Quiet Quitting: Trillion-Dollar Crisis and The Solution No One's Scaling

By Ray Dela Rama
December 6, 2024
7 minute read

Quiet quitting isn’t just a workplace issue—it’s a deeply human one. And I know because I’ve been there.

I’ve worked jobs where I felt invisible, where my efforts went unnoticed, and where I started to wonder, “What’s the point?” I’ve seen the same struggle in my family, friends, and colleagues. People don’t quit emotionally because they’re lazy; they quit because they’re tired, burned out, and searching for meaning.

Quiet quitting costs the global economy $8.8 trillion annually, and it’s increasing every year! But the real cost is even greater. It’s the untapped potential, the dreams shattered, and the impact we could have had if we were all thriving, not just surviving.

This isn’t just about disengaged employees or businesses losing money — it’s a crisis that touches every corner of our lives. Mental health, financial instability, unemployment, climate change, physical and digital crimes, and even corruption are tied to this core human issue: when people stop caring, everything suffers.

While some people are trying to address these problems, no one is doing it at scale.

That’s why I'm creating Growth AI — to solve this crisis for good.

How Quiet Quitting Affects the World

This isn’t just about individual companies or employees — it’s about humanity. Let me break it down:


1. Mental Health: The Human Fallout

Quiet quitting is often a symptom of deeper struggles like anxiety, depression, or burnout. When people lose purpose in their work, it chips away at their mental health.

This isn’t just personal — it’s global. Poor mental health costs the world $5 trillion annually and affects relationships, communities, and even healthcare systems.


2. Climate Change: Leadership Without Purpose

When leaders and teams are disengaged, they make short-sighted decisions that harm the planet. Imagine the impact if every company worked with long-term clarity and purpose.

Engagement isn’t just about better work — it’s about creating sustainable solutions to global problems like climate change, which costs $4 trillion a year.


3. Financial Instability: A Global Strain

Productivity deficits caused by disengaged workers ripple into the economy, leading to slower growth and greater financial instability.

If we could unlock even a fraction of this potential, we’d see stronger businesses, better jobs, healthier economies, and happier people!


4. Skill Gaps and Unemployment

Quiet quitting often reflects misalignment — people stuck in roles where they can’t grow or thrive. This misalignment contributes to unemployment and skill gaps that cost the world $3 trillion annually.


5. Health Crises: The Weak Link in Systems

Disengagement weakens critical sectors like healthcare, supply chains, and education. During crises like COVID-19, we saw how essential engaged, resilient individuals are to society’s survival. $12.5 trillion globally in 2020-2022 was spent on healthcare, lost productivity, and disrupted supply chains.


6. Corruption and Inequities

Disengaged, demoralized workforces are breeding grounds for corruption. When people don’t feel empowered or valued, accountability erodes. This costs the world $2.6 trillion annually.


7. Conflict and Instability

Societies where people feel hopeless are more prone to unrest. Disengagement at scale doesn’t just hurt workplaces — it destabilizes nations. The cost? Over $1 trillion annually.


These aren’t just abstract problems. They’re all connected to the way people feel about their work, their worth, and their place in the world.

Why We’re Stuck

Right now, companies are trying to patch the problem with perks: free snacks, remote work, flexible hours, better healthcare, performance bonuses, more money. But those are band-aids, not cures. Quiet quitting isn’t about what’s on the surface—it’s about what’s missing at the core:


- Respect: People want to feel valued and heard.

- Purpose: They need to see how their work connects to something bigger.

- Growth: Without opportunities to learn and thrive, engagement fizzles.


I’ve been in jobs that missed one of these or even all three, and let me tell you, it’s soul-crushing. But I’ve also seen what happens when workplaces get it right — it’s transformative, not just for businesses but for people’s lives.

Growth AI: Scaling the Real Solution

This is why I created Growth AI—not as a quick fix but as a real, scalable solution to the disengagement crisis.

Growth AI isn’t just about productivity; it’s about transformation. Here’s how it works:


- Building Positive Culture and Values: It helps leaders understand their teams’ needs and create environments where people want to engage.

- Clarifying Purpose: It aligns individual roles with the company’s mission, making work feel meaningful.

- Fostering Growth: It offers personalized tools to help employees build the right skills that lead to a happier, successful life they want.

- Boosting Resilience: By identifying early signs of disengagement, it empowers leaders to act before it’s too late.


This isn’t about controlling people — it’s about empowering them.

Growth AI helps individuals and teams thrive, creating a ripple effect that touches families, communities, and even the global economy.

Why Growth AI Is Different

Most solutions only help individuals or small groups. Growth AI scales to solve these problems for entire industries, regions, and even nations.

By fixing disengagement, we can create a world where:


- People genuinely enjoy working with others.

- Businesses actually solve real-world problems.

- Global challenges like poverty, climate change, inequities, and corruption are minimized, if not eliminated.


This isn’t just about making work better — it’s about making life better for everyone.

