FFS068 - Marc Guilliard

[00:00:00]

[00:00:00] Intro

Marc: Because money probably is the base layer for society, but there is also like your consciousness and your consciousness is the base layer for the universe. There is always this speech like Bitcoin fixes this and Bitcoin fixes a lot of things, but if your consciousness is not fixed, if your base layer of the universe is not fixed, then nothing is fixed.

But Bitcoin can help you to fix also your consciousness because you have more time and then you can probably meditate or kind of go in the Garden and the forest, and yeah. Have more time for yourself. Mark,

[00:00:35] The #1 Bitcoin Hotel

Knut: welcome to the

Marc: Freedom Footprint Show, I guess Knu. Hi. And nice to be here. .

Knut: Yeah. We're, we're sort of more where you are normally than where I am normally.

Mm-Hmm. , we're in the Princess Hotel in flocking in Germany.

Marc: The number one Bitcoin hotel. Yes. The, the world's first 21 star hotel, right? Yes, exactly.

Knut: Uh, yeah. I saw the new placard. Mm-Hmm. yesterday outside the, the [00:01:00] hotel. It's beautiful. And we're here for Bitcoin, Ile.

Marc: Ile Lele. Okay.

Knut: So the, IM. Bitcoin is actually representing the dots above the A, right?

Exactly. All right. Bitcoin

Marc: im Ländle. And

Knut: can you tell us about Bitcoin im Ländle and

Marc: what that is and how you came up with that? So Bitcoin im Ländle is like the, let's say like the most Bitcoin maxi event in Germany, I would say. I mean, it's not like a big conference. Of course we are in the hotel, so it's pretty familiar atmosphere.

It's around 150 people. And yeah, we have like different workshops, talks, speeches, and like the special thing is that we also have like lots of fun things, so it's not like just serious talks. It's also lots of fun and also lots of laughing. And I mean, the networking part is also So. Very, very special because it's just completely different.

If you're like in a hotel, it's like a bitcoin citadel. And like, if the event is over, you're not just like, everyone is [00:02:00] leaving to the hotel. I mean, then you're still in the hotel. So the hotel and the event, it's like one part and not like, um, uh, separated. And this is, gives it like a very, very unique atmosphere.

I mean, you've been out here for the second time and probably you can tell your experience. But yeah, I love it. Like,

Knut: and, uh, the hotel is amazing. And every time I go there, there's a, uh, a new Easter egg or a new piece of Bitcoin art somewhere. And something I haven't seen before, uh, it is, it's really cool.

It's full of Bitcoin memorabilia or whatever you call

Marc: it. Yes. Because right now, like Bitcoin is really like often very theoretical. I mean, you have like all the podcasts, the videos, the books, and this is awesome. But like for lots of people, they're asking where can I touch Bitcoin? Or where is Bitcoin?

What, what is Bitcoin? Yeah. Yeah. And so we want to give people like, uh, chance to make Bitcoin like credible. So you can, there is a physical place and physical people meeting [00:03:00] there talking about Bitcoin, living Bitcoin, spending Bitcoin and actually experiencing it. And this is just like the next level because yeah, Bitcoin is now growing up and also like real world adoption is happening and this is like what we're doing here.

Yeah. And

Knut: Bitcoin and Bitcoiners are really just. Two sides of the same coin, we're the same thing. We are the coins, right? So, and yeah, it's great to be here. I came in the day before yesterday, and we were the first to arrive, I guess, and more and more Bitcoiners are just Been dropping in here yesterday and today, so it's beautiful to see.

Uh, all right. And is this is the, is it this the third or the fourth Bitcoin Nymlandland?

Marc: It's the fourth, so it's like two times a year, but we also have like other events. So it's like. Almost every month we have like a different kind of event. So we have like different topics. So for example, we have privacy events.

[00:04:00] So this is of course the Bitcoin Maxi event. Then we have like beginner events. We have events especially for women. We have events for Austrian economics. We have, yeah, like more technical events. And so different types of events because we want to target different groups. And yeah, this is like what we're doing.

