Availability: Who Gets the Best of You?

Who Do You Make Time For — and Why?

Availability is one of the most powerful currencies we possess.

The question is simple, but uncomfortable:

Who do you make time available for — and why?

It is incredibly easy to make time available for work.
For our boss.
For our colleagues.
For our clients.

We give them our sharpest thinking, our best energy, our fastest responses. We answer calls during dinner. We reply to emails while sitting next to our children. We allow meetings to stretch into the evening. We sacrifice rest and recovery.

Why?

Because work contributes to our bank balance.
And the bank balance feels urgent.

So we give work the best of us.

And what is left over — if anything — goes to family and friends.


When “Quality Time” Isn’t Quality

We often tell ourselves we are giving our families “quality time.”

But is it really?

If we are frustrated.
If we are mentally elsewhere.
If we are drained and exhausted.

Then what we call “quality time” is often just physical presence without emotional availability.

We sit in the same room, but our minds are still in the inbox.

That’s not presence. That’s proximity.

The Myth of “Me Time”

Then there’s “me time.”

In theory, this is sacred time. Time to rest, recover, and recharge so we can be fully available and add value to the people and organisations in our world.

But what does it often become?

Too much time on our phones.
Scrolling social media.
Binge-watching shows.
Consuming endless news.
Indulging in alcohol or other draining habits.

We call it relaxation.
But often, it’s just distraction.

Instead of recharging, we numb ourselves.

What if we turned this around?

What if we created a proper ME session — one that truly restores us?

Time that strengthens our mind.
Rebuilds our body.
Centers our spirit.
Clarifies our priorities.

Time that leaves us better — not emptier.

What If We Flipped the Script?

What if:

  • We gave family and friends our best energy — not our leftovers?

  • We made intentional time available for them?

  • We were physically and emotionally present?

  • When someone had an urgent situation, we paused and truly showed up?

  • We set boundaries around work?

  • We turned off the phone?

  • We limited how much access work has to our lives?

How would our lives change?

How would our relationships deepen?

How would our peace increase?

When Boundaries Blur

This topic has stirred something in me again.

There was a time in my life when I had no boundaries. I answered calls and emails constantly — even when I should have been present with family. I didn’t always make the time to visit or call the important people in my life.

Then there was a season when I got it right.

I would turn off my phone before walking into the house. Emails were for office hours only. When I was home, I was home.

But now, working from home, the lines are blurred again.

The office is the house.
The house is the office.
The boundaries are thinner.

And if we are not intentional, work will take everything we are willing to give.

The Rat Race and the Real Race

We make ourselves endlessly available for the rat race.

For the hamster wheel.

For the grind.

But are we equally available for what is truly valuable — the things and the people money can’t buy?

Recently, we had to avail ourselves to support a friend who experienced a death in the family. In moments like that, life stops. Priorities become crystal clear.

But here’s the question:

Do we only stop for crisis?

Do we take time to celebrate when something wonderful happens?
Do we pause when someone is going through something difficult?
Do we simply check in — just because?

Sometimes availability looks like:

  • Picking up the phone and asking, “How are you really doing?”

  • Sending a short text.

  • Dropping a voice note.

  • Making a visit.

  • Sitting in silence with someone.

It doesn’t have to be dramatic. It just has to be intentional.

A Misalignment of Priorities?

Perhaps the real issue is misalignment.

We say family matters most.
We say friendships are important.
We say relationships are everything.

But our calendars often tell a different story.

Availability reveals our priorities more honestly than our words ever could.

A Personal Commitment

Once again, I need to put in the effort to get this right.

I have a couple of brothers I aim to check in with a few times each month. Not because something is wrong. Not because it’s convenient.

But because they matter.

Dear Mavericks, this is important.

We are human.
And this is the human thing to do.

To show up.
To check in.
To celebrate.
To mourn.
To sit.
To listen.

Work will always demand more.

But relationships require intentional availability.

And in the end, when the emails stop and the deadlines fade, it will not be our productivity that defines the richness of our lives — it will be the people who knew we were truly there.

Call your brother. Text your friend. Sit with your child. Have the conversation. Be there — fully there. Because being human is not about constant productivity. It’s about presence. And presence is love made visible.

