More To That: The finality of everything 🌅


Hey friends,

I arrived in Korea earlier this week and the jet lag has been particularly rough this time around. With that said, I’m excited to be here visiting my parents over the next 2 months and spending quality time with them. I’m also looking to meet readers that live here, so if that’s you, please hit reply and let me know.

I’m in the midst of some big writing projects, one of which is a long-form post on ambition. It’s been a while since I published a big post on the site (given that I just published a book!) so I’m excited to get this one up. You’ll be the among the first to know when it’s ready.

In the meantime, I wanted to re-share a popular post that I often think about whenever I’m here in Korea.

We’re all aware that we have limited time on this planet, and this allows us to make the most of our existence. But the truth is, this dynamic doesn’t just apply to life itself, but to many of the shorter moments that comprise it.

I remember getting quite emotional while writing this piece, and once you read it, perhaps you’ll understand why. So when you’re ready, let’s dive right in:

​The Finality of Everything​


The Inner Compass Update

— Last week, I announced that I signed a foreign rights deal with Bloomsbury India to publish both an English edition and a Hindi translation on the Indian subcontinent. Well, thanks to the continued enthusiasm for the book, there has also been interest from other areas of the world.

The Inner Compass has been licensed by Dar Molhimon, who will be translating the book to Arabic as well. This is special because I know that More To That reaches many Arabic readers, which is why translations like this one of my work exists. I’m excited for Dar Molhimon to release an Arabic version so the book can reach more readers across the world.

— As a reminder, if you grab a copy of The Inner Compass in any format, you also get access to a bonus booklet of 30 daily meditations to accompany it. All you need to do is hit reply to this email and send me your order receipt. I’ll send you your digital copy of “A Month of Reflections” when I get around to checking my messages.

👉 Get The Inner Compass​


Interview of the Week

If you’d prefer to listen to me talk about the book, I really enjoyed doing so with the amazing Jim O'Shaughnessy. Jim is curiosity embodied in human form, and he radiates that energy whenever I talk to him.

It was inspiring to speak with someone who follows his inner compass throughout his respective endeavors, and to discuss some of the book’s ideas with him in this hour-long chat:


A Thought I’ve Been Pondering

I’ll start with this excerpt from The Inner Compass:

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Lawrence Yeo
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@moretothat
3:30 AM • Aug 21, 2025
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One of the “a-ha” moments I had while writing the book is that in the end, it really is that simple. For anything you do, you can either choose conviction or choose conditioning. That’s it.

To illustrate this, here’s how conviction vs. conditioning maps onto four meaningful domains:

This distinction allows me to understand when I’ve gone astray. For example, if I find myself chasing clout or focusing too much on metrics, then I know that I’m on the “Status” end of Creativity, which allows me to redirect my attention back to “Mastery”.

Or if I’m learning something because I’m feeling FOMO about it, then I know that I’m letting trends dictate my tastes (“Conformity”) rather than my true interests (“Curiosity”).

You can see this dynamic everywhere you look. The key then is knowing what to do about it afterward, which is where The Inner Compass comes in.


A Brief Parting Question

I have a simple question for you today:

How are you feeling right now? You doing okay?

There’s been a lot of heaviness in the world lately, so I just thought I’d check in to see how you’re doing. No matter where you are in the world, I hope you’re doing all right. Feel free to let me know what’s on your mind / heart. I love hearing from you.


As always, hit reply to share any thoughts, to respond to the parting question, or to simply say hello.
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Thanks for reading, and feel free to share this email with anyone who might enjoy it. Have a great rest of your week!
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-Lawrence Yeo
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P.S. Thanks to all the wonderful people that support the blog on Patreon! It means so much. If you’d like to support More To That and get access to book recommendations, exclusive AMAs, offline posts, and other reflections, join as a patron today.
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P.P.S. If you want to learn how to write thought-provoking reflections, check out The Examined Writer. It’s 3 hours of self-paced material, all designed to elevate your writing practice.

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More To That

Illustrated stories on the human condition.

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