Memo

The Formula

January 27, 2025 · Read on Substack

I have this crazy thing I can’t get out of my mind… There is a formula for greatness.

You either have it, or you don’t.

It’s unexplainable, but it’s there.

This is a conversation for those buried under the dark rocks of their potential, for those who feel the ache of unmanifested brilliance.

In the stillness of the earth, beneath layers of time and pressure, lies a truth waiting to emerge—a molecular truth, both scientific and spiritual, carrying the weight of transformation.

In this “rock-bottom world,” everyone starts as “pure carbon”—raw potential. We all look alike. Granite, graphite, and diamond—all forms of carbon—the foundation of organic matter, the building blocks of the universe.

The same element.

The same atomic number.

But… we are not the same.

Not all carbon becomes a diamond.

Some recognize it early, some late, and some never do. Yet, the composition must be there: innate qualities, a predisposition, or a calling.

Most remain in their raw state, unnoticed and untouched. Others endure the alchemy of pressure, heat, and cuts to reveal a brilliance that shakes the world.

There is a formula for greatness…

You can see it in every great person—they all share a similar formula. A formula that builds strong, rigid, three-dimensional men and women whose brilliance writes history. This formula creates unique structures and properties that defy understanding, like an unfathomable molecular masterpiece.

This is a call to carbons.

But not all carbons—only a different breed, set apart.

What sets them apart is the call of the crystalline.

Why?

Diamonds are composed entirely of carbon atoms (C), arranged in a unique crystalline structure called a diamond cubic lattice. Each carbon atom in a diamond is covalently bonded to four others, forming an extremely strong, rigid, three-dimensional network.

Key Characteristics:

Composition: Pure carbon (C).
Structure: Tetrahedral bonding, giving diamonds their unmatched hardness and durability.
Polymorph: Diamond is a polymorph of carbon, sharing the same composition as graphite and granite but with different structures and properties due to its atomic arrangement.

Diamonds and graphite are both carbon (C), yet they couldn’t be more different. One is soft, dull, and crumbles under pressure. The other is brilliant, unyielding, and forged to endure. What distinguishes them is their molecular arrangement—a precise lattice of tetrahedral bonds that creates brilliance and strength.

“But how do you know what carbon you are?”

Often, it’s revealed at rock bottom. Among the granites and graphites of this world, you begin to notice a difference—a spark, a faint glimmer of the crystalline within you. That’s how it starts: with a tiny, undeniable whisper. You are not granite.

And so it is with people.

We may all appear similar on the surface, but what lies within? That is the question.

The journey of carbon becoming a diamond is a journey of refinement, governed by a formula that works. It is rooted in the distinct characteristics that define a diamond.

Diamonds are different because of their crystalline structure.

Every great diamond begins at rock bottom. That’s where the formula for greatness starts.

Rock Bottom - The Catalyst

Every diamond begins as a rock, buried deep within the earth. This is your starting point: rock bottom. But rock bottom is not a place of despair—it is a place of potential. The larger the rock bottom, the larger the diamond that can emerge. This is where the formula begins. This is where the call to the crystalline is ignited.

In the darkness of rock bottom, surrounded by graphites and granites, there is a spark—an awakening. Suddenly, it hits you. It is the recognition and awareness that you are at rock bottom, coupled with an unshakable inner belief that your composition is different. That you are not supposed to be there.

The crystalline structure that has always been within you begins to shimmer and emerge, casting light into the shadows. This is the moment you realize: You are not granite.

It is the moment where self-disgust meets hunger and collides with honest dialogue. It births a fiery energy—a determination to leave the pile of rocks behind. You can no longer stay at rock bottom.

Hope is born…

Much like a diamond, human greatness is not defined by what you start with but by what you are willing to endure, transform, and become.

So this is a call to those who may not yet know who they are—those who find themselves at rock bottom, surrounded by granite and graphite, uncertain of their potential.

There is a formula. I have figured it out—a framework for understanding the human journey. And I want to share it with you.

This is your activation.

This is the call of the crystalline.

This is your guide to understanding and applying the formula for greatness—a journey that begins at rock bottom and leads to brilliance.

The Formula for Greatness

To become a diamond, to achieve true greatness, three things must align: composition, structure, and transformation.

Composition: Pure carbon, raw potential, an innate predisposition to greatness.
Structure: Tetrahedral bonding, designed for durability and strength under pressure.
Transformation: The polymorph, a rearrangement of atoms through trials, emerging as something unrecognizable to the world but undeniable in brilliance.
Catalyst: Rock bottom - the crucible that initiates the process.