The Vision: A Future Worth Building

Imagine a world where quiet quitting is a relic of the past. A world full of positive culture and values that drive innovation and growth for the advancement of society. A world where people have a clear purpose of what they want and don’t want to do in their life, and a tool that helps them achieve their goals.

This isn’t just a dream — it IS possible. We’ve already seen how engaged teams outperform disengaged ones in creativity, productivity, and profitability. Now, imagine scaling that impact globally.

Productivity revolutions, like the AI revolution, drive costs down, as mentioned by Konstantine Buhler from Sequoia Capital.

“Technological progress has radically driven down the cost of hardware, but the costs of services delivered by humans, from healthcare to education, have skyrocketed. AI has the potential to reduce costs in such crucial areas making them more accessible and affordable. These changes need to be made responsibly to mitigate job loss and drive job creation. AI will enable us to do much more with less, but we will need both government and private efforts to retrain and empower everyone.”

I believe we can tackle the world’s biggest challenges by starting with this one: making real business and career growth knowledge accessible to everyone — no fluff, just what truly works. Our mission in Growth AI is to help you build the happy successful life YOU want.

Final Thoughts: It’s Time to Act

Quiet quitting is a crisis, but it’s also an opportunity. If we can solve this, we won’t just improve workplaces — we’ll create a ripple effect that transforms societies.

The question isn’t whether this change is possible.

The question is: When would we make it happen?

Now is the time to start!

If you’ve felt the weight of quiet quitting — whether as a leader, an employee, or a bystander…

Try Growth AI and let’s build a better future, together.


💪,

Ray

👉 Use Growth AI.

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Ethical AI: Path to Better Lives

By Ray Dela Rama
November 5, 2024
15 minute read

The world is really big. There are places where things work well and others where nothing seems to function — or worse, where governments work against their own citizens. I think there is some kind of infrastructure, the kind that makes us truly human. No matter who we are or where we come from, we should have a right for.

So how do we build systems that work for everyone, regardless of where they come from or what they struggle with? We need to rethink how we handle our economy and social systems. It should NOT be just for the people in the world who are living in a great government with high quality of life. It should be for everyone.

People in countries having better lives than the margin — that will not change the world. Empowering billions of people — will change the world.

What’s the Purpose of Proven Success?

I believe that the biggest threat to humanity is ourselves. Challenges like corruption, global conflict and violence, mental health crises, inequality, and even climate change are all tied to human behavior. And behaviors — at their core — are skills we can learn and unlearn. If people have clearer understanding of what they genuinely want (and don’t want), along with having the tools and motivation to reach those goals, we’d see a massive shift.

Our main purpose and goal at Proven Success is to make real business and career growth knowledge accessible to everyone. I want to empower people to achieve meaningful success in life and work. And I believe AI can help us make this happen faster than we’ve ever seen before. Getting it to scale is actually the thing that truly matters.

Why Make an Ethical Growth AI platform?

We spend most our lives working. Yet, many businesses fall short when it comes to managing their people. Mass layoffs, lack of transparency, poor expectation-setting, and failure to align employees with the company’s vision are all factors that contribute to the mental health and productivity issues many people face.

I believe that there's a huge amount of wasted human talent because culture or managing people is not something we are all good at building. There's just a lot of really talented people in the world that are not working to their full potential because they work at a bad company, or they live in a country that doesn't support any good companies.

One of the things I'm most excited about with AI is I hope it'll get us much better than where we are now at helping get everyone to their max potential — which we are nowhere NOWHERE near.

A key issue is that many businesses fail to communicate why their company exists and why it should matter to their employees' lives — apart from the salary. This disconnect impacts people’s well-being and their drive to work hard to grow the business. People also need to understand what they truly want and don’t want in their lives. Without this self-awareness, it’s hard to find genuine alignment between the business and the employee. It’s in everyone’s best interest for individuals to be clear on their goals and motivations — so they can find the perfect fit, and the business can have people who genuinely want to work there.

Businesses fail most often because of mismanagement or a lack of proper planning. And the root of it all are the people: from executives and directors to managers and teams who carry out day-to-day operations. Success depends on every level working together toward the same goal.

Effective management isn’t complicated; it’s about clear communication, setting the right expectations, having hard conversations, and being transparent. It’s about giving and receiving pure honest feedback that helps people grow. When these basics are in place, productivity, morale, and discretionary effort all improve. That leads to higher-quality work, more output, and, ultimately, bigger profits.

Quality of life and quality of work go hand-in-hand. When people feel heard and understood, they’re happier, and they work harder. Happier workers give better effort — not because they have to but because they want to. This is called “discretionary effort.” When everyone’s doing their best and is clear on their roles, there’s less wasted time, fewer mistakes, and better results. This makes the company more profitable, which is why effective communication is a top priority for many successful businesses.

These concepts might sound obvious, yet many businesses overlook them. With rising mental health issues, workplace burnout, and the rapid evolution of AI, there’s a real need for tools that balance productivity with well-being. Proven Success AI is designed to fill that gap by using today’s technology to make meaningful, widespread change.