Shalom!

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Wiggle (Part 3): The 7-Day Everyday Maverick Challenge

Wiggle (Part 3): The 7-Day Everyday Maverick Challenge

Understanding a principle is one thing.
Practicing it is where identity is formed.

This is not a motivational exercise.
This is a structured reset for when you feel stuck.

For the next 7 days, you will not try to fix your life.

You will only wiggle.


Step One: Identify the Pressure Point

Before you begin, answer this honestly:

Where do you feel stuck right now?

Do not dramatize it.
Just name it.

Write it down.

Clarity reduces anxiety.

Step Two: Shrink the Target

Now reduce that problem to the smallest executable action possible.

Not the full solution.

The smallest movement.

Examples:

  • If it’s financial pressure → review one statement.

  • If it’s health → take a 10-minute walk.

  • If it’s business → send one proposal.

  • If it’s relational → send one honest message.

  • If it’s clutter → clear one drawer.

If it feels too big, shrink it again.

Wiggle only works if the movement is achievable.

Step Three: Execute Without Emotion

Complete the task.

No internal speeches.
No self-criticism.
No over-celebration.

Just finish it.

Completion builds evidence.

Step Four: Repeat Daily for 7 Days

Each day:

  1. Identify the smallest movement.

  2. Complete it fully.

  3. Record it.

Keep a simple log:

Day 1 — Action Completed
Day 2 — Action Completed
Day 3 — Action Completed

Momentum becomes visible when tracked.

Should you wish to track yourself using a digital tool, then try the Habit app. Here is a link for Android devices

The Devotional Reflection

Each evening, reflect on this question:

Did I move today?

Not:

  • Did I win?

  • Did I solve it?

  • Did everything change?

Only:
Did I move?

Movement is obedience to growth.

A Faith Anchor

If you want to ground this spiritually, reflect on this principle:

Faith is rarely demonstrated in giant leaps.
In the Bible it is often expressed through daily, disciplined action.

The widow’s oil.
The five loaves and two fish.
The mustard seed.

Small obedience.
Compounding impact.

What You Will Notice

By Day 3:
Resistance decreases.

By Day 5:
Confidence increases.

By Day 7:
You no longer feel frozen.

The problem may not be fully solved.

But you will no longer be stuck.

And that changes everything.

The Maverick Standard

Everyday Mavericks are not defined by dramatic breakthroughs.

They are defined by disciplined micro-movement under pressure.

Wiggle is not weakness.
It is controlled forward motion.

You do not need ideal conditions.
You need daily execution.

Your Challenge

For the next 7 days:

Move something.
Every day.
No matter how small.

Start with the little toe.

Then keep going.

Shalom!

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Wiggle (Part 2): The Neuroscience of Everyday Maverick Momentum

Wiggle (Part 2): The Neuroscience of Everyday Maverick Momentum

In Part 1, I introduced the idea of Wiggle — the discipline of small movement when you feel stuck.

Now let’s formalize it.

Wiggle is not motivational language.
It is a neurobiological strategy.

And it works whether you believe in it or not.


What Actually Happens When You Feel Stuck

When we perceive threat, uncertainty, or overwhelming complexity, the brain activates the amygdala — our survival alarm system.

This is helpful in danger.

It is not helpful when you’re staring at:

  • Debt

  • A collapsing business deal

  • Health challenges

  • Relationship strain

  • Career uncertainty

The amygdala doesn’t distinguish between a charging lion and an unpaid bill. It triggers stress hormones, narrows focus, and can push us into:

  • Freeze

  • Avoidance

  • Procrastination

  • Emotional reactivity

This is commonly called the freeze response.

You’re not weak.
You’re wired.

Why Small Action Changes Everything

Here’s where Wiggle becomes powerful.

The moment you take intentional, controllable action, even something small, you re-engage the prefrontal cortex — the rational, decision-making part of your brain.

This shifts you from survival mode to executive mode.

At the same time:

  • Completing a small task releases dopamine

  • Dopamine reinforces forward motion

  • Progress reduces perceived threat

  • Reduced threat quiets the amygdala

In simple terms:

Small action tells your brain,
"We are not helpless. We are in motion."