1. Composition: Pure Carbon, a question of identity

Greatness begins with raw material. You either have it, or you don’t. Pure carbon—the unadulterated essence of potential. It isn’t something you acquire; it’s something you are. If you are carbon, the potential to become a diamond already exists within you, even if you don’t yet see it.

At the core of every great person lies their composition—a predisposition, a mindset, a belief system that sets them apart. It is their pure, raw essence. Often, it’s revealed when you hit rock bottom. Among the granites and graphites of this world, you begin to notice a difference—a spark, a faint glimmer of the crystalline within you. That’s how it starts: with a tiny, undeniable whisper. You are not granite. You are meant for more.

Because you were blessed. Blessed and arranged with a unique crystalline structure known as a diamond cubic lattice. Before you even understood who you were, your structures were already diamond.

Every great transformation begins with a realisation: “What are you made of”? This isn’t a question for the surface. It probes deep into your core, where the atoms of your essence reside. Greatness isn’t granted; it is intrinsic. It begins with an awareness that your molecular composition is unique.

They couldn’t fully grasp it, couldn’t explain it. Yet, no matter the shape life forced them to wear, they knew they were different. They carried within them something extraordinary…even at rock bottom. Mentally, they had been shaped before they even realised what they were. Yes, they might have looked like rocks. Yes, they may even have confused themselves for granite. But deep down, they knew—they were diamonds in a stage of pre-refinement.

You cannot manufacture it. You either have it, or you don’t. And if you do, the journey begins.

Key Question: What’s in your core? Are you aware of the gifts, talents, and unique structure you came with?

2. Structure: Tetrahedral Bonding Built for Pressure

What sets diamonds apart isn’t just their composition—it’s their structure. Their tetrahedral lattice is so strong it can cut through anything, even doubt. You were designed the same way: built to endure, even when you doubt yourself. Diamonds are not born as diamonds. Their potential lies dormant, waiting to be activated. The activation begins with pressure. Now, with this composition—whether fully known, partially known, or entirely unknown—it means they came into the world with tetrahedral bonding. This means that they were structured from the start to be hard, durable, and resilient. I mean, who else walks through life with an unshakable belief in their greatness, even when there’s no proof, and they look like an ordinary rock? Life—and, like life, man— it recognises that potential. It selects these individuals as the right raw material, primed to be refined into diamonds.

Diamonds are unique because of their crystalline structure. Great people are wired differently too: their mindset, values, and resilience are inherent, even if unpolished. Their “tetrahedral bonding” is their inner strength—the ability to endure, to hold firm under pressure. It’s foundational. It’s the design that allows them to withstand life’s trials.

Sometimes, they don’t even realize their potential. They remain at “rock bottom,” unaware that life has already identified them as diamonds in the making. Life knows. It begins the refinement process automatically because it recognizes the composition. Pure carbon doesn’t need permission to be chosen; it’s simply seen. Life, like man, always needs diamonds.

But this structure must be activated through life’s crucibles:

Pressure: The relentless force of expectations, failures, and obstacles.
Heat: The intensity of challenges that push you to your limits.
Cuts: The pain of loss, rejection, and precise refinement.

These individuals enter life set apart, though often confused. They are broken down repeatedly—pressure after pressure after pressure.

Life’s challenges—the overwhelming weight and crushing force—are the pressures that begin to reshape their structure. These aren’t punishments; they’re refinements, tests of your durability. You cannot be soft and expect to shine. You must withstand.

They survive without understanding how, unaware that they were created with a hardness and durability greater than granite. Then life brings the heat—extreme, relentless heat—and somehow, they survive again. They’re angry, exhausted, and tempted to give up.

But they can’t…

They were built to endure. Even if they try to quit, life won’t stop. It knows who they are. If they were granite, they would have crumbled long ago, unable to withstand the pressure, let alone the heat. But they’re not granite…

When the pressure feels unbearable, life turns up the heat. Intense, consuming, relentless heat. It burns away impurities, leaving behind only what’s essential. Many crumble here. But not you— Fortunately or unfortunately… you were built for this.

And so, life continues: pressure, pressure, heat, heat. Yet, somehow, they keep going, shocked at their own survival.

Just when they think they’ve faced it all, life asks, “Are you ready for the cuts?”

Cuts!? They thought they had nothing left to break. They thought they’d prepared for every obstacle, that there was nothing left to endure. And now… CUTS!?

And then they learn: there are grades…lol!

To be the highest grade of diamond, the cuts must be precise. Each cut demands more. And as they are being cut, they’re expected to maintain their clarity—their goodness, hope, light, and positivity. After all the pressure, heat, and cuts—multiple cuts, by the way—they are expected to emerge flawless, with no visible blemishes or inclusions. Only then can they be certified as diamonds.

