The suit, the spreadsheet, and the silence in the woods (+Celtic Horoscope!)

If you know me professionally, you know I am the Data Guy (TM pending) .

You know the version of me that spent a career in banking, risk management, and executive coaching across Europe and Asia. You know the author of books about management and autism. You know the version of me that posts memes online.

I have spent a lifetime measuring the world, structuring it into neat rows and columns, and finding safety in the predictable.

But there is another version of me.

One that I kept hidden in a sanctuary inside myself for a long time. It’s the version that hears the wind in the fir trees and feels the ancient pull of my Celtic DNA (I am 50% German according to 23&me!).

It’s the version that knows that while data can explain how the world works, it is terrible at explaining why we are here.

The First Mountain and The Second Mountain

In my coaching, and in my own life, I often see people climbing what David Brooks calls the First Mountain. This is the mountain of the ego. It’s where we build our careers, buy our houses, and secure our role in society. We might spend decades climbing it, breathless and determined to make something out of ourself for the world to know.

But for many of us - myself included - we reach the summit only to find a strange emptiness. We realize the view doesn't fill the void.

Then comes long descent in the valley down. But, rising from that valley, is the Second Mountain. This mountain isn't about success; it’s about meaning. It’s about connection. It’s about realizing that the roles we have been playing—The Manager, The Parent, The Successful One - are just masks.

Now it is the time to take up a brand-new meaning for fulfilment, losing the ego and focusing on the people around you.

The Shamanic Hacks

You don’t need to move to a yurt or abandon your job to start climbing the Second Mountain. You just need to reconnect with the invisible threads that bind us to each other and to the nature around us.

In my new book (now translated in Italian, with an introduction by Carlotta Lavizzari!), "Lo Sciamano Celtico" (The Celtic Shaman), I treat spirituality not as a religion, but as a skill—a set of strategies (I call them Shamanic Hacks) to unlock a life without limits, to start climbing the second mountain.

Coaching

A shaman is a bit like a coach - isn't it? I support and guide my tribe - mostly neurodiverse people and executives—to achieve their goals. You can think of me as a guide for the space between the strategy and the execution, with a sprinkle of mindfulness.

And for my neurodiverse clients, this means translating a world that wasn't built for them into a playground where they can thrive. For my executives, it means reconnecting a powerful mind with a grounded intuition. Together we bridge the gap between the spiritual and the practical, turning 'woo-woo' into tangible, high-performance results.

Data that comes from the gut, not just the spreadsheet.

"Lo Sciamano Celtico" is my invitation to you. It is for the rational minds who feel a call to something deeper. It is for those ready to explore the world hidden in plain sight.

You can unlock your potential - first step: Amazon!

ENG: https://amzn.eu/d/8fAS1wq

ITA:https://amzn.eu/d/bvHvnfH

🜁 This Week’s Coaching Horoscope — The Celtic Edition

♈ Aries — The Bear’s Strength You are pushing too hard against an obstacle. The Bear teaches us that true strength is also about hibernation and healing. Rest is a weapon, too.

♉ Taurus — The Deep Roots You seek stability, but you are confusing being grounded with being stuck. Visualize your roots going down into the magma of the earth—energy should flow, not stagnate.

♊ Gemini — The Two Worlds You are walking between the logical world and the creative one. Stop trying to separate them. You are the bridge. The magic happens where they meet.

♋ Cancer — The Sacred Cave You are retreating into your shell. Remember, in shamanism, the cave (or the Underworld) isnt a place to hide, but a place to find lost parts of yourself. Go in, get what you need, and come back.

♌ Leo — The Sun on the Skin You are looking for external validation. Go outside. Feel the actual sun. That warmth is the only applause the universe needs to give you today.

♍ Virgo — The Data Shaman You are over-analyzing the path. You want a map of the forest before you enter it. The forest changes with every step. Trust your intuition to find the next marker.

♎ Libra — The Balancing Feathers You are weighing every decision. Try the Seven Leaves hack this week. Stop thinking. Start feeling. Let your subconscious pick the path.

♏ Scorpio — The Snake’s Skin You are holding onto an old identity that no longer fits. The Snake knows that shedding skin is uncomfortable, but necessary for renewal. Let it go.

♐ Sagittarius — The Eagle’s Vision You are caught in the weeds of daily life. Fly to the Upper World for a moment. Look at your life from 10,000 feet. What looks big down there is tiny from up here.

♑ Capricorn — The Mountain Path You are obsessed with the summit of the First Mountain. Look around. Is there a Second Mountain calling you? Success is nothing without meaning.

♒ Aquarius — The Wind in the Trees Your mind is racing with ideas. You need to stop your consciousness. Use the drumbeat rhythm (or a simple rhythmic track) to quiet the noise and find focus.

♓ Pisces — The Flow of Life You are drifting. Connect with the water element. Remember that even the wildest river eventually finds the ocean. Trust the current, but keep your head above water.