That is neurological leverage.

Wiggle as a Structured Strategy

Let’s formalize it into five practical steps.

1. Reduce the Problem to the Smallest Executable Unit

Not the whole mountain.
Not the five-year plan.

The smallest meaningful action you can complete today.

Examples:

  • Pay one bill.

  • Send one email.

  • Organize one folder.

  • Make one phone call.

  • Walk for ten minutes.

Completion matters more than size.

2. Create Immediate Closure

Finish it fully. Don’t half-do it.

Completion is what triggers the dopamine reinforcement loop. Open loops drain mental energy. Closed loops build confidence.

3. Repeat Before Expanding

Momentum compounds.

Do not scale complexity too fast. Consistency strengthens neural pathways. The brain wires what it repeats.

This is called neuroplasticity — your brain physically reorganizes itself around repeated behavior.

You are literally rewiring yourself through small wins.

4. Increase Load Gradually

Once stability builds, increase difficulty slightly.

Not dramatically. Slightly.

Progression builds capacity without triggering overwhelm.

This mirrors strength training:
You don’t bench press 120kg on day one.
You add weight as your nervous system adapts.

5. Protect Emotional Neutrality

Wiggle works best without drama.

Not:

  • “Why is this happening to me?”

  • “I can’t believe this.”

  • “This is unfair.”

But:

  • “This is the current reality.”

  • “What is the next executable action?”

  • “Move.”

Emotion fuels reaction.
Neutrality fuels progress.

The Maverick Identity Shift

Here is the most important part.

Wiggle is not just about solving problems.
It reshapes identity.

Each small completion builds internal evidence:

  • I act under pressure.

  • I move when others freeze.

  • I reduce complexity.

  • I finish what I start.

That is how an Everyday Maverick is formed.

Not through dramatic breakthroughs.

Through disciplined micro-movement under constraint.

Science Supports the Strategy

Research in behavioral psychology, habit formation, and performance science consistently confirms:

  • Action reduces anxiety more effectively than rumination.

  • Small wins increase motivation.

  • Consistent repetition builds neural efficiency.

  • Incremental progress outperforms sporadic intensity.

The brain prefers movement to stagnation.

Wiggle works because it aligns with how the nervous system is designed.

The Tutorial: Anyone Can Do This

You don’t need:

  • High IQ

  • Special talent

  • Massive capital

  • Perfect conditions

You need:

  1. Awareness of paralysis

  2. Willingness to act small

  3. Commitment to repeat

That’s it.

Everyday Mavericks are not extraordinary because life is easy for them.

They are extraordinary because they move when movement is uncomfortable.

The Final Reframe

Being stuck is not a verdict.
It is a signal.

And the signal is simple:

Move something.

Start with the little toe.

Then the foot.
Then the leg.
Then the body.

Freedom does not arrive dramatically.
It accumulates incrementally.

Wiggle is not a metaphor anymore.

It is a Maverick strategy — tested, repeatable, and neurologically sound.

And anyone can use it.


Read More: The Science and Philosophy Behind Wiggle

The Wiggle strategy aligns with established research in neuroscience, behavioral psychology, leadership theory, and faith-based personal development. The following works explore these principles from different angles.

Neuroscience & Behavioral Research

 Cognitive Renewal & Thought Leadership

Faith, Identity & Leadership Development

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Wiggle: The Skill That Gets You Unstuck

What is the amygdala?

The amygdala is part of the brain’s limbic system and plays a key role in emotional processing, especially fear and threat detection. It triggers stress responses that prepare the body for survival. 



Wiggle: The Skill That Gets You Unstuck

Life has been beautiful.
Life has been demanding.

Both can be true at the same time.

Over the years, I’ve noticed a pattern: whenever life applies pressure from multiple sides—when options narrow and movement feels restricted—progress rarely comes from dramatic breakthroughs. It comes from something far more practical.

It comes from wiggling.

The Art of Small Movement

There’s a common dream many people have: danger is approaching, but your body won’t respond. No running. No shouting. No escape—until you begin to move anything you can.

