So You Want To Go To The Hoffman Process?

I typically share hot takes on venture capital and business building, so an essay about a tech-free week-long personal growth retreat might seem random. It's not. I'd argue that understanding who you truly are, and the vision you want for your life, is an essential pursuit for every human, especially the ones running the world's biggest companies and funds. The most ambitious and successful people I know can also be among the most pattern-driven and the least self-examined. Even as someone who considers self-awareness a core part of who I am, I discovered patterns last week that I never could have found alone.

I just got back from the Hoffman Process, which is an IRL week-long intensive focused on helping participants identify how to live a more authentic and centered life. It was life-changing, and I don't use that phrase casually. I really believe that if every founder, GP, and world leader went through this process, the world would be a much different place.

Before I go further, a caveat. My insights on the "how" and "what" of the Process will feel limited for a few reasons. The Hoffman team asks you not to share too many details about your retreat, or their facilitation. Also, my experience is my own, and there are pieces I'll be keeping just for me and my closest friends and family. Most importantly, isn’t there joy for you in not knowing? There are so few things left that can truly surprise us. If you feel a pull to go, trust that instinct and let it unfold when you're there.

So instead of telling you what happens, I'll tell you the impact it had on me. 

🤷‍♀️ I went in thinking I had nothing to work through

I was (and am) one of those people who feels genuinely blessed. I love my life, my work, my fiancé, my family. A couple of friends joked before I left that they weren't sure I'd get much out of it. Honestly, part of me agreed with them, but that belief lasted about a few hours.

So much of the Hoffman Process is rooted in childhood patterns, and there are few things more defining than being raised by a single parent. My mom is the absolute best, and my father passed away due to bad luck, so I'd always told myself I was completely fine. Nothing to unpack, nothing to work through. Turns out I was very wrong. Things were unlocked for me that week that I never would have uncovered on my own, patterns I had mistaken for my personality my entire life.

I think this is true for a lot of happy people. We assume that because life feels good, there's nothing left to look at. In hindsight I can see that I confused feeling blessed with being done.

🔎 What I found when I looked

My patterns don't define me. A lot of us carry patterns we believe are our essence. I had spent a decade+ assuming my workaholism was just who I am and that the anxiety that came with it was simply the price of ambition. What you discover during the Process is that many of them were learned in childhood and have been running the show ever since. Stripping them away to meet who you actually are underneath is one of the most freeing things I've ever experienced.

I found God. I know how bold that sounds, but it's true. I grew up culturally Jewish and never really understood the whole "God" thing. I now get it. There is a being larger than ourselves, and a piece of that energy and light lives within all of us, available at any time. What a profound realization after spending much of my life ignoring or undermining what so many other folks already knew.

Internal unity is everything. You have four parts: an emotional self, an intellectual self, a body, and a spiritual self. Most of us live with these wildly out of balance, with one part quietly running our lives while the others go ignored. The Process teaches you to bring them into cohesion, and it gives you tools to keep them there.

The answers come from being still. I've always loved Oprah's line: "Be still and the answer will come to you." I thought I already lived with a deep sense of knowing. A week without technology, routines, and the pulls of everyday life showed me there was a whole layer of stillness I had never touched. In true stillness, you can finally hear your subconscious over the noise.

Community cures all. Seeing people for who they truly are (and being seen the same way) made me feel deep love for every human there after just one week. As technology makes our day-to-day lives more robotic, I'm convinced that moments of true in-person connection will save humanity. My soul feels reinvigorated by a room full of beautiful strangers.

What you do is not who you are. 39 strangers from across the world descended on a small retreat center in NorCal, and not one of us shared what we did for work. Relationships formed on connection, not professional accomplishments. For anyone highly ambitious, this may sound obvious in theory, but experiencing it is something else entirely. The traits I'm proudest of in myself turned out to have nothing to do with my job.

🚪 If you’re considering going…

Go, especially if you think you don't need it. See above. The people most certain they have nothing to uncover are usually the ones who are in for the biggest surprises and deepest work. 

If you were raised by a single parent, I cannot recommend it enough. I’ll just leave it at that.

Prepare for the intensity. Everyone told me it was life-changing, but nobody told me it would feel like the blood was drained out of your body and then put back in. That shouldn't dissuade you, but plan to come home a little lower energy and give yourself grace for it.

Keep your calendar clear afterward. Don't schedule major life events or decisions within 30 to 60 days of the Process. A lot gets uncovered during that week, and it deserves space to settle before you make any big commitments, changes, or moves.

Email them if the week you need is sold out. My second half of the year is packed, and none of the open weeks worked. I emailed the team about the one July week I could do, and a last-minute cancellation got me in. If your calendar is hectic, don't be afraid to ask!

Share it with your partner. My amazing fiancé went to the Process a couple of months before I did. You can't attend the same week at the same location, but doing it close together has been one of the greatest gifts. We share a new language, we understand what the other went through, and we can align on the life we both want to build. Hoffman also runs couples retreats open only to pairs who have both completed the Process, and we are excited to lean into those in the future.

Let yourself be surprised. Don't research the intricacies or ask your friends who have been through it. Trust the process, literally. I promise you’ll be happy you did.

🌅 Choosing the light

If one quote captures what the week is all about, it's this one, from Chuck Lorre:

"…if you thought the world was a hostile, ugly place filled with awful people doing awful things, that is what you would see. … If, however, you were able to sincerely change your mind and see that we are all God in drag, that we are the conscious aspects of a perfect universe, which had to create us so we could bear witness and stand in awe before its loving magnificence, then that is the soul-shaking reality you'd be greeted with each and every moment of each and every day. With a simple decision, we can suffer in the darkness or play in the light. We can be angry, frightened or enslaved, or loving, joyous, and free."

I spent a week learning to choose the light. I plan to spend the rest of my life practicing.

This newsletter is brought to you by…

Sydecar: Sydecar is the simplest way to run venture deals, from SPVs to funds. They handle all the back-office work so you can focus on finding and winning the best deals. Thousands of emerging managers and investors trust Sydecar to manage their capital operations seamlessly. Get started at sydecar.io/partners/trailblazers.

Beehiiv: Beehiiv is the newsletter platform built for growth. Whether you're just starting out or scaling to millions of subscribers, Beehiiv gives you everything you need to publish, monetize, and grow your audience in one place. Use code TRAILBLAZERS30 for 30% off your first 3 months at beehiiv.com/trailblazers.

Granola: Granola is the AI notepad that turns your meetings into structured, actionable notes without a bot joining your call. It runs quietly in the background, captures everything, and lets you guide the output so you always get notes that actually reflect what mattered. Get 3 months completely free at granola.ai/trailblazers.

Hex: Hex is the modern data workspace where teams go to explore, analyze, and share data, all in one collaborative platform. From SQL to Python to AI-powered insights, Hex makes working with data fast and intuitive for everyone on your team. Start your 30-day free trial at hex.ai/trailblazers.

Wispr Flow: Wispr Flow is the AI dictation tool that lets you speak your thoughts and instantly get clean, formatted text anywhere you type. Whether you're drafting emails, writing docs, or messaging your team, Wispr Flow is 3x faster than typing and learns your voice over time. Get 1 month completely free at ref.wisprflow.ai/trailblazers.

Kalshi: Kalshi is the first federally regulated prediction market where you can trade on real-world events, from economics and politics to tech and culture. It's a smarter way to put your convictions to work. Sign up at kalshi.com/r/TRAILBLAZERS and get $10 when you trade $10.