And also like we're doing not just events. We're also doing like platforms. Different other types of activities where we just meet and instead of making a meetup, we meet and we walk together because this is super easy and super fun. And then afterwards, we will come here and have a like, like a after meetup.

Yeah. And

Knut: pleb walks is a special thing like, uh, that, that originates from the German Bitcoin community. The Einundzwanzig.

Marc: It all originates from here. We made the first pleb walk and because it was in Corona time and we were not able to meet. And then we said, okay, fuck it. We're just like meeting here and going for a blab walk.

And so it originated here with like three people and now everyone is. [00:05:00]

Knut: We're doing one on Madeira, uh, after Atlantis this March. So, uh, yeah.

[00:05:06] The Power of Bitcoin Community

Knut: And the, can you tell us a bit more about the, um, uh, Einundzwanzig community? Because like in, in Germany, like the Bitcoin scene is huge. It's like everywhere.

Marc: Yeah, because this is really special because.

I mean, for the Bitcoin community to really grow up, you need to have like some type of organization or you need to be like organ, organ, organizated. Is this the right word? Organized. Organized. Organized. Yes. Yes. And for example, um, this year in the beginning of the year, I was in Thailand. And there are lots of Bitcoiner, but they don't have telegram groups.

They are not organized, so they are all around the country, but nothing is happening, no meetups. And this is different here in Germany because we have like the 21st community and it's a decentralized community. So everyone can like make his own meetup in the city. And then we have like a page where you [00:06:00] can, it's like a map where you can see, okay, there are all the meetups.

So, it's like decentralized, but not decentralized without organization, decentralized with organization. And this is like the big difference. And it's like, everyone can like come up with ideas also for like a YouTube channel and other things. And if you like to post a video, you can post a video. So depending on how much you want to do for like this movement, you can do something or you can do nothing and yeah, a lot more and more people come in the community and the cool thing about Bitcoin is because it's not just some type of money.

It's also like a social layer and therefore like the community is really awesome. And that's also what we see here in the hotel. We want to integrate the community because Oftentimes people are like wondering, okay, should I accept Bitcoin for my business? And they are wondering what are the benefits?

And I mean, sure, there are benefits like you have less transaction fees and instant settlement and things like that, but there's so [00:07:00] much more like you have the connection to the community and the community that will bring ideas that will bring so much energy into your business. And then you just have to take the energy from the community and.

Integrate it to your business. And this is extremly good things happening for your business. And also it's so refreshing because they come here. They bring paintings here. They bring artworks here. They bring lightning gadgets here. They have ideas. Okay. Can I do this talk? Can I do a workshop here?

I have an idea for an event. Can we do an event? So it's so much collaboration happening. And this is just different than like in the fiat space because you really have like this oneness. You are always saying we are, the Bitcoin. So you have really like this oneness, this connection to the community and connecting.

is like a big profit for business and not doing this is actually stupid. No,

Knut: I totally agree. It's like an organic think tank. That's all over the world. [00:08:00] And yeah, I saw one of these maps of the Ein und Zwanzig meetups. And as I understand it, there's a meetup every month in each major city of Germany, like each and every one of the major

Marc: cities.

Yes. Sometimes even more. Like, so for example, here in the Stuttgart area, we have like. Every month in Stuttgart meetup, then like almost every month we have in the hotel a meetup, which is pretty close to Stuttgart, and then we are now starting a third meetup here, which is like two towns next to the hotel, which we will also probably do every month.

So, and yeah, just meetups everywhere around. All right. So,

Knut: so for those who need a bit of a refresher in their German geography skills, like, uh, or mid Europe geography skills, Stuttgart, this, This village is located like 20 minutes outside of Stuttgart. Right,

Marc: exactly. So it's like pretty close to Switzerland and like in [00:09:00] the south of Germany, pretty close to Munich, also pretty close to Frankfurt.