A finger. A toe. A breath.

That small movement breaks the paralysis. Momentum returns. You wake up.

Life works much the same way.

When circumstances feel tight—financially, professionally, relationally—the mistake is waiting for a perfect solution. The skill is learning how to move before clarity arrives.

Progress Without Drama

Early in my working life, I found myself navigating multiple transitions at once: business changes, new responsibilities, and rising costs related to a long-term medical condition. None of this was unusual or tragic—it was simply life requiring maturity.

The strategy that worked was straightforward:
I stopped trying to solve everything at once.

Instead, I focused on the smallest solvable piece of the problem and completed it fully. Then I moved to the next. Over time, complexity reduced, confidence increased, and capacity expanded.

What began as a practical decision became a repeatable framework.

Why This Works

Leadership thinkers have pointed this out for years.

John C. Maxwell emphasizes the importance of the first win—a completed action that builds belief and forward motion.

Simon Sinek highlights how progress itself fuels motivation. Completion releases dopamine, reinforcing movement and focus.

In other words, success is not motivational—it’s mechanical.
You move, and motivation follows.

The Maverick Advantage

In the Becoming Maverick journey, we don’t dramatize difficulty and we don’t deny it either. We treat challenges as puzzles, not wounds.

When you’re stuck:

  • Identify the smallest action you can complete

  • Execute it cleanly

  • Let momentum do the heavy lifting

Start with the little toe.
Movement scales.

Trophy Thinking

Much frustration comes from expecting instant results—microwave solutions in a slow-cook world. But distinction is built differently.

It’s built through:

  • Patience

  • Consistency

  • Focus

  • Persistence

Everyday mavericks aren’t defined by what presses against them, but by how they respond under pressure.

Wiggle isn’t a coping mechanism.
It’s a skill.

And once learned, it works everywhere.

Shalom!

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Girls & Dads: The Everyday Mavericks - How Safe, Available Fathers Raise Hope-Filled Girls

 Father: From Old English fæder, meaning protector and source. Today’s Everyday Maverick dad provides safety, availability, and hope—at home and beyond.



Girls & Dads: The Everyday Mavericks

How Safe, Available Fathers Raise Hope-Filled Girls

Becoming Maverick is not a destination; it’s a journey. And along the road of life, there are stages that quietly—but permanently—reshape who we are. One of those stages is parenting. Not all of us walk this road, but those who do quickly discover the paradox: it is equally demanding and deeply rewarding.

I’ve been given the privilege of fathering two remarkable girls. And that single fact has stretched, challenged, and redefined my understanding of what it means to be a man.

Mavericks and Fatherhood

Being an Everyday Maverick doesn’t mean living in constant rebellion—it means navigating the hurdles society places in our way with intention.

As fathers, especially fathers of girls, we regularly encounter systems, assumptions, and institutionalised stereotypes that quietly work against involvement, presence, and partnership. These stereotypes don’t just limit fathers; they ultimately work against families, children, and society itself.

The Everyday Maverick doesn’t simply endure these barriers in silence. He names them. He questions them. He starts conversations. And when necessary, he gently but firmly pushes back.

Because progress doesn’t happen through resentment—it happens through engaged, visible fathers redefining what normal looks like.

When Systems Don’t See Fathers

When Zoey was born, my wife was still recovering from childbirth. Wanting to be a good husband and an involved father, I volunteered to handle her registration at Home Affairs.

I arrived prepared—ID documents, marriage certificate, hospital records. Everything.

I didn’t make it past the security guard.

“You can’t go in,” he said.

“Why?”

“You’re not the mother.”

That moment wasn’t about paperwork. It was a quiet reminder that, in many systems, fathers are still seen as optional.

The Bathroom Problem No One Talks About

Then there’s the practical side of fathering girls—things no one warns you about.

Public restrooms.

Yes, things are slowly changing, but not fast enough. A father traveling alone with a young daughter has to think ahead in ways most people never consider.

At some point, she will need to use the bathroom. At some point, you will too.

And then what?

My most stressful experience was flying alone with my eldest daughter, Alexis, for the first time. We were at OR Tambo International Airport, both urgently needing the restroom, and there wasn’t a family bathroom in sight.