Part of our mission is to help businesses grow profitably while fostering a culture where people genuinely enjoy working together. Proven Success AI facilitates team alignment through clear goal-setting, team-building exercises, and actionable feedback. Daily prompts will help people build resilience, tackle personal goals, and learn to embrace failures, pain, and setbacks as part of their journey. By continuing to do the hard work, we’re not just growing a business — we’re building better lives for ourselves and, hopefully, solving real-world problems.

Privacy and Transparency with Proven Success AI

Proven Success AI respects that some personal information should remain strictly private. Users will have control over what they share, with rigorous data protection practices in place. This guarantees that while the AI learns from users, it protects their privacy by default.

The AI will be open about how it operates and where it sources its information. This includes communicating clearly about data use and providing insights into the reasoning behind the advice given. Transparency is key to building trust with users, making sure they feel in control of the AI’s influence on their personal growth journey. Continuous feedback loops with users ensure that the AI adapts to real-time needs and stays aligned with proven techniques for personal growth.

To avoid superficial or common biases, Proven Success AI draws from only high-quality, real-world experiences and advice from people who have overcome genuine challenges and made a meaningful impact. By learning from exceptional achievers who have proven their success through resilience, problem-solving, and positive change, Proven Success AI aims to reflect the insights that matter most.

What are the Real Benefits of Having an Ethical AI?

For me, having an ethical AI isn’t just about improving technology — it’s about creating a world where each of us can live happier, healthier, and more meaningful lives. Imagine waking up each morning knowing that what you’re doing matters, that you’re making real progress toward something exciting. That’s the kind of world I want to build with ethical AI. Here’s how I believe it can make a difference in some of today’s biggest challenges:

1. Fighting Corruption
Corruption takes away people’s chances to succeed. It drains resources and keeps the powerful in control while holding others back. An ethical AI could reduce corruption by tracking actions transparently, ensuring decisions are fair and open. I believe that a world with less corruption is one where everyone, no matter where they start, has a shot at achieving their dreams for the betterment of their lives and those they truly care about.

2. Reducing Global Conflicts and Violence
Conflict and violence often come from misunderstandings, stubborn pride, or miscommunication. Ethical AI could help people and leaders understand each other better, encouraging peace and cooperation. Imagine AI that nudges us toward respectful dialogue and empathy instead of aggression. I think a world that values understanding over power struggles is a world we all want to live in.

3. Improving Mental Health
Mental health affects every part of life, and sadly, many people feel isolated in their struggles. I hate seeing people go through this alone. An ethical AI could remind people to take care of themselves, suggest healthy habits, and connect them to resources and support networks. This isn’t about replacing human connections but about strengthening them, so people feel capable of handling whatever life throws at them.

4. Reducing Inequality
I grew up knowing what it’s like to have limited opportunities, and it bothers me that many people are held back by factors they can’t control. Ethical AI can make high-quality education, job training, and healthcare accessible to more people. It could help companies hire based on skills and values rather than titles or status. This means that everyone has a chance to succeed, no matter where they come from or what resources they start with.

5. Addressing Obesity and Poor Health
Obesity and poor health are taking a toll on people and on healthcare systems worldwide. I want people to live healthier lives, not just for themselves but so they can be there for their loved ones and enjoy the life they work hard for. Ethical AI could guide people toward healthier choices, helping them stay active, eat well, and accept stress. It also reminds us that taking care of ourselves isn’t just personal — it’s part of contributing to a healthier, less burdened world.

6. Boosting Productivity and Quality of Life
Many of us feel pressure to “do more” but don’t always feel satisfied or fulfilled by our work. Productivity issues aren’t just about working harder — they’re about working in a way that brings meaning and value. I see ethical AI as a tool that helps people focus on what matters, making work easier and more impactful. Imagine an AI that helps you marry your work and personal life, guiding you toward achievements that feel rewarding, while helping you solve good problems along the way.

7. Helping the Fight Against Climate Change
Climate change is a crisis that impacts everyone, and I believe ethical AI can help us make smarter choices for the planet. By guiding businesses and individuals toward sustainable practices, an ethical AI can help us reduce waste, conserve resources, and move toward a healthier planet. I want to be part of a solution where technology makes it easier to do what’s right for the Earth, so future generations inherit a world worth caring for.

The Bigger Picture: Purpose + Hard Work = Happy Life

Ultimately, I believe a happy life is a fulfilling life. For me, it means being able to create the quality of life we want — not just for now, but for the long run. It’s about finding a balance that lets us do things that genuinely bring happiness in the moment while also building toward a future we’ll be proud of. For most of us, that means setting meaningful goals, working hard to achieve them, and sticking with it, even when things get tough. Challenges are always there, and my hope for the future is that we’ll start seeing more “good problems” — the kinds of challenges that push us to grow, make life more rewarding, and give us reasons to feel grateful each day. A world with more good problems is a world where we can truly thrive.

