Hey friends,

I’m back in Los Angeles after a wonderful stay in Vancouver, and I’m back in the groove of my writing schedule. I’m working on something I’m very excited about, and in due time, I’ll share more details here. I haven’t been this energized when it comes to my writing for quite some time, which signals that this is the exact project I’m supposed to be working on. Hope that there’s something in your life that fuels you in a similar way as well.

In the meantime, I’d like to share a reflection on an important topic: ambition.

Discussing ambition often feels like an exercise in political discourse. There seems to be two clear sides talking over one another, with one party embracing ambition and the other rejecting it. The debate of whether ambition is a virtue or a vice has persisted through the ages, and it continues onward today.

But this dynamic is precisely what interests me, as any argument with two clear sides signals a dismissal of nuance. And whenever nuance is overlooked, the truth is as well.

Today’s reflection is my brief attempt to bridge the gap. I know I’ll have more to say in the future, but for today, consider this a short primer on the topic. So when you’re ready, let’s dive right in:

​The Riddle of Ambition​

The Examined Writer (and a free 3-day email series)

My self-paced course on essay writing, The Examined Writer, has been taken by well over a hundred students. People are finding their way to it despite my lack of promoting it, which means that students may be sharing it on their own accord.

Well, I’m now making more of an effort to promote it, given that no one believes in its value more than I do. So with that aim in mind, I’ve created a free 3-day email series on essay writing that will give you a preview of some of the techniques I share in the course. It’ll go over topics like:

• How to rephrase your favorite ideas
• How to frame timeless topics
• How to brainstorm your essay in a matter of minutes

To get access to the email series, simply click the link (or image) below and you’ll receive it shortly.

👉 Click here to get the first lesson in your inbox​

And if you find the series insightful, I encourage you to enroll in The Examined Writer to get the full experience. I still have more testimonials I need to add to the site, but here’s an idea of what students have said about the program already.

Hope to see you inside.

A Book I’ve Been Enjoying

​Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse — I’m in a phase where I’m re-reading my favorite books, and I recently dusted this off the shelf. What’s beautiful about reading a book again is that the same words often reveal a fresh meaning. That’s because who you are today may not be the same as who you were then, and this change in perspective is reflected in how you interpret the text. Such is the power of literature, and art in general.

Last time I read this, I recall being fascinated by the "Samsara" chapter, which provided a visceral takedown of hedonism. But this time, I found myself engrossed in the "Gotama" chapter, which provides an account of the main character, Siddhartha, meeting the Buddha (while he was still alive).

What this chapter revealed was the limits of rationality, and the boundaries of one’s intellect. We often try to think our way through everything, finding the gaps in logic and attempting to fill it with our rationale. But most of the time, the human condition can only be felt, and not justified.

As the Buddha tells Siddhartha in the novel:

A Thought I've Been Pondering

Loneliness isn’t the absence of people, it’s the absence of curiosity. As an avid reader, I come into contact with this realization all the time.

The very act of reading is a vote for solitude, as it’s one of the rare mediums where you have to be fully present to interact with the material. It’s just you, the book, and wherever you’ve chosen to read it. Having friends and people around is not a feature of the experience.

Yet amidst this absence of people, you don’t feel lonely. If anything, you feel like you’re in the company of someone you care for, deeply engaged in whatever they have to say. That’s because the act of reading is also a vote for curiosity, where you allow the musings of another to come in contact with your worldview. You’re welcoming the author into your intellectual home, providing them with the opportunity to share everything they know.

That’s why I believe that reading is one of the antidotes to loneliness. You don’t need the physical presence of a person to feel the warmth of their ideas, as your curiosity for those ideas is usually enough. And as long as you can retain this curiosity for the thoughts of another, the fog of loneliness won’t have the ability to touch the shores of your mind.

A Brief Parting Question

What’s an ambitious endeavor you’re working on right now?

By “ambitious,” I mean something that you feel is stretching your current capabilities (more on this definition in today’s post). It may not even be work-related, as cultivating relationships can also be a form of expanding your boundaries as well.

I’d love to hear about what kinds of things you’re dedicating your attention to. As a reminder, I read every email.

As always, hit reply to share any thoughts, to respond to the parting question, or to simply say hello. I love hearing from you.

Thanks for reading, and feel free to share this email with anyone who might enjoy it. Have a great rest of your week!

-Lawrence Yeo

P.S. Thanks to all the wonderful people that support the blog on Patreon! It means so much. If you’d like to support More To That and get access to book recommendations, exclusive AMAs, offline posts, and other reflections, join as a patron today.

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