So it's actually pretty good located because the cool thing is all the great Bitcoin events in the , in the German speaking area are like 200 or 300 kilometers next to blocking. And so it's, it's like pretty good located for. Um, going to Bitcoin conferences and going to Bitcoin events and, and it's

Knut: pretty close to Austria and, and Czechoslovakia as, or Exactly.

Czechia Czech. The Czech Republic. I'm too old. Exactly. Like the Czech Republic as well, right? Yeah, exactly. And that's, that's also German has German speaking parts, I guess, closer

Marc: to the border. Yes, yes,

Knut: yes, yes. Yeah, it's a beautiful area. And, um, uh, what else? Uh, yeah, you have a grand piano

Marc: here. Yes. Yes.

Sure. Sure.

[00:09:50] Bitcoin as a Spiritual Tool

Marc: I mean, the thing is, this is really funny because I mean, lots of people would say Bitcoin is like a language. And [00:10:00] Bitcoin is like a universal language, just like math. So everyone can actually understand it. So if you're American or if you're Chinese or if you're Japanese, everyone can understand it.

And it's just also like music because music is also like a universal language. So if you, for example, take Chinese people or African people or German people, And you play some music and they can't talk with each other because they are from different countries. But if you play music, everyone will understand it and it will start to dance.

And even if they are enemies, they will start to dance together because music connects and music is a universal language. But also Bitcoin connects, and Bitcoin is a universal language, and this is like pretty nice to see.

Knut: Yeah, I think there are a lot of parallels with music. It's like, to me, Bitcoin is something, very mathematical and very structured that enables us to be more spiritual, if you will.

So, [00:11:00] if you have a base layer of... Perfect organization and like everything's structured and everything is thought out that allows for layers on top to be more, um, spiritual for lack of a better word. Uh, so, so that's, that's. And, uh, that's what I love about music, it triggers every part of the brain, it triggers the logic part that has to, uh, you know, think about harmonies and how to put chords together if you're fiddling with a melody or something, you have to figure out how that works, and it helps a lot to know some stuff about harmonics, and music in general, but At the end of the day, it's all about expressing something spiritual. So expressing yourself in some way, shape or form. And Bitcoin is the same thing. It's, something very structured, with a fixed set of rules that are hard to change, [00:12:00] that allows us to express ourselves and our feelings in all sorts of ways.

And I think that the only thing that's holding us back from. Exploring thhat part of the rabbit hole more is our imaginations. we just have to imagine new ways to, uh, I mean, it's unlocking a whole new way of coexisting in a way.

Marc: Yes, I, I, I totally agree because yeah, music is something really special because also like what you're saying, like the left brain and the right brain is connected because normally in your normal day.

You're always having like either the left brain or the right brain active and like music brings you in this flow state and then everything is connected and then you're just so much more efficient and this is like also in Bitcoin because if you want to understand Bitcoin, you can't understand it from one perspective, you need to combine different perspectives.

So for example, math, mathematics, [00:13:00] psychology, then cryptography, like Game theory, um, finances. So it's like so many parts. And also like, always, you see this, if there is some Bitcoin critic, he's looking on Bitcoin just from one perspective. And if you're looking just from one perspective, then sure, it looks like, oh yeah, Bitcoin is too inefficient because the block size is too small.

So we have to make it more efficient. But if you're just looking from a technical side, without like the economic background. Then it looks like, okay, Bitcoin is not, not so good. And you have to combine everything and you have to really gain this holistic view. And this is not taught in school. And therefore Bitcoin is not just like a money saving tool where you can save your money, your time, your energy.

It's also like a tool to gain like human, human capital. So get more wise, more, more. Yeah. More information. Exactly. Exactly. And you even can get like, like you say, [00:14:00] it's like a spiritual thing because it helps you like awaken because on the one hand you have like more time for yourself because you're not so much in the fiat matrix anymore.