But let’s be real — not everyone chooses this path, and sometimes people make choices that are outright destructive. Some people might find a twisted sense of fulfillment in actions like violence, crime, or manipulation. They may feel a rush of accomplishment or control in the moment, but I believe that kind of satisfaction is only fleeting. Those actions don’t build a happy life or a better future — they only lead to more chaos, more trauma, and more pain in the long run. And if we look closer, it’s often clear that these choices stem from unresolved trauma, from a deep place of pain that’s gone unaddressed for too long.

This brings me to trauma itself — something that shapes so many of us. Trauma is a permanent change in behavior caused by a negative experience, or “aversive stimulus.” It’s like touching a hot stove: if we get burned, we’ll probably avoid doing it again. That experience permanently changed our behavior, and in that case, it’s a positive change. Trauma doesn’t have to be all bad; it just depends on how we use it. It’s about whether we let that past pain limit us, or whether we use it as a driver for positive growth.

Unfortunately, not everyone gets a clear understanding of their trauma. They might not realize that it’s a behavior — a skill that can be unlearned, redirected, and transformed into something better. This lack of understanding can lead us to fall into the trap of blaming external events for our limitations. But here’s the truth: we’re responsible for what we do with that pain and suffering. The world doesn’t owe us understanding or sympathy. We owe it to ourselves to take action, to keep moving forward despite the tough experiences we’ve had.

In the end, it’s our response to the past that shapes our future. The moment we take ownership of our actions and choices, that’s when we gain real power. It’s easy to point fingers, to say “this happened to me,” but the only time we truly gain control is when we say, “This is on me.” It’s not about dismissing our pain and suffering — it’s about refusing to let it define us.

Why This Ethical AI Vision Matters to Me

I want to build an AI that doesn’t just “get things done” — it should help us live lives we’re proud of. Proven Success’ ethical AI is my way of helping people understand what they really want (and don’t want) in life and build the skills to reach those goals. This isn’t about success defined by fame or fortune but about the relationships we build, the problems we solve, and the lives we positively impact.

Imagine a world where schools teach real-world skills instead of theoretical stuff. A world where companies value employee well-being and growth instead of just working hard aimlessly. Workplaces where we look forward to working because they truly improve our quality of life. With ethical AI, we’d build stronger, more genuine relationships, working together on goals that match our values and dreams.

For me, it comes down to this: I believe we’re here to work toward something bigger than ourselves. That’s the kind of world I feel that we all want — a world where we wake up each day excited for the future, surrounded by people and technology that push us to be better. With less politics, less violence, less crimes, less bad problems. I believe ethical AI can help us build that.

-----

Read more about what we’re building here: https://use.provensuccess.co/

I’m finding a co-founder to handle tech development.

If you’re interested in growing a business from zero to trillions, care deeply about personal growth, love building AI, used to doing hard work, and have very big goals…

If you’re constantly thinking,

𝑰 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒎𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒍𝒅 𝒃𝒆𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒓, 𝒇𝒂𝒔𝒕!

message me on LinkedIn,

Ray

Use Growth AI.

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Applied Vertical AI is the Path Forward

By Ray Dela Rama
October 25, 2024
15 minute read

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is changing how we live and work. But not all AI is made the same. Some types of AI make a much bigger impact, especially applied vertical AI — the kind that's built to solve specific problems for certain industries or tasks. It’s like having a tool designed just for the job you're working on. It speeds things up, saves time, and makes it easier to achieve your goals.

I believe what most people want is to just simply live a good life and have lasting happiness. With the way things are advancing with AI now, that kind of future is well within reach. I can see a future where AI can become your genuine friend who truly understands you and supports you in getting your ultimate goal in life.

Proven Success is committed to applied vertical AI. I’ll outline why I believe this kind of AI has the potential to benefit everyone — employees, businesses, investors, and even the world — and therefore a platform that will be around for the long term.

How Applied Vertical AI Helps Employees Like Us

Time is one of the most valuable things we have, right? Whether we're in an office, working remotely, or on vacation, it always feels like there aren’t enough hours in the day. That’s why applied vertical AI matters—it can take over repetitive tasks, guide us with clear steps to achieve goals, and help avoid mistakes that slow us down.

Think of it like having a personal consultant who knows exactly what tools and steps you need to fix a problem. It does the boring, heavy stuff so you can focus on the more important parts of your work. By giving you more time, cutting down unnecessary effort, and setting you up for success, applied vertical AI makes your workday smoother and more satisfying. It’s like having a coach and an assistant at your side.

With Proven Success AI, this goes even further. It's not just about doing tasks—it's about helping you grow personally and professionally. It helps us build skills faster, so we can be more productive and get closer to the things we really want—like a promotion, a better balance between work and life, or just feeling less stressed at work.

When I was working in corporate and as a freelancer, I didn’t quite understand the purpose of why I’m doing what I’m doing. Sure, I get a salary to pay bills and have some saved for the future. But there’s this feeling of emptiness inside of me. I was constantly thinking, “Is this it? Is this what I’m going to do for the rest of my life?” I’d work extra hours on evenings and on weekends just so that I could earn more money.

