The Women in the Red Dress

This week we focus on “The women in the red dress”. Because just like 99% of the world, I love to get distracted and change course before something works. Yes, its a flaw. I am working on it. So here we go.

In today’s issue:

• Main Feature: The Women in the Red Dress

• Freedom Profile: Gonzalo (Gonz) Luna

• Closing Thoughts

Main Feature

Have you ever noticed how the moment you commit to something, suddenly EVERYTHING ELSE looks more appealing?

You know, like when you finally sit down to write that newsletter and suddenly cleaning the bathroom grout with a toothbrush becomes the most urgent task in human history?

In psychology circles, they call this "the woman in the red dress syndrome".

It’s that tendency to abandon what you're doing the second something shinier comes along. It's like your brain is perpetually acting out that scene from The Matrix where Neo gets distracted by the woman in the red dress instead of focusing on his training.

And let me tell you, this phenomenon is absolutely KILLING your freedom journey.

Here's how it typically plays out:

Phase 1: Excitement. You discover a new business idea/investment strategy/side hustle. Your brain floods with dopamine. This is IT. The ONE THING that will change everything! You stay up until 3AM researching and planning.

Phase 2: Initial effort. You put in some work. Maybe buy a domain name. Create a logo. Write a few social posts. Tell everyone about your brilliant new venture.

Phase 3: The dip. Progress slows. Results aren't immediate. The dopamine high fades. Suddenly, this isn't as fun as you thought it would be.

Phase 4: THE RED DRESS APPEARS. Like clockwork, a new "opportunity" catches your eye. Maybe it's a TikTok about how everyone's making bank with dog-walking apps or something.

Whatever it is, it's NEW and EXCITING and DEFINITELY easier than what you're currently struggling with.

Phase 5: Abandon ship. You quietly shelve your current project to "circle back later" (you never circled back) and restart the cycle with your new obsession.

Rinse and repeat until you've got a graveyard of half-finished projects and zero actual freedom to show for it.

Sound familiar? Yeah, I thought so.

Here's the brutal truth: The people who actually create freedom in their lives aren't necessarily smarter or more talented than you. They're just better at ignoring red dresses.

Gonz Luna, who I've profiled in this newsletter, admits he struggled with "sticking to one idea for long enough and not chasing every new shiny thing."

This is a guy who was literally a rocket scientist (okay, aerospace engineer, but close enough), and even HE battled the red dress syndrome.

The difference between Gonz and the average freedom-seeker? He recognized the pattern and broke it.

So how do you develop this superpower? How do you become immune to red dresses?

1. The 90-Day Rule. Commit to ANY idea for a minimum of 90 days. No pivots, no "tweaks" that completely change the business model, no abandonment. Just 90 days of consistent effort in one direction. Mark it on your calendar. Make it non-negotiable.

2. The Idea Parking Lot. Keep a document where you park all those brilliant new ideas that pop up while you're executing your current one. Don't delete them or ignore them, just postpone them. This satisfies your brain's need to "capture" the new shiny object without derailing your focus.

3. The Reality Check Buddy. Find someone who has permission to call you out when you start bragging about some new venture before finishing your current one. Their only job is to say, "That sounds great, but how's your existing project going?" (This is my wife for me)

Brutal? Yes. Necessary? Absolutely.

4. The Sunk Cost Reframe. Instead of thinking "I've already invested so much in this current path," try "This is getting harder because I'm getting closer to breakthrough."

The dip ALWAYS comes before the breakthrough. The moment when most people quit is usually right before things get good.

Listen, I get it. New ideas are sexy. They come with no baggage, no complications, no evidence of your potential inadequacy. They're perfect because they're theoretical.

But freedom isn't built on theories. It's built on execution, persistence, and the willingness to push through when things get boringly difficult.

So the next time you're tempted by a woman in a red dress (metaphorically speaking, of course, do whatever you want in your actual dating life), remember this:

The freedom you seek is waiting on the other side of finishing what you started.

Now if you'll excuse me, I need to get back to writing this newsletter instead of researching how to improve my golf swing. The red dresses never stop coming; you just get better at staying focused on what matters.

Freedom Profile

Meet Gonz Luna: After a decade as an aerospace engineer at Rolls-Royce (yes, THAT Rolls-Royce), Gonz decided his so-called "dream job" wasn't actually so dreamy and traded his corporate badge for a life on his own terms.

Now he's running Luna Reach Labs, helping fancy engineering companies while living on a freaking canal boat! Gonz is literally a pirate.

On paper, Gonz was crushing it. Prestigious engineering career? Check. Fat paycheck? Check. Clear path to the corporate promised land? Double check. He had the exact job he'd moved all the way from Spain to the UK to pursue.

