Brazil Taught Me More About Life Than Sales Ever Will

I’ve spent the entire first quarter of the year in Rio de Janeiro.
It’s one of the most beautiful AND dangerous cities in the world.

Having always lived in safe places, it was new to smell real fear.
It’s on every street and corner, the Uber rides, and at the beach.

Carnival is especially tricky because it attracts a lot of tourists,
which again attracts poor people from the favelas to rob them.

Though I was instructed to NEVER take my phone out in
crowded places, I wasn’t paying attention for a few seconds.

Unfortunately, that was when we were at a large carnival street
parade (bloco) in the downtown area (most dangerous of all).

At that moment, someone took my phone and ran off. In theory,
I should’ve let it be. I had insurance and a backup at home.

But someone else had stolen my previous phone in the middle
of a Starbucks in central Berlin a few weeks before.

At that moment, my instincts took over and I thought “F’ck it.”
I chased the guy down for what must’ve been over a mile.

Gladly, I was wearing my runners on that day. I fell multiple
times as I had to jump over fences and trash bins.

Unfortunately for the guy, I’m very fast and athletic. (Having
started Brazilian Jiu-Jistu in 2023 gave me extra confidence.)

At one point, he dropped the phone on the floor and ran off.

Still full of adrenaline, I called my friends, who were worried.
When I proudly told them what had happened, they just said:

“Dennis, you’re a f’cking moron. There’s a good chance he
might’ve ambushed, stabbed or shot you with his friends.”

“No Brazilian in their right mind would ever do that. Don’t think
you were brave. You should be glad that you’re still alive.”

Even as I type these lines, I feel some of the rush coming back.
Because Brazil gave me something that I wasn’t expecting.

To feel alive, when all senses are firing. A rush that no sales
meeting or deal would ever give me. Because it’s not life/death.

This experience (and a few other things, incl learning to shoot a
gun) showed me how much male energy there’s dormant in me.

German men grow up quite effeminate after women had to be
strong after WWII. We lack male role models that teach us.

Healthy, well-integrated masculinity and aggression.

To stand up for yourself and others, to be assertive, fearless,
and not care all the time to please others and what they think.

That experience and the trip unlocked a treasure that had only
shown up as archetypes in my dreams before (as lions).

The monster, as Jordan Peterson calls it, wanted out, and this
has been the first of many adrenaline-filled adventures.

I think many men who spend most of their time working lack
this. We’ve all earned f’ck you money, but feel empty inside.

“Fight Club” got the message right––and no, this isn’t some
right-wing extremism, stop reading the mainstream news.

Happy Saturday.