Needless to say, I got burned out four times in three years. I didn’t exactly know what the definition of burnout was back then – which is probably the reason why I could not solve that problem. Recently, I understood that the definition of burnout is doing something for an extended period of time without getting any significant reward in return.

When I thought about it, why am I getting burnt out if I’m getting more than enough money to support my living? By further analyzing it, it’s not the money that’s the reward I was looking for. It’s the praise, recognition, and enjoyment of working with great teammates. All of the companies I worked with didn’t give me any of those.

One thing I wished I knew 10 years ago was how to know what I want to do with my life – and which companies are the best fit for me to work with based on that. You know that cringey thing people say… “When you love your work, you won’t feel like working” – even though you’re literally working 60-100 hours per week. I think what they mean by that is even though you’re working very hard, you get to enjoy it because of the people you work with.

And when you find that kind of work, you’ll see yourself giving as much discretionary effort with work as with going on a trip to an exciting place or playing video games. I believe that’s how every workplace should feel like. That’s one of the features we’re working on in Proven Success.

How Applied Vertical AI Helps Businesses Grow

If you’re a business owner, leader, or even just curious about how businesses run, you know it’s all about working hard and smart. Businesses are always trying to improve efficiency and profits while keeping costs down. Applied vertical AI fits right into this goal—it helps companies run smoother and get better results with fewer errors.

Picture this: you’ve got a vertical AI system that looks at your business’s data and gives you clear, step-by-step plans to increase productivity and employee happiness. It helps you cut down wasted time, make less mistakes, and hit your growth targets with more precision.

That’s where Proven Success AI comes in. It offers tailored, industry-specific solutions that match what you want to achieve. Whether it's boosting team performance, keeping more customers, or driving innovation, this AI gives you clear, actionable steps to make it happen faster than you thought possible.

Many believe great products or big funding drive business growth. While that’s partly true, it’s the team — the people working every day to make things happen — who truly drives success.

It’s hard managing 10 people, let alone 10,000 people. It’s like having 10,000 babies ready to cry into oblivion because they’re not being attended to properly. Just like having a child is an obligation, hiring employees is an obligation too. Yes, you already approved them because of their qualifications and they understood what they need to do based on the job description… but it doesn’t mean you leave them hanging with a pile of work and zero accountability after that. We need to make sure that they can stand up and walk straight before we expect them to run at full speed by themselves.

Imagine having an AI assistant that helps you manage 10,000 employees and gives you an overview of which departments need immediate attention. You get insights on the specific problems and clear, actionable steps on the best course of action to solve them. How much headspace would that save you? How much time would that save you from meetings? How much more likely would you hit your target quarterly and yearly goals? And most importantly, how many of your employees would say that they genuinely love working at your company?

How Applied Vertical AI Is a Win for Investors

Investors want to see results, and most want to see them fast. Applied vertical AI gives companies a powerful way to deliver measurable results quickly and scale their operations efficiently. This means investors can expect faster returns with lower risks.

For venture capitalists, businesses using vertical AI are especially attractive because they’re able to solve specific industry problems quickly, which makes them more valuable, faster. By lowering operational costs and increasing success rates, these businesses are positioned for rapid growth.

If you’re playing the long game, Proven Success AI could be a game-changer. It’s set to revolutionize business and career growth by offering scalable solutions to huge global problems like mental health, productivity, and worker efficiency. These are multi-trillion-dollar markets, making this a high-reward opportunity.

Imagine turning average achievers into hungry overachievers with a deep-rooted need to win. Imagine having the playbook of replicating success at a very high rate and giving that to the companies you support — they can access it 24/7, get your valuable insights on the go, and implement them to their business immediately.

How much joy and fulfillment would you get knowing that your partner has the motivation to go through tough times, the power to achieve their greatest goals, and actually see them get to that reality?

How Applied Vertical AI Can Make the World Better, Fast

I believe that applied vertical AI is necessary for a positive AI future. It can boost human productivity, creativity, and overall quality of life, while speeding up economic growth and pushing forward medical and scientific research. Applied vertical AI focuses on solving specific problems for different industries and people, making sure that everyone can benefit from it, and not just a few big companies. By making AI specialized and tailored to different areas, it can be used more widely and effectively in ways that positively impact people in their everyday lives.

There are discussions about whether applied AI is safe for everyone, and I believe that applied vertical AI can be safer than Artificial General Intelligence (AGI). Why? Because it is designed with a clear purpose and focuses on certain fields or tasks. When it’s built for one thing, there’s less chance it will cause problems by accident. Imagine a robot designed only to help doctors—it won’t suddenly give advice outside of medicine. Vertical AI means being more focused, which naturally leads to better control and safer use.

When we think about AI safety, we need to think about two types of risks: unintentional and intentional harm. Unintentional harm is when the AI makes a mistake that no one planned for, like accidentally giving wrong instructions in a critical situation. Intentional harm, on the other hand, happens when someone deliberately uses AI to cause trouble. Vertical AI can reduce unintentional harm because it stays within its trained boundaries—like AI that only focuses on helping businesses grow won’t start suggesting medical advice.