But underneath that polished LinkedIn profile was a guy spending TWO HOURS daily in soul-crushing commute traffic and dealing with a new boss who was basically a career roadblock with legs.

Then came the wake-up call. A brutal knee injury (probably from looking for treasure or something) that would require a knee replacement in a few years. Cue the existential crisis!

Nothing like a little medical reality check to make you question your entire life trajectory, right?

Here's where it gets interesting. The mindset shift from "stable job = survival" to "I can actually do this myself" wasn't just a switch Gonz could flip overnight.

This is the part they don't put on inspirational Instagram graphics.

His first baby steps to crafting the life of his dreams? Writing on X (because we're not calling it Twitter anymore, apparently).

And Gonz was so stuck in "broke mindset" that paying $8 monthly for a blue verification badge felt like extravagant living.

I feel you, Gonz. My wife still thinks I am the cheapest man alive. Maybe she will change her mind when she reads this.

The real demons weren't external though, they were the voices in his head. Self-doubt kept whispering sweet nothings like "you'll fail spectacularly" while shiny-object syndrome had him bouncing between ideas faster than a caffeinated squirrel.

This is something I think everyone making the switch goes through. And on top of that, not seeing immediate results is basically torture for a high achiever like Gonz.

But with an ass ton of discipline and a little bit of faith , Gonz managed to push through the mental barriers. The turning point came when he finally loosened the wallet death-grip and invested in himself.

He bought courses, mentors, and even that scandalous $8 X badge.

The investment was more than financial, it was psychological proof he was committed to this path.

That mindset shift from "I can't afford it" to "I can't afford NOT to" gave him the confidence to officially register Luna Reach Labs and start approaching high-level engineering clients.

Honestly, watching someone evolve from agonizing over minor expenses to confidently charging companies what he's worth is the character development we all need in our lives.

THE REAL TALK

What Gonz has built is legitimately badass. The dude lives on a CANAL BOAT, people!

Not some floating shack, but a legitimate home that balances nature vibes with city access. His whole life is basically an Instagram aesthetic the rest of us only achieve through filters.

His day starts at 7am with yoga and writing before hitting the gym. No boss breathing down his neck, no fluorescent lighting slowly stealing his soul.

Just Gonz, doing Gonz things, on Gonz time.

Ironically, this freedom-seeker sometimes works MORE hours than at his 9-5.

I mean, that's basically the holy grail, isn't it?

The mindset transformation from "corporate security blanket" to "I'll figure this out myself" was his biggest hurdle.

We're literally programmed from kindergarten to fit into neat little employment boxes. Breaking out of that mental prison? That's the real work.

"People want shortcuts," Gonz says, "and in my own experience, there aren't any handouts in life."

Brutal honesty from a guy who knows it's not about working less, but about owning your time completely.

For anyone thinking of jumping ship from Corporate America (or Corporate UK in his case), Gonz drops this wisdom bomb:

People assume living on a canal boat means he's some sort of lazy hippy who doesn't work at all.

Little do they know he's out here running a legit business with elite engineering companies while they're stuck in cubicle purgatory.

What's his favorite part? The ability to make decisions without asking for permission slips like we're all still in elementary school.

Want to schedule a doctor's appointment at 2pm on a Tuesday? No problemo. Need to hit the gym when the protein bros aren't hogging all the equipment? Done and done.

His mantra says it all:

In my eyes, Gonz is what happens when someone decides the standard script is more of a suggestion than a requirement. And honestly? We should all be taking notes.

Want more Gonz in your life? (Trust me, your Instagram feed of people pretending to work from Bali has NOTHING on this guy)

Follow him: X | LinkedIn | Instagram

Closing Thoughts

Freedom isn't just about escaping the 9-5. It's about creating a life where you're the primary decision-maker, not just another line item on someone else's spreadsheet.

What Gonz and countless others in our community have shown is that the path isn't always straightforward. It's messy.

It requires ignoring the red dresses, pushing through the voice in your head that says "this is too hard," and sometimes disappointing your parents who just want you to have dental insurance.

But on the other side? A life where Tuesday afternoon gym sessions aren't acts of rebellion.

Where doctor's appointments don't require permission slips. Where your income isn't capped by someone else's perception of your worth.

Is it easy? Hell no. Is it worth it? Ask anyone living on a canal boat while running a successful consultancy if they'd trade back for fluorescent lighting and performance reviews.

The best time to start building your freedom was yesterday. The second-best time is right now, while everyone else is doom-scrolling LinkedIn and complaining about their commute.

Your move.