On the other time it helps you with this holistic view and this holistic view. This is like what unwields like your spiritual power, your consciousness. And this is like also the thing, because you said like. Bitcoin is like a base layer, and I would totally agree Bitcoin is absolutely a base layer, but even beyond the base layer of money, because money probably is the base layer for society, but there is also like your consciousness and your consciousness is the base layer for the universe.

There is always this speech like Bitcoin fixes this and Bitcoin fixes a lot of things, but if your consciousness is not fixed, if your base layer of the universe is not fixed, then nothing is fixed, but Bitcoin can help you to fix also your consciousness because you have more time and then you can probably meditate or [00:15:00] can go in the garden and the forest and you can meditate.

Yeah, have more time for yourself. Yeah, there's, there's a lot of talk

Knut: about finding the signal in the noise, but, uh, one of my latest thoughts around this subject is that Bitcoin is not the signal, like it's not, uh, but it is the greatest tool for noise removal ever invented. Um, that, so, so it removes a lot of layers of noise, like political noise, uh, you.

Your brain being, uh, wired to, to focus on hamster wheelie things and giving away all your time and, and doing stuff because you think you need to do stuff that you think you need to do that you never really needed to do in the first place. So, so to me, I see it as a. Tool for removing the noise from your life.

So you can, you can go out on an adventure to try to find the meaning of [00:16:00] your life, because I think the meaning of life is subjective. It's totally subjective. It's up to each and every one of us to find. Our own signal. And, uh, yeah, that's the way I view that. And you alluded to the left and the right hemisphere of the brain, and I think I figured out

Marc: how a politician's

Knut: brain works, and it works exactly like politics, like the political scale.

Uh, the left side isn't right and the right, there's no right left.

Marc: Yes. Yes. Probably. Probably. Yes. Yeah. Yeah. Because nowadays it's really the challenge is not to go and see like all the news and all the information. It's more like about noise canceling. So just like noise canceling earphones, because there is so much noise and so much distraction.

And so it's really about focus. And this you've been speaking about the meaning of life and I mean, therefore also lots of people are depressed because they [00:17:00] are not connected to their inner source anymore because they are just like in the outside world. So the TV, the news, and it's so much bling bling everywhere.

And so. The consciousness is like on the surface. It's like really distracted. It's just like on the sea, like on the, on the surface, there is like waves and like lots of things and it's windy. But then if you go like deeper, deeper, deeper, then you will see. Also, this is like how your consciousness works.

If you go deeper, you will see you've always been silent in your mind. There was always like Peace and, love, but your consciousness was always on the surface and if you can focus like and let go of all this distraction and just focus and look within and then you will see there is always and there is peace and there was always peace and this is like what you are and not like the distraction, which is like in the TV and what is what I tell about you.

but you need time to realize this. If you're like [00:18:00] just running, running, running in the Fiat. Metrics and having to do like three or five jobs to just keep on with inflation, then you will never come to this realization. So yeah, Bitcoin can be like a spiritual tool. I mean, Bitcoin fixes not everything, but Bitcoin really is for me a spiritual tool because it's like some type of.

Yeah, I'll just say it's like a mantra for me.

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[00:20:07] The Illusion of Materialism

Knut: Beautiful. And, uh, I, this reminds me of my grandfather's old saying that I, I, uh, repeat over and over again. And, uh, that which you can do without you own, which is the flip side of your things and ending up owning you. So, uh, and with deflationary money. Uh, of which there can only be one, by the way, by the very nature of deflation.

Uh, the, the urge to spend, uh, goes down and the urge to save, uh, goes up. So you adopt a lower time preference and you don't crave as many things, stuff. So, so, so money starts working for your inner self, uh, in, in figuring out. That's, uh, it's a great tool for making human interactions more, uh, [00:21:00] efficient and more smooth, uh, but it's not really for chasing Lamborghinis and yachts and stuff.