I made a split-second decision: send her into the ladies’ room while I raced through the men’s room and stationed myself outside the door.

It worked—but barely.

Older and wiser now, I’d handle it differently. But that moment revealed how little space the world still makes for involved fathers.

Fathering Girls Without Being One

As fathers to daughters, we must acknowledge an important truth: we are not the same gender.

I don’t have a lived experience of being a girl.

That means I have to be intentional—learning when to step in, when to listen, and how to honour their femininity while still modelling healthy masculinity.

This matters more than we often realize.

Whether we like it or not, we are shaping their internal blueprint of what a man is. Consciously or unconsciously, we are modelling the type of man they may one day choose to trust, partner with, or marry.

The Sacred Role of Play

Another overlooked truth: fathers are often the primary drivers of play.

Play isn’t frivolous. It’s formative.

Through play, children learn courage, boundaries, resilience, confidence, and creativity. Rough-and-tumble moments, imagination, laughter, and exploration are all character laboratories.

When fathers disengage from play, children lose more than fun—they lose formation.

Redefining Fatherhood: Safety and Availability

Over time, I’ve reduced my understanding of fatherhood—and manhood—to three words:

Safety. Availability. Hope.

Safety

Safety goes far beyond shelter, food, and physical protection. It also includes teaching our daughters how to be safe in a complex world.

It means being a safe person. Someone they want to be around. Someone they trust. Someone who doesn’t ridicule their fears, emotions, or questions.

And beyond being safe for them, we must equip them to be safe themselves—emotionally, socially, digitally, physically, and relationally.

Availability

Availability is presence—real presence. It is the daily posture of saying, I am not too busy for you.

When they have questions about life. When school feels overwhelming. When emotions are confusing. When the world feels loud.

To be available is to say, without words: You matter, and I’m here.

The Father as a Carrier of Hope

A father also carries something subtle but powerful into the life of a daughter: hope.

Hope that the future can be good. Hope that mistakes are survivable. Hope that growth is possible. Hope that she is more than her current circumstances.

But hope doesn’t exist in a vacuum.

When fathers consistently show up as safe and available, hope becomes believable. It takes shape. It becomes something a daughter can stand on.

And this is where the ripple effect begins.

Girls raised by distinctive fathers often move differently through the world. They question unhealthy norms. They recognise safety. They expect presence. In that sense, they too become Mavericks—not by rebellion, but by confidence.

Becoming Maverick at Home

Society doesn’t just need better policies or better systems.

It needs more fathers who are safe. More fathers who are available. More fathers who actively facilitate hope.

Everyday Mavericks.

Men who navigate the hurdles, challenge outdated assumptions, and quietly model a better way—at home first, and then beyond it.

Fathering daughters has taught me that becoming a Maverick doesn’t start on stages, platforms, or leadership titles.

It starts at home. In car rides. In awkward public moments. In bedtime conversations. In play. In presence.

To my fellow fathers—especially fathers of girls—the call is simple, but not easy:

Be safe. Be available.

That’s how Mavericks are made. And that’s how daughters learn what love, strength, and manhood really look like.

I don't claim that I have mastered parenting. Nor do I claim that it easy.

It is worth it!

Shalom!

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11:33 and the Courage to Let Your Light Be Seen

 

What is light?


Scientifically, light is energy that allows us to see and perceive our environment. In life, the good we do—through work, leadership, or kindness—acts like light, spreading influence, clarity, and inspiration to those around us. Your contributions can illuminate paths and empower others to grow.

11:33 and the Courage to Let Your Light Be Seen

Recently, I shared a short post on social media inspired by Luke 11:33 — “No one lights a lamp and puts it in a place where it will be hidden…”

At first glance, it’s a familiar verse. Almost too familiar. We nod, agree, scroll on.
But this time, that scripture lingered. It followed me into prayer, into thought, into uncomfortable self-reflection.

Because this theme — light, visibility, responsibility — is not a once-off idea in Scripture. It’s a repeating thread. A pattern. And when patterns repeat in ancient texts, they usually demand attention.