Most worries people have about AI relate to unintentional harm, like what happens when billions of people use AI in their daily lives. By focusing AI on certain industries, we can make sure it's more transparent and accountable. It’s like having a clear manual for each AI tool. When AI is more specialized, people can understand its strengths and weaknesses, leading to better safety overall. Open conversations about its safety and how it works can ensure that these systems don’t surprise us with unexpected behavior.

When it comes to intentional harm, it’s also easier to manage with applied vertical AI because bad actors are less likely to misuse an AI that’s designed for a specific industry or task. Think about it this way: if AI is built to help companies train employees, it’s not as easy for someone to use that AI for harmful purposes outside of its focus.

Now, some might worry that countries with lots of resources, like China, might try to use AI to gain an upper hand. But here’s where having vertical AI that’s open and used by everyone makes a difference. If AI is available to more companies, schools, and individuals around the world, it will be harder for just a few powerful countries or businesses to control it. This means countries like the U.S. can maintain their edge through open and decentralized innovation. By spreading vertical AI widely, we can make sure that it becomes a tool for progress, not just a tool for a few powerful players.

If we look at history, the biggest tech companies and advancements today were built using open systems. Think about how many companies use open software to create new apps, services, and products. The same can happen with applied vertical AI. Startups, universities, and people in places that don’t have the resources to create advanced AI from scratch can all benefit from it. By building AI that’s specific and helpful for different industries, we unlock new opportunities for everyone, not just the big players.

The bottom line is that applied vertical AI is our best shot at using this technology to create a better, safer, and more prosperous future for everyone. When we make it open and accessible, we ensure that its benefits can be spread widely, creating great economic opportunities and safety for everyone.

Let’s Build This Future Together

The future of applied vertical AI isn’t just about tech—it's about improving our lives, making businesses stronger, and solving global challenges more efficiently. At Proven Success AI, we're committed to helping people and organizations achieve their goals faster, with less effort and sacrifice, and with a greater chance of success.

Together, we can create a future where no one has to unwillingly trade their well-being for success. A world where employees are much happier, businesses run smarter, investors see better returns, and we tackle global problems with precision.

Let’s make that world a reality, side by side.

By embracing applied vertical AI, we can all save time, reduce stress, and achieve our dreams faster. Proven Success AI is here to help me, you, your business, and the world get there.

Read more about what we’re building here: https://use.provensuccess.co/

I’m finding a co-founder to handle tech development.

If you’re interested in growing a business from zero to trillions, care deeply about personal growth, love building AI, used to doing hard work, and have very big goals…

If you’re constantly thinking,

𝑰 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒎𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒍𝒅 𝒃𝒆𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒓, 𝒇𝒂𝒔𝒕!

message me on LinkedIn,

Ray

Use Growth AI.

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Proven Success White Paper

By Ray Dela Rama
Published Oct 3, 2024
Updated Nov 5, 2024
10 minute read

People have different definitions of "success".

For me, it's doing the things I love with the people I love, without any limitations.

I believe people want maximal autonomy and flexibility to do work that interests them.

All while having a great work environment and a salary that's more than enough for living.

But these kinds of conditions are rarely seen in today's society.

It's about time we solve this. Right?

Purpose

Your Proactive Business and Career Growth Platform

With Growth AI, you can plan tasks smarter, manage people better, and build the happy, successful life YOU want — all while being private and secure.

Use it for higher productivity, more revenue, bigger profits, and happier people!

Problem

Mental health issues and declining productivity are silently destroying the performance of teams in businesses. Poor mental health would cost the global economy $16 trillion by 2030. In the U.S. alone, about 1 in 5 adults face mental health challenges each year, affecting their focus, decision-making, and productivity. This leads to disengagement, burnout, and reduced performance.

If we focus on U.S. businesses, mental health inequities will cost them around $14 trillion by 2040. That equates to a cost to society of roughly US$42,000 per person living in the United States.

Knowing this, about 20% of new U.S. businesses fail in the first year, 50% by the fifth year, and 65% within 10 years. Globally, business failure rate is estimated to be 20-30% in the 1st year, 50-60% by the 5th year, and 70-80% within 10 years.

The biggest reason why businesses fail is often mismanagement or lack of proper planning. These are the same problems with growing a business. And this highlights a common factor: the people. From executives and directors to managers and team members who carry out daily operations, every level plays a crucial role in a company’s success or failure.

Despite efforts like wellness programs, skills training and coaching, many of these fail to offer the personalization and simplicity needed for fast-paced environments. They fail to provide high quality information and clear, actionable steps to achieve people's goals. Furthermore, existing solutions are not scalable to support the billions of people worldwide who want to improve their lives.

Solution

Productivity and mental health issues like anxiety, depression, and stress are all caused by behaviors — which are skills that can be learned and unlearned.

One big skill that a lot of people need is the skill to communicate properly. This includes setting right expectations, having hard conversations, giving and getting pure honest feedback, among others. We aren't even taught this in schools and in workplaces.

Our AI makes the right skills that people need based on their problem. It gives clear, actionable steps they need to do to achieve real success that directly improve their lives.