That's, uh, it's, we can get to, uh, a place of, you know, more, uh, well, Buddhist y or, uh, stoic. Kind of, uh, existence where, where we realize that we don't need stuff as long because we have this protocol running in the back of our heads that allow us to, you know, be at peace with, with our being, rather than to run in various hamsters wheels and rat races to, in order to accumulate stuff.

Stuff faster and faster every year, which is what every state is trying to do. Like if, if, uh, GDP needs to go up every year, that means, okay, we want these ants to run around and catch more stuff. And, uh, you know, you always refer to [00:22:00] your, to stuff as your stuff. But when it's other people's stuff, it's shit.

Like your shit, my stuff. Uh, and the, the thing Bitcoin allows you to do is to realize that your shit is all really shit too. And it's not stuff at all. It's just

Marc: hindering you.

[00:22:20] The Power of Detachment

Marc: Yes, because life actually is pretty simple. And like this, there is always this big illusion where the thing, like, if you achieve some goals or if you...

If you gain like some, yeah, some things like some physical things, then you're all happier. But the happiness is not like in the outside world. So you're achieving like, okay, if I have the yacht, if I have the Lamborghini, if I have the Porsche, then I'm happy. And the problem is if you have in the big car, then your ego wants always more.

So first you want the car, then you want the plane, then you want the country, and then you want like the whole universe and your mind is totally. I'm freaking you out. And this is like, this [00:23:00] is like the ego part of yourself. Who's telling more, more, more, more, more. And then also comes this greed thing. And actually this is like, just, just like the monkey brain within you.

And you now have to differentiate and see like, okay, this is the monkey inside me. But there is also like this clear part of me who can see through this illusion. Probably you can tell, say this is your spiritual being or whatever name you give it, who can see through this illusion. And the next part is also like what people are really good about, or this is like also the reason why people, why they suffer is because they blame two things, which by their nature.

Are and impermanent because everything is impermanent. So this house, we are sitting here something, everything is story. Someday it will be rotten. Your even your body will die at some point. Yeah. So your, even your thoughts, your emotions. At some point they will be gone ideals, some at some point, maybe they will be gone.

So everything is impermanent. [00:24:00] And people are clinging or attaching to things which are by their nature impermanent. And this is suffering by default. So it's almost guaranteed that you have to suffer. So being in a state of detachment is really like freedom because this is for, for lots of people.

Freedom is like, okay, if I can do whatever I want and nobody tells me what I can do, what I. Can or cannot do, but for me, freedom is like really a state where you are in detachment of physical or of everything, which is like broadcasted in your consciousness. So also thoughts, emotions. And if you can really look through this illusion and be in this detached state, then you are really free.

And then you're also free of suffering because. Then you realize, okay, at some point, probably this body will gone, but I'm not attached to it. So I can handle it better than when I'm totally attached to it. And then probably I'm dying. And then I'm really, really, yeah, it's really a [00:25:00] painful process.

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[00:26:53] The Journey to Bitcoin

Knut: so, so when did you get the idea for, this hotel and like, how did that idea evolve into [00:27:00] making it into this hub of, Bitcoiners?

how did that

happen?

Marc: I could ask you a question. So what would you do if you're born into like a hotel family and you're a bitcoiner? Yeah. What, would you do? Because actually, it's. pretty obvious if you're born into a hotel family, if you're a bitcoiner, then it's obvious that you connect both things.

And actually it's a no brainer.

Knut: Yeah. Yeah. I would probably

be Basil Fawlty just telling the guests to fuck

off all the time. So yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

[00:27:35] The Art of Self-Expression

Marc: But in the end, everyone has his form of expression. Some guys are writing books. Some guys are doing movies. Some guys are doing. Videos, podcasts or whatever.

And for me, I thought, okay, this is like an authentic way to express myself and also like for our family, because it's not just me. It's also like a family business. So my mother, my sister, we are like good people [00:28:00] working here. So it's not like a one man show. And yeah, this is just like, because Oftentimes people, they want to do something with Bitcoin, they want to work in a Bitcoin company and then are thinking, Oh, do I have to start programming or what can I do? And actually it's pretty obvious because everyone has some skills and you just have to look within what can I do really good? For example, I can sing.