When Humility Becomes Hiding

For a long time, I believed that holding back was a form of humility.
Not promoting too much.
Not speaking too boldly.
Not drawing attention to the work.

But the thread I encountered in Scripture challenged that assumption.

What if what I called humility was actually fear dressed up as virtue?
What if restraint had quietly become hiding?

Luke 11:33 doesn’t celebrate modest light. It confronts hidden light.
Light, by its nature, is meant to be seen — not for ego, but for impact.

The Uncomfortable Realisation

As I sat with this, something shifted.

I felt challenged — not to do more things, but to be more confident in the good works already being produced.

The camps.
The tours.
The workshops.
The resource material.
This blog.

These are not accidents. They are not random projects. They are not things to apologise for.

They are light.

And light is not created for storage.
It is given so that it may pass through us and illuminate the lives of others.

Gifts Are Not Meant to Stop With Us

Scripture repeatedly reminds us that gifts are entrusted, not owned.
What flows into us is meant to flow out of us.

When we hide what has been given, we don’t preserve it — we interrupt its purpose.

This reframing challenged me deeply.
Not to become arrogant.
Not to become loud.
But to become bold in obedience.

To trust that what has been entrusted to me has value — not because I say so, but because it was given for service.

Becoming Maverick Is Part of That Light

Becoming Maverick is part of this calling.

And I’m grateful — genuinely grateful — to share that the blog has now surpassed 4,750 reads, with readers joining from around the world. That number isn’t about validation; it’s about reach. It’s about light travelling further than I ever could alone.

If you’re reading this, you are already part of that story.

A Word to Fellow Mavericks

Maverick, let me encourage you:

Do not hide your light.
Do not shrink what was entrusted to you.
Do not confuse obedience with invisibility.

Be bold.
Be confident.
Place your light where it can be seen — not for applause, but for purpose.

The world doesn’t need less light pretending to be humble.
It needs courageous light willing to shine.

Thank you for walking this journey with me.
If you haven’t yet, I invite you to officially follow the blog, leave a comment, and share it with someone who might benefit from these reflections.

Together, we let the light travel further.

Shalom!

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What Is Propaganda? How Conditioning and Repetition Control Beliefs

What Is Propaganda?

Propaganda is information designed to influence rather than inform—often 99% truth mixed with subtle deception. This blog explores how propaganda works like slow poisoning, shaping beliefs through conditioning, neuroscience, and repetition, and why building a mental immune system is essential for those committed to Becoming Maverick.

Who is Propaganda?


One of my favourite musicians is Jason Emmanuel Petty, better known by his stage name Propaganda.

Born on May 27, 1979, in Los Angeles, California, he is a gifted artist proficient in hip‑hop, spoken word, and underground hip‑hop. His work is thoughtful, challenging, and deeply reflective. One of my favourite albums in his portfolio is Crimson Cord, a project that has been particularly influential in my own journey.

Interestingly, while I admire the artist Propaganda, the concept of propaganda itself is generally not a good thing.

The Nature of Propaganda

Over coffee one day, a friend explained propaganda to me using an illustration that has stayed with me ever since.

He asked me to imagine a glass of clean water. Then imagine a single drop of poison being added to it. For propaganda to work, he said, it needs to be 99% truth and 1% deception.

If you drank that water once, you wouldn’t detect the poison. It wouldn’t have an immediate or noticeable effect on your body. But if you continued to drink that same poisoned water over time, the poison would slowly accumulate. Eventually, you would start getting sick without knowing why. If the exposure continued long enough, it could even be fatal.

This is not just a metaphor. Historically, murders have been committed this way—through slow, undetectable poisoning.

Thallium Poisoning: A Real‑World Parallel

There are documented criminal cases involving thallium poisoning, sometimes referred to as the “poisoner’s poison.” Thallium is colourless, tasteless, and accumulates in the body over time. Victims often experience vague symptoms—fatigue, hair loss, gastrointestinal distress, and neurological issues—long before the cause is discovered.

Several high‑profile cases illustrate this clearly:


Graham Frederick Young (United Kingdom), known as “The Teacup Poisoner,” used thallium to poison family members and later co‑workers in the 1960s and 1970s. He administered small doses over time, causing prolonged illness before death. Because symptoms mimicked natural disease, suspicion was delayed.