Another key feature is giving motivation through rewards by linking daily actions to long-term goals. This would give them more focus and better control of achieving their goals much faster.

What makes us unique is our AI's ability to evolve with user feedback. It tracks progress, adjusts in real-time, and acts like a personal coach, constantly optimizing the user's path to success.

Apart from having happier people working hard, companies would see higher work output, better work quality, and bigger profits.

Over time, this tool becomes a hub for real personal growth knowledge, evolving alongside users and adapting to global trends. With its continuous learning, it remains a long-lasting, go-to solution for personalized self-improvement, at scale.

Why is this important?

Many people across the world believe that a "good life" can be found with fame and fortune.

However, studies show that as many western countries, including the US, have become wealthier, general happiness levels have decreased. $75,000 a year average household income is the level at which happiness seems to peak — the level at which the basic economic needs of food, housing, healthcare, child support, etc. can be met. When people’s annual income became higher than that sum, their happiness levels didn’t go up much. The difference between $75,000 and $75 million was hardly significant.

An 85-year-old Harvard study on adult development found that the people who stayed healthiest and lived longest were the people who had the strongest connections to others. The warmth of these connections had a direct positive impact on their health and well-being. Good relationships meant participants were less likely to develop heart disease, diabetes, or arthritis. Broader social networks and more social activity resulted in later onset and slower rates of cognitive decline.

But many people still don't know these facts and continue to tread their life towards the wrong direction, thinking they were going in the right direction, only to find regret later in their life.

Proven Success' main purpose and goal is to make real business and career growth knowledge available to everyone. We'll give people the power to develop the skills they need that directly improve their lives. And I believe AI can help us make this happen faster than we’ve ever seen before. Getting it to scale is actually the thing that truly matters.

People in countries having better lives than the margin – that will not change the world. Empowering billions of people will change the world.

Read more on why we're making an Ethical Growth AI platform.

Why now?

The rise of advanced technology and urgent mental health challenges makes this the ideal time.

* AI's maturity: AI can now provide personalized, scalable solutions that weren't possible before, making it perfect for industries like mental health, productivity, and well-being.

* Mental health crisis: The pandemic highlighted severe mental health issues, and current solutions aren't scalable or personalized enough. Depression is projected to become the leading disability cause by 2030.

* Workplace shift: Remote and hybrid work environments have increased stress and burnout, especially among high achievers. Companies need better tools to manage well-being and performance.

* Demand for personalization: Consumers expect tailored experiences, and AI is finally capable of delivering personalized guidance at scale.

* Growing AI market: The AI market is projected to go from $600 billion in 2024 to $2.7 trillion by 2032. Now is the time to tap into this growing sector with solutions that address mental health, productivity, and well-being.

By acting now, Proven Success is positioned to lead the AI growth revolution.

We don't want to miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Vision

If all goes well, this is what will be built in the coming years.

* 5 Years: Serving 100 million people, providing the go-to source for real personal growth knowledge. Starting with simplifying the complex process of growing a business.

* 10 Years: Expanding to 1 billion people, with established systems for building great relationships with yourself and others, and solving the mental health and productivity issues of people for good.

* 20 Years: Surpassing 50% of world population, solidifying mental growth knowledge and creating a major positive global impact.

* 50+ Years: Serving 99% of world population, driving improvements in health, mindset, relationships, career, education, and the environment.

We'll be leading advancements and innovations in technology. Promoting equal opportunities for the betterment of humanity.

We envision a world where everyone has quick access to high quality information that's proven to work with high amounts of success.

We have a tool that gives us the motivation to work on our goals and the power to achieve them.

Creativity in solving problems for good will be the one that sets you apart.

About the Founder

Ray Dela Rama - Grew up in a low-income family and dreamed of having an extravagant happy life since I was 7 years old. Struggled for 20 years to find my answer to a “life worth living”.

Understood real business management, operations, strategy and growth from Acquisition.com, Sequoia Capital, Y Combinator, Elon Musk, Paul Graham, Jessica Livingston, Jensen Huang, Alex Hormozi, Leila Hormozi, among others.

Now building a business that would help people find their own answer to a “life worth living” and “work worth working” in significantly less time than it took me to.

Founder's Notes

I'm finding rockstar co-founders to handle tech development.

If you have big goals and strong work ethic, you might be a good fit.
Plus, if you care deeply about personal growth and well-being, you might be a perfect fit.

Big goals that have a positive impact to billions of people.
Strong work ethic that's focused on getting the work done, enjoying hard challenges, and driving growth to constantly improve.

Core values I care most about with people I work with:
Competitive Greatness
Be at your best when your best is needed. Enjoyment of a hard challenge. Those who have the drive to constantly improve, the superior intellect and long-term commitment to see incremental improvements become compounding returns.

Sincere Candor
Have the self-awareness to accurately perceive and communicate hard truths that improve others & self, the courage to do so, and the humility to accept them, even when it hurts. Nothing great can be built without feedback: internally or externally.