And then you just combine singing with Bitcoin and then you have your Bitcoin shop and it's really easy, but oftentimes the things which are really easy for us, we can't see it by ourselves. So the people around us, they can see, Oh, Knut is a really good piano player, but for you, it's so normal that you don't realize you're a good piano player because for you, it's just normal.

So it's really like being aware of what you can do well and what you can probably do not so good and combining this with Bitcoin and actually everything is in front of your. eyes You just have to be able to realize that everything is already there.

Knut: It's about [00:29:00]

finding your Ikigai. Are you familiar with a Japanese

Venn diagram of your, you know?

Marc: Yes, but it's not about finding, because if you're looking and if you try to find it. Then you will not find it. You'll never find it it's just like creativity. If you try to be creative, it won't work. No, but creativity is always there. You just have to be yourself. You just have to let go. Yeah.

And then you will automatically be your iga. You will automatically be creative. Yeah. So it's just about being authentic, about being your true self and not about finding, because the more you search, the more you look for it. The more you lose it, and this is probably, maybe this is like in quantum physics, there is also like this, um, a quantum state where something is always there, but as soon as you look there, it's not there anymore.

Yeah.

Knut: It figures out where it actually is. But so, yeah, this is, uh, this is so true. And like, uh, I tweeted this morning that I, uh, [00:30:00] Uh, I absolutely love my job, but I haven't figured out exactly what my job is. So, so, but I think that's why I love it because it's the journey that I love. Figure out like, oh, I can do this.

Oh, I have this skill and like, I can connect this dot here with that dot here. And, uh, all of a sudden it works. And it's like our friend Izzy says, like, uh, focus, just focus on the orange glowing lights. That will lead you the way.

Marc: Yes. Also, also even the concept of having a job is like, not so cool for me because if you have a job, it's almost implemented that you don't like the job.

So you're switching like money for work. Yes, exactly. Exactly. So, and actually. So life is really nothing hard. It's actually something that is really actually easy or something like the universe is working for you and not like you have to hustle and do everything really hard. But the thing is, if you're not connected to your inner source or if you're not like synchronized, it's [00:31:00] like probably just like in the music, if the waves, if you're not like synchronized to the right frequency and you're in disharmony, then everything feels hard and it feels, Oh, I have to work.

I'm not getting any money, but really, actually, if you like in this flow and if you like connected to nature, to this universe, connected to yourself, connected to the people around you, then it's really more like a flow or more like something easy. And yeah, life is not hard. And this is also what lots of people have in their mind because they have like the mindset Life is hard and I have to work and oh, everything is stupid and everything is just shitty.

But if you believe in this, then this is your reality because you really like the creator in my opinion of your reality and you like the boss or whatever you want to call it. And you can create whatever you want. And it's not like that you're like thrown in this shitty world. You are, you created the shitty world.

And also you [00:32:00] can create a nice world and it's just up to you, but lots of people, they are creating the shitty world on a subconscious level because they are not aware of their subconsciousness. No. And this is why. Time for yourself and solitude and stuff like this is so important because then you can really see what's going up in this monkey brain and then you can start to transform your subconscious mind and out of your subconscious mind, you're almost like creating this, what people call reality.

Yeah,

Knut: yeah. And, uh, the fiat rat races that we are forced into is what distorts our ability to do that. I think that what hinders us from just. From just being ourselves every day and making that work, like, there's no greater feeling than to wake up every morning and just be yourself all day, and it works, like, it doesn't feel like working, it doesn't feel like, it just feels like living, and somehow, if you do that, uh, [00:33:00] it...

With the sincerest of of intent, like if you're true to, really true to yourself, it will work if you have Bitcoin .