This brutal, unrelenting process transforms raw potential into something indestructible. Life will subject you to immense pressure, extreme heat, and precise cuts—not as obstacles but as catalysts, shaping and revealing your true form.

Key Questions:

What drives you: purpose, grit, faith, or hope?
What foundational values or characteristics shape your resilience?
What gets you back up when you stumble or fail?
Are you avoiding the “cuts” that would refine you?
What pressures are you under, and how are they shaping you?

3. Polymorph: Transformation Through Trials

Transformation is the hardest part. It demands that you embrace the process and trust that the cuts are not destroying you—they are revealing you. Remember, the same carbon atoms that form graphite also form diamonds. The difference lies in their arrangement—their polymorph. This is the final stage of the formula, where the atoms of your potential rearrange themselves under life’s extremities. You emerge transformed—harder, clearer, more brilliant.

In the final form, you may look like others, and share the same composition as other humans, but your atoms have been rearranged. You’ve emerged as a different structure with new properties. Even after enduring pressure and heat, the journey is far from over. The diamond’s ultimate form is not merely about survival—it is about transformation. This is the stage of cuts.

Each cut shapes you. Each painful incision refines you, sharpening your edges and enhancing your clarity. These are the moments in life when you feel as though there is nothing left to give. And yet, it is in these moments that your brilliance begins to emerge. To become a diamond of the highest grade, you must endure the cuts. Precision cuts, each sharper than the last, shape you into a form that refracts light with unparalleled clarity. These cuts are the betrayals, the failures, the heartbreaks. They are the moments when life asks: Are you ready to shine?

After the pressure and heat, after the cuts, emerges the polymorph—the diamond. The final form retains the same composition as before—still C—but the atomic structure has been rearranged. Through the refining process, the same raw material (carbon) becomes something entirely different—a diamond. You may look like others, but your transformation makes you unique and valuable.

The journey alters your properties, your capabilities, and your brilliance. You may look human, just like everyone else, but you are now different:

Harder.
Clearer.
Radiant.

Key Question:
How has life’s process shaped you into something different from who you used to be?

Clarity: Shining Brilliance!

When the greats—whoever they may be—experience their molecular transformation, I’ve noticed one more thing: they shine fully with clarity. Their full transformation, their true brilliance, expands the call of the crystalline. They become a signal, speeding up the call to other carbons still at rock bottom.

“You are not granite,” they call out. They share their brilliance through podcasts, autobiographies, movies, documentaries, businesses—anything that can amplify their light and reach others. It took them too long to hear the call of the crystalline, and now they want to speed up the formula for the unknown carbons still out there. They actively seek out the “pure carbons” hidden in the dark and help them see what they can become.

A diamond’s brilliance isn’t just for itself—it lights the way for others. True greatness compels us to help others recognise their potential and accelerate their transformation.

Share your story, struggles, and lessons through writing, speaking, mentoring, or creating.

This is your final quality - Shining Brilliance

After everything—the pressure, the heat, the cuts—you retain your clarity. The bigger your rock bottom, the brighter your impact, your value, your shine.

Now shine… for those still trapped in the dark, buried under granite.

So Remember…

Rock Bottom is the Starting Point:
Every great story begins here. The depth of the bottom determines the potential size and brilliance of the diamond.
The Refining Process is Non-Negotiable:
Pressure, heat, and cuts are essential; they cannot be bypassed. The greater the challenges, the greater the eventual impact.
Awakening the Crystalline Structure:
At some point, those destined for greatness experience a moment of clarity, where their potential begins to reveal itself.
Giving Back:
Greatness compels the transformed to help others awaken, speeding up the transformation for future “pure carbons.”

Every diamond begins as raw carbon. Greatness isn’t about what you have but what you’re willing to endure to become

A Conversation for Pure Carbon

This is not a call to everyone. It is a call to pure carbons who have forgotten their essence, those buried under the dark rocks of their potential, unsure if they have what it takes.

If you feel it—the spark, the whisper, the call of the crystalline—then you are one of us. You are not granite. You are not graphite. You are a diamond in the making.

The question is: will you answer the call of the crystalline?

But hear this: the journey will not be easy. The bigger your rock bottom, the larger your potential diamond. The process will demand pressure, heat, and cuts—over and over again. And when you think there is nothing left to endure, it will ask for more.

But it is worth it. Because on the other side of this process is brilliance. On the other side is clarity. On the other side is the fullness of who you were always meant to be.

So, to the carbons out there: rise.

The formula is already in motion.

Answer the call. The world needs your brilliance.