Reflections at 30,000 Feet

I wrote this on my flight from Malta to Cologne, and a few days later, while traveling again to Manchester, the thoughts kept evolving. Planes have a strange way of bringing clarity, don’t they? It’s something about being suspended between two worlds—your past and your future—that forces you to reflect.

As I sat there, I began to realise something profound: for years, I was operating on autopilot. I was chasing solutions, outcomes, and achievements, but I never stopped to question why I was doing the things I did.

I was so focused on the end goal that I forgot about the foundation—the input. And that input, I now see, was my mind, my emotions, and my inner energy.

In the last few months, I’ve gained a level of consciousness I didn’t think was possible. It’s as if I’ve turned on a light in a room I didn’t even know existed.

This awareness has shown me the importance of aligning both my inner and outer energies. For years, I operated with one or the other—focusing solely on my external environment while neglecting the storms raging within me. Now, I understand that to truly operate at full capacity, you have to nurture both.

As I write this on my MacBook, I feel a strange sense of detachment. There’s something sterile about typing out your thoughts on a screen. True reflection, I’ve found, happens with pen and paper. That’s where the real breakthroughs come from—the kind that only hours of sitting with your thoughts can bring.

I want to share something deeply personal. Over the years, I’ve lost many people in my life. Some of those losses were intentional. I actively changed my surroundings, seeking an environment that would support my growth.

But others? They were the result of emotions I didn’t understand at the time. Fear. Anger. Anxiousness. They clouded my judgment and drove my actions, both in business and in my personal life.

It’s easy to overlook these patterns. We all like to tell ourselves that we had a great childhood, that we’ve moved past whatever challenges we faced growing up. For many men, especially, there’s this belief that admitting otherwise is a sign of weakness.

But here’s the truth: we all have an inner child carrying wounds. And just because someone else might have faced “bigger” struggles doesn’t mean our own experiences are invalid. Pain and perspective are deeply personal. What feels small to one person can feel insurmountable to another.

For the longest time, I didn’t realise that my decisions—whether in business or relationships—were being driven by these unresolved emotions. They were like invisible threads, pulling me in directions I didn’t fully understand.

And here’s the thing: I was terrified of confronting them. I kept searching for solutions in my outer world, thinking that if I could just fix my circumstances, everything would fall into place.

But it doesn’t work that way.

When I finally turned inward, I began to see the truth. The only way out was through.

I started by doing something I’d avoided for years: sitting with my feelings.

No distractions. No quick fixes. Just sitting—sometimes for 30 minutes at a time—in complete silence. It was uncomfortable at first. My mind raced, my body felt restless, and I wanted to do anything but sit still.

But in those moments, something incredible happened.

The emotions I’d been running from began to surface. I felt them fully—fear, sadness, anger—and instead of pushing them away, I let them be. And in doing so, I realised something powerful:

• These feelings weren’t my enemies; they were my teachers.

• They weren’t there to stop me; they were there to guide me.

By listening to them, I began to uncover truths about myself that I had buried for years. I realised that my need for control, my perfectionism, and even my ambition were often rooted in fear—fear of failure, fear of rejection, fear of not being enough.

That awareness changed everything.

By facing my inner world, I’ve been able to operate at a level of clarity and focus I didn’t think was possible. My decisions feel aligned. My actions feel purposeful. And most importantly, I feel at peace.

I’ve learned that the external world—your business, your relationships, your achievements—will always reflect the state of your inner world. If you’re chaotic inside, your life will mirror that chaos. But when you find balance within, everything around you begins to align.

Here’s what I want to leave you with:

1. You can’t fix the outside without fixing the inside.

   • Your mind and emotions are the foundation for everything you build. Treat them with care.

2. Silence is your greatest tool.

   • Take time to sit with yourself—no distractions, no noise. The answers you’re looking for are often already within you.

3. Perspective is everything.

   • Don’t compare your pain to others. Your journey is your own, and it’s valid.

4. Growth is uncomfortable—but necessary.

   • Facing your inner world isn’t easy, but it’s the only way to truly move forward.

As I sat on that plane, I realised that I’m entering a new chapter—not just in business, but in life. And this chapter isn’t about chasing more. It’s about being more.

If you’re feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or disconnected, I encourage you to take a step back. Sit with your thoughts. Reflect on your patterns. And ask yourself: What’s really driving me?

The answers might surprise you.

Catch you next week. Cheers.

Markus