Marc: Yes. Yes. I mean, yeah, Bitcoin is a tool, but also even if you have no Bitcoin in a fiat world, if you have the right mindset, yeah, yeah. If you have the MI mindset of a abundance, so if you have the mindset, I'm always getting more than I need.

And I'm always like fulfilled and I'm always like satisfied in this type of mindset, even in a fiat shitty world, nothing will happen to you and you will always be in abundance. And on the other hand, if you have Bitcoin and the best type of money and your mindset is stupid, then everything will be shitty.

But Bitcoin can be a tool to help you to reach this type of mindset. But also like if you're like in a good state. Also, without Bitcoin, you can be happy and you can be like successful and you have, can have a good life. So Bitcoin is not like the ultimate tool, but it's like a very, [00:34:00] very good tool. But also without Bitcoin, you can really thrive and have a good life.

Absolutely.

[00:34:05] The Philosophy of Minimalism and Abundance

Knut: Um, I know you went on a long meditational retreat and even lived in a forest. for a while, like on berries and, um, mushrooms and stuff. And, uh, that, like, I guess that was your spiritual journey. Like just to find, find the meaning of your life,

Marc: I guess. Yes, sure. Because, and before I did this, I was like DJing.

So I was like, I'm playing in clubs and I'm fast DJing. Yes, yes, yes. And I mean, this was an awesome time. But I realized what I'm doing here is satisfying my ego. So I was just like fulfilling my ego and everyone was like, Oh, Mark, so cool. Yeah. Party, party. And, and this really satisfied my ego. But within I felt there, there was, there was like emptiness.

And then I realized, wow, life is so simple. And what fills me with, from within, it's like really simple things. Go in [00:35:00] the forest, have some time for yourself, make a walk in the nature, go barefoot or Do a little meditation. Yeah. And eat good foods and have like good R routines. So good, good daily routines, for example.

Um, yeah. And don't have like bad habits, for example, like, um, uh, drinking lots of alcohol or going to parties with people and like doing lots of drug things or whatever. So I realized really like this minimalism. And this was even before Bitcoin. So I really had like this low time preference even before Bitcoin.

And I don't do this because I wanted to starve myself or something like that. I did this to actually upgrade my life. So from the outside, it looks like I'm a really minimalistic guy, but actually I'm not a minimalistic guy because I'm actually a maximalistic guy because you need minimalism for maximum type of happiness.

Because like really minimalism, [00:36:00] exactly, exactly, because life really is so, so simple and you really need so few things. And I mean, it's all right if you have like a big car or like if you do like crazy things, but you always have to be careful to not be attached to those things. If you do this without attachment, it's not a problem.

But oftentimes people, they say, ah, no, no, I'm not attached. And then the big car gets broken and then they cry because they were attached. And this is like the tricky thing where you have to be careful. You can do everything. You can make parties, you can go to clubs, everything, but you have to be careful to not be attached to those things.

And oftentimes people get attached pretty quickly. Yeah. And this is like always what you have to train because. Always every day you have to start again. So if you were like in a retreat and have now this nice mindset, it helps you nothing for today because every day you have to start from zero and every day begins from, from scratch, not just every day, [00:37:00] every moment and every moment you have to try to be yourself and not be distracted by the noise and focus on the signal.

And this is like a. Lifelong meditation or focus or whatever you want to name it. Yeah. For me,

Knut: like, uh, I, I've been close to death a couple of times in my life, mostly on, on ships in storms, hurricanes, and, uh, really, uh, had to think through like, uh, what am I doing with my life and realizing how, how limit, what a limited amount of time we have on this earth.

Yeah. And what you realize when you experience that is that. Each and every moment is your last chance to enjoy that specific moment. So if you're consumed by anxiety or you're irritated or you're angry or anything on the negative emotional spectrum, then that moment is lost [00:38:00] forever and you lost a chance to enjoy life.

