Unstoppable: Living Beyond Our Limits

By Stew Darling

Unstoppable is not just a book-it's a manifesto for those who refuse to settle for mediocrity. Drawn from the author's own extraordinary experiences and deep insights, every page pulses with electrifying energy, propelling you towards the life you've always dreamed of. Are you ready to embark on a journey of self-discovery, personal growth, and unrivalled success?

Say goodbye to the limitations that hold you back and hello to a life filled with boundless possibilities. Dare to dream big, and you'll discover incredible power. Cultivate a growth mindset, surround yourself with positive influences, and watch as you become an unstoppable force, achieving greatness at every turn.

Unstoppable demands that you break free from your comfort zones, shed habits that hinder your progress, and bid farewell anything that no longer serve your aspirations. Embrace change, welcome new ideas, and unlock the incredible power of collaboration.

Don't just read this book-devour it! Embrace its principles, adopt its strategies, and watch as you unleash the unstoppable force within you. Say goodbye to limitations and hello to a life of extraordinary achievements.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Stew Darling
• Release date: Nov 6, 2023
• ISBN: 9781923061651

Book preview

Part 1: Be Unreasonable

Be Unreasonable

Here’s to the Crazy Ones

Right-wing fundamentalists have a lot to answer for. For that matter, so do left-wing fundamentalists. And they are both getting more and more extreme. As most of us sit somewhere in-between, the healthy debate is being stifled. In an article in the May 2022 issue of The Atlantic magazine, Johnathan Haidt opined that ‘the past 10 years of American life have been uniquely stupid’.

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Watching from afar, I would concur but add that this is not a uniquely American affair.

The article begins with the biblical story of the tower of Babel. Prior to humanity building the tower ‘with its top in the heavens, occupants of this here planet all spoke with ‘one tongue’. After the destruction (not by God), humanity spoke in many languages. Haidt suggests that left and right-wing views began to create a similar challenge towards the end of the first decade of this century. The rise of social media in the previous decade led to ‘mass democratisation’, possibly the best example being the Arab Spring of 2011—the same year that Google Translate ‘rebuilt the Tower of Babel’.

Less than a year later, as Facebook planned for a $5 billion Initial Public Offering (IPO), Mark Zuckerberg wrote in a letter to shareholders: Today, our society has reached another tipping point, Facebook hoped ‘to rewire’ the way people spread and consume information.

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At that point, as they say, the ‘wheels came off’, as social media has not only changed the way we ingest information but also the information we ingest. The algorithms now feed us similar information to that for which we search, creating an information bias which, in turn, pushes each of us to our extremes.

Without a filter of personal research, it becomes easier and easier to ‘go with the flow’, accepting more and more ‘unreasonable’ views … and the share button doesn’t help!

In less than five years (from 2010), society had moved from a structure that had lasted, rightly or wrongly, for thousands of years, to the Great ‘Awokening’ on the left and Donald Trump on the right. Within a few years, this divide spread across the developed world. Even the word ‘woke’ has been abused and re-interpreted as a part of this division.

The Hidden Tribes study, by the pro-democracy group, More in Common, reported that by 2018, the far-right (devoted conservatives) comprised 6% of the US population while the group furthest to the left, the ‘progressive activists’, comprised 8 percent.

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In a political sense, the rest of us sit in a relatively neutral position. Some of our beliefs will be slightly more right or left wing but a stable society is enabled by a centrist approach.

When we feel strongly, we will air our views, or grievances, but stop short of an all-out rant because society says, That’s not reasonable. This provides a gap for the fundamentalists and ideologues, and they are filing it. With the expansion of far-right and far-left voices, there has been an increase in violence and unkindness. Look to the 6 January 2022 riots on Capitol Hill in Washington D.C., USA, and, in New Zealand, the occupation of the Parliament lawns in February 2022. Too many get swept up in the ‘passion’ of these events and many others ‘stay home’ despite agreeing with much of what is said. Fearful politicians call out extremism as the minority, but this is swiftly becoming the new norm. There are a minority who move to violence and conspiracy but this masks a view of the majority that society is becoming more and more shattered.

There is nothing wrong with extremist or fundamentalist views. Some of the greatest advances in society have come from this sort of thinking, but we must be free to debate them. It is not the fundamentalist that leads to a breakdown in society, it is the removal of free and healthy debate. Whenever a part of society, or government/governing class takes away this freedom, society begins to collapse, much like the Tower of Babel in the land of Shinar. A quick glance through history shows the demise of the great empires was preceded by a period of social unease.

The Egyptians

The Egyptian Empire spanned several dynasties and lasted for thousands of years. It experienced periods of decline and collapse, as well as periods of renewal and resurgence. However, several factors have been identified as contributing to the eventual decline and collapse of the ancient Egyptian Empire:

Environmental Changes: One of the key factors that led to the decline of the Egyptian Empire was environmental changes. Changes in the Nile River’s flood patterns and long-term droughts caused widespread famine, which weakened the economy and made it more difficult to maintain social and political stability.

Invasion and Foreign Rule: The Egyptian Empire faced repeated invasions and periods of foreign rule, which weakened the central government’s authority and left it vulnerable to internal rebellions and external threats.

Economic Decline: Egypt’s economy was heavily dependent on agriculture and trade. As the empire expanded, it became more difficult to maintain control over trade routes and to keep up with changing economic conditions. This led to a decline in the economy and a weakening of the government’s ability to support its military and infrastructure.

Social and Political Instability: Egypt’s society was highly stratified and hierarchical, which made it difficult to maintain social and political stability over long periods of time. As the empire grew more complex, it became increasingly difficult to keep the various social and political factions in check.

Cultural and Religious Changes: The Egyptian Empire experienced significant cultural and religious changes over time. The traditional polytheistic religion was replaced by monotheistic faiths such as Christianity and Islam, which led to a decline in the power of the traditional priesthood and the weakening of cultural and social traditions that had held the society together.

The Romans

The decline and fall of the Roman Empire was a complex and multifaceted process that unfolded over several centuries. Historians and scholars have identified numerous factors that contributed to the eventual collapse of this once-mighty empire, including:

Political Instability: As the Roman Empire grew larger and more complex, it became increasingly difficult for one ruler or group of rulers to maintain effective control over such a vast territory. This led to political instability, infighting, and a lack of coherent leadership, which made the empire more vulnerable to external threats.

Economic Decline: Rome’s economy was built on a system of slave labour and conquest, which was unsustainable in the long term. As the empire expanded, it became harder to conquer new territories and enslave new populations. At the same time, the costs of maintaining a massive military and infrastructure system began to strain the government’s resources.

Barbarian Invasions: The Roman Empire faced repeated attacks from barbarian tribes on its borders, particularly in the 4th and 5th centuries. These invasions weakened the empire’s military and infrastructure, making it easier for subsequent invasions to succeed.

Military Overspending: Rome’s military was one of the most powerful in the world, but it came at a high cost. The empire spent vast sums of money on building and maintaining its army, which put a strain on its finances and left it vulnerable to economic crises.

Social Decay: Over time, the values and traditions that had held Roman society together began to break down. Corruption, decadence, and social unrest became more common, weakening the fabric of the empire and making it harder to maintain order.

Overexpansion: As the Roman Empire grew larger, it became increasingly difficult to govern effectively. The costs of maintaining a vast empire became too high, and the empire was forced to rely more and more on local rulers and client states to maintain control. This weakened the central government’s authority and made it more vulnerable to external threats.

The Soviet