouldn’t get political!…)

So my point is that the tax may hurt, but if it is going to make a positive difference, it hurts less.

Now let’s translate that into your life.

(Caveat: there are people reading this, you know who you are, that will see themes that apply to their lives; all I can say is that you all inspire me, and you will move through this, and I am here for you. x).

If I look at the exit tax I have paid in the past 12 months, the cheques are huge:

1. Scaled down my business due to an unbearable relationship. $150,000 and months of sleepless nights. They then committed suicide.
2. Moving my whole family from one type of life to another. Arguments, blame, compromise, fear and emotional strain.
3. Being confronted with mortality and crumbling. Reacting rather than responding and losing my way.
4. Accepting years of little to no parental love and yet relentlessly trying to bridge that gap. $3,600 plane tickets and a whole load of anxiety.
5. Betting $200,000 on my daughter’s education. Because our education system is not serving her.

All of these cheques, with hindsight, I would write again in a heartbeat.

Why? Because the suffering was worth the result. Because the result was less painful than the status quo, the misery and the loss it was causing.

It has sometimes felt like I was tearing my business and life apart. But what made the difference is that I knew why the tax would do good and not be wasted.

I have the luxury of working with and knowing the most amazing people, and I see their struggles; I see your struggles, and I know that by paying that tax with meaning and resilience, you will be happy with the investment.

I see the relationship that is hurting your soul. Pay the tax and get out.

I see the pressure you put on yourself. Pay the tax and let it go.

I see the pain that your kids are under. Pay the tax and do whatever makes them happy.

I see the business that you loathe. Pay the tax and change direction.

I see the change you made to your life and the times no one said thank you. Pay the tax and say fuck them and move on.

Nothing that means something so important to you comes easy, even if that’s saying goodbye.

Until next week, pay the tax. Do the good thing.

G.

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