No Control Group Needed
We’re told there’s a right way to live—just follow the steps. But what if you’re not here for a formula? What if the real transformation begins when you become a sample size of one?
Sample Size One is Enough
Personal growth content is caffeine for an anxious mind: energizing, instantly satisfying, and dangerously addictive. There, I said it—ironically, at the start of yet another self-help blog. But stick with me, there's a reason.
It’s tempting to click headlines promising "3 Easy Steps to the Perfect Night’s Sleep" or buy books offering "10 Proven Solutions" for everything from happiness to the right diet to manifesting your soulmate. I'm guilty of this too, many times. But here’s the inconvenient truth nobody wants to admit: advice for everyone rarely fits anyone. For many of us, it feels like squeezing into shoes two sizes too small—frustrating and potentially damaging.
Lesson learned: advice for everyone rarely fits anyone!
How many times did I think, "Why does this work for everyone but me?" and then stubbornly swapped the left shoe for the right, hoping they'd eventually stretch? I woke up at 4:30am to "seize the day," ditched alarms to discover my natural circadian rhythm, and ended up going to bed at midday and having breakfast at 6pm. I dived headfirst into countless therapies, mindfulness apps, personality tests, meditation retreats, ancient texts—you name it. And the outcome? While hoping for a 'fix-all-my-issues' cure, I uncovered two important insights instead:
One, there are some really powerful transformational tools, books, and techniques that can seriously help you shape your mind, your wellbeing, and your life.
I'm not talking about a chanting session that will relax you at a cellular level or a liver detox that's going to give you an instant beach body. I'm talking about transforming how you perceive yourself and others, how you show up and function in the world, how you make choices and execute those decisions. And that's why I'm starting this “yet another self-help blog” to share a palette of some incredible tools that helped me on my journey—knowing that some of it won't fit you at all; some might resonate a little; and some could profoundly change your life.
Two, your past trials, current struggles, or peculiar personality traits aren’t obstacles. They’re data.
And data, as any scientist will tell you, is the key to real discovery. Your data, however messy or frustrating, is uniquely valuable precisely because it’s yours.
If you're already frustrated by trying so many things or paralyzed by decision fatigue, here's a critical factor to remember: no step you've taken was ever wasted. The decisions you made in the past may have seemed to lead you to a wrong choice, wrong place, or wrong person in hindsight, but in essence every decision you make reflects your best effort, given your limited knowledge and the randomness of life.
You’re not just another anonymous participant in a study. You’re a sample size of one.
Being your own unique case study isn't a limitation—it's your greatest strength. That's why this blog isn't another self-help methodology—no 'Crain Method' coming your way. Instead, I'll openly and wholeheartedly share what I've learned, tried, and discovered over 15 years.
What do I want in return? Just for you to have a better life or feel better about your life. Either is fine—because either one affects everyone around you. Maybe you'll inspire an entrepreneur friend to create better working conditions, rippling out to benefit employees, families, partners, and entire communities. If I can be even a tiny part of such a wave, I've done my job.
That said, I'm not a doctor or therapist. I'm simply passionate about transformation: in my mind, my body, my environment, and my community. It's as if my mission in life is relentless growth into the best version of myself. If you share this passion, welcome aboard.
But before we dive in, I’d like to talk about what this blog is actually about, and why so many of us want to change but don’t know where to begin.
In the next post, I’ll lay out the kind of transformation I believe in: not a motivational sprint, but a slow, grounded process of finding where you are, where you want to go, and what tools you might need to get there. After that, I’ll share the story of how my own journey began—in a Tibetan monastery in Scotland which I never intended to go.
Finding out where you are + consciously deciding where you want to go + adopting the tools and skills you need to get there = transformation.
But before we dive in, I’d love to hear from you: what’s one unique insight you've learned from experimenting with your own personal "sample size of one"?
Subscribe below and share your own insights with me directly. With your permission, I might feature some of your experiences in future posts—your perspective might be exactly what someone else needs today.