Yes. So, uh, and also like. I came to a point in life where I was totally satisfied. I owned a toothbrush, a laptop, a guitar, and 10 t shirts, 10 pairs of underwear, and 10 pairs of socks, like, two pants and one pair of shoes. Uh, and I had just paid off my student loan, so I was free as like a very, very satisfying state to be in.

Two weeks later, I met my wife and I started a family, you know, back to another type of rat race. And then you need stuff again, but, uh, um, but I mean, there's really something to find there in, in figuring out that not needing stuff is a key to,

Marc: to abundance,

Knut: to. [00:39:00] To freeing your mind and being able to become what you were always supposed to be.

There's a David Bowie quote about that, like, getting older is just the process of becoming who you were always meant to be. And I think that's, that's true for a

Marc: life well lived. Yes. But just if you're like connected to your inner self, because just getting older and like

Knut: having anything, no, that doesn't work.

It only works if you actively work on improving

Marc: yourself. And because there's also like the speaking of time heals everything, because this is also not true. If you're just like doing the same. Stupid things every day. Again, time will help nothing. I mean, you will just get more sick and more sick and time is not healing anything.

So it's like the dedication to like a meaningful life and being focused in the here and now this is what [00:40:00] heals and what helps and what makes you successful or happy. Because also it's just like, it's so crazy because life is just in the here and now there is no future or Uh, past, this is just a concept in our mind.

This is nothing you can go or no one was ever in the past. It's just the concept in our mind. And it's just like, because at some point we have to in this, like in this type of reality in this physical body, we have to experience it like in some linear way. So your mind makes up this linear journey where there's the past and the future, but this is really not like the key.

So this is, it's, it's really like just distraction. There's just like the here and now, and also like just the here and now is where you have influence. So you're here and now with your physical body here, you can do something. For example, we can have a nice talk here. But it's almost irrelevant what happens in Afghanistan or Iraq.

And most people, they are focused not in the here and now with their physical presence. So they are [00:41:00] like in the TV and then there was a war there and this and that. And also they are not like in the here and now from the time perspective, they are in the future. And if you're in the future, you're always like frightened.

So this is always to frighten people. They are scared about everything. Oh, world war and this and that and in the here and now. You, there is no, you are not scared. You're always like, there, there is no, no, no. Yeah. Anxiety. And the other people are the people who are in the past. They're always depressive.

Oh, the good times. And oh, it was, it was so nice and And this is also the good old days. Yes, the good old days. And this is also distraction. There is no good old days. There is just the here and now, the good old days. This is just. Memory in your brain and you're attached to this memory and therefore you're suffering because the good old days are gone.

They are gone. They are not here anymore. And you're thinking about them in

Knut: the now.

Marc: Yes. And also like the, the, the, also like you're thinking of the past is so, Emma, so, so messed up because [00:42:00] The past, how you, how you realize the past is not how the past was, because for example, if you're in a happy state right now, then probably you will go back to the past and then you will say, Oh, my school time was really good.

But if you're in a fucked up state right now and you go to the past, then the past will feel like, Oh, I had a horrible childhood. So the past, what you experience in your mind is not. What the reality is, no, no. Yeah, no. Yeah, exactly. And, uh, luckily for us, our,

Knut: our brains, I mean, when we think about the future, we're biased to, uh, to see risks and, uh, you know, have negative, as you say, we're worried about the future.

And, but when we think about the past. Uh, oftentimes we, uh, we forget the, the, the harder memories and we remember the good times. There's, there's like something there that it's, it's easier to remember good things and, uh, than [00:43:00] bad ones. Anyway, Mark, thank you very much for this. I'm so grateful to be in this hotel and be a part of this.

event of this community. I absolutely love it. And if you have your, if you're traveling around these parts of

Marc: Europe,

Knut: make sure to visit Hotel Princess. It's an absolutely fantastic place. And I wish you all the best of luck in your future endeavors. And you're doing a great thing here. And I'm so glad that you

Marc: found yourself.

Super honored, Knut. Thanks a lot. And thanks, man. We are all Bitcoin. We are all Bitcoin.