George Trepal (United States) poisoned his neighbour’s family in Florida in 1988 by contaminating Coca‑Cola bottles with thallium. Multiple family members became ill over weeks, and one child died. The staggered, escalating symptoms complicated early diagnosis.

Zhu Ling (China), a university student, was poisoned with thallium in the 1990s. Although she survived, the poisoning caused severe and permanent neurological damage. The case remains unresolved, but it is one of the most studied examples of thallium’s long‑term bioaccumulative effects.


In these cases, perpetrators relied on repeated low doses, knowing the body would slowly store the toxin. The damage became evident only once critical biological systems began to fail—often too late for full recovery.


That is the danger of propaganda. It rarely comes as an obvious lie. It hides inside truth.

From a scientific perspective, this mirrors how certain poisons and toxins behave in the human body. Substances such as heavy metals (like lead or mercury), fat‑soluble toxins, and some organic poisons are not immediately expelled. Instead, they bioaccumulate—stored in organs, fatty tissue, or the nervous system. Each exposure may be small, but over time the total load crosses a threshold, and systems begin to fail.

The body often compensates at first, masking the damage. Symptoms only appear once the damage is advanced. By then, reversal becomes far more difficult.

Conditioning: Nature’s Version of Propaganda


In the natural sciences, there is a concept known as conditioning. It is a highly effective method of instruction.

Small bits of information are introduced and repeatedly reinforced until they influence behaviour. At first the change is slow, almost unnoticeable. Over time, however, the effect compounds, and eventually the behaviour or trait becomes permanent—and very difficult to reverse.

In many ways, conditioning is nature’s equivalent of propaganda.

Psychology and neuroscience help explain why this is so effective. The human brain is wired for pattern recognition and repetition. Neural pathways that are activated repeatedly become stronger through a process known as neuroplasticity. In simple terms: what we rehearse, we reinforce.

Psychiatry recognizes that repeated exposure to distorted or harmful beliefs can contribute to anxiety disorders, learned helplessness, depression, and maladaptive coping mechanisms. When false narratives are repeated often enough—especially during childhood—they become part of a person’s internal model of reality.

Epigenetics adds another layer. Research shows that prolonged stress, fear‑based messaging, and chronic negative conditioning can influence gene expression—not by changing DNA itself, but by switching certain genes on or off. In other words, long‑term exposure to harmful environments and ideas doesn’t just affect thoughts; it can influence biology across generations.

Conditioning itself is neutral. It can be good or bad, depending on what is being reinforced. The problem with propaganda is that, by design, it carries deceptive intent. Its end goal is rarely the well‑being of the person being conditioned.

A World of Constant Influence


From birth, we are all being conditioned!

Some of this conditioning is genuinely good. It helps us become effective, productive, and responsible contributors to society. But a significant portion of it is propaganda—messages shaped by people or systems that do not have our best interests at heart.

These ideas slowly shape how we think, what we believe, and how we behave, often without us ever realizing it.

Becoming Maverick

If propaganda works through slow conditioning, then freedom requires intentional re‑conditioning.

To reverse the effects of propaganda, we must introduce small amounts of truthful, healthy information, repeated consistently over time, until our behaviour begins to change and better outcomes are produced.

This is the process of Becoming Maverick.

Not dramatic overnight change—but small, deliberate shifts that compound over time.

Building a Mental Immune System

Once we begin to break free from harmful conditioning, we must also build a defence system. Freedom is fragile. Without protection, we can easily be trapped and enslaved again.

We need what I would call a mental immune system.

What are the antibodies against propaganda? They are:
  • Reliable information
  • Reputable sources
  • Correct data
  • Verifiable truth


If you find that you are consistently being defeated in a particular area of life, it may be worth asking:

What propaganda have I been exposed to?

Because often, the battle is not in our circumstances—but in the ideas we have unknowingly consumed.

The Maverick path is one of self‑awareness, discernment, and living each day with intention.

Yes, you can do this.

Enjoy your journey of Becoming Maverick.

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