Unimpeachable Character
Be the type of person with whom people are always proud to associate, personally and professionally. We look for true alignment of thoughts, words, and actions towards a goal worth pursuing.

***Note that this is a long-term project. If you're not focused and committed to work on a project with a big vision and strong positive brand, you're not the right co-founder for this.

Expect to dedicate at least 10 years to build this...
Expect that this will be the hardest times of your life...
But it'll be super worth it, not only for you but for your future generation too.

If you're constantly thinking...

𝑰 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒎𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒍𝒅 𝒃𝒆𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒓, 𝒇𝒂𝒔𝒕!

Message me on LinkedIn to know more about what exactly we are building and about the business plan.

Use Growth AI.

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About the Founder

By Ray Dela Rama
Published Oct 31, 2024

What is your life story and how have your experiences shaped your values?

I grew up in a low-income family with limited opportunities and have always dreamed of having an extravagant happy life. But it took me 20+ long years and overcame 5 adversities to understand how the real world works.

I worked 4 jobs in big and small companies and realized that many leaders find it hard to show people how to work together and follow shared values. This leads to mental health and productivity issues for people, and lower rate of growth, revenue, and profits for businesses.

I spent 4000+ hours understanding real business growth, operations, management, and strategy from Alex and Leila Hormozi of Acquisition.com, and several other key figures like Y Combinator, Sequoia Capital, Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, Jensen Huang, Paul Graham, and Jessica Livingston, among others.

From them, I learned that anyone can achieve ANYTHING.

The three biggest predictors of reaching a goal FAST:

- Focus: How much you say "no"; The more you say no, the more you can focus on what really matters.- Priority: What comes FIRST; Being okay with saying no because something is more important right now.- Output: volume x leverage; How many times you do the thing x how much impact you get from it each time.Meaning: Focus on the single most important thing that moves you towards your goal. The more you do it, the better and faster you’ll get to your goal.I believe what most people want is to simply live a happy successful life. Each of us has our own definition of success. For me, it’s doing the things I love with the people I love, without any limitations.People want maximal autonomy and flexibility to do work that interests them. All while having a great work environment and a salary that's more than enough for living. But these kinds of conditions are rarely seen in today's society. It's about time we solve this. Right?You can go through this quick-read page on how we’re solving it: https://use.provensuccess.co/

Why do you want to do this startup? What are your personal goals here, both financial and non-financial?

Real-world problem I’m solving: mental health and productivity issues of billions of people, costing tens of trillions of dollars annually worldwide.

Most current solutions are mere band-aids, not true cures.

My ultimate career goal is to build a trillion-dollar business within 20 years or less, where people genuinely enjoy working together towards a big vision.

My ultimate personal goal is to do the things I love with the people I love, free from any limitations.

Personally, I have a huge goal of owning $100 billion. But honestly, the real value in that goal is less about the money itself and more about what comes with it—the chance to connect with people who genuinely care about making the world better for everyone, not just the rich. When you have money, the right knowledge, and the right connections, you’re in a position to actually do something meaningful, especially for those who need it most.

This is similar to what Elon Musk is doing in his own way, but I think his mission, while impressive, is too removed from what’s impacting us right here, right now. His ultimate goal is to help humans live on other planets to preserve consciousness, and I think that’s incredible and that he might even pull it off.

I also believe that the biggest threat to humanity is ourselves. All the global challenges we’re facing, like corruption, global conflicts & violence, mental health crises, inequities, and even issues like climate change, come down to human behavior. And behaviors are skills that we can learn and unlearn. If more people have the knowledge and clarity to understand what they really want and don’t want, and have the tools and motivation to achieve their goals, we’d see a massive shift.

That’s why Proven Success exists.

I'm on a big mission to make real business and career growth knowledge accessible to everyone — no fluff, just what truly works.

My vision is to empower people to achieve meaningful success in life and work.

And I believe AI can help us make this happen faster than we’ve ever seen before. Getting it to scale is actually the thing that truly matters.

If you understand that
- it's EXTREMELY HARD to build a business
- you need to trade a lot of your time, effort, and resources to make a successful business of high standards
- you can achieve ANYTHING by not quitting...

Let's work together to make the world a positively better place to live in.

People in countries having better lives than the margin – that will not change the world.

Empowering billions of people will change the world.

What are companies, founders, or products you really admire - especially ones that you want to model this company after?

My very first key influences in terms of business and personal growth are Alex Hormozi and Leila Hormozi from Acquisition.com.

They totally changed the course of my life for the better.

I personally spent 4000+ hours understanding real business growth from them that isn’t taught in schools or in workplaces.

I love how they both started from zero and now worth billions.

They’re sharing valuable mistakes they’ve made along the way. And most importantly, they’re showing that success can be achieved by anyone, no matter what background or circumstances you have.

From them, I discovered Y Combinator and Sequoia Capital which I believe are the top best VC firms in the world.

Then I also got exposed to learnings from Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, Paul Graham, Jessica Livingston, and Jensen Huang, among others.

These people and companies are what makes me who I am now and who I want to be in the future. They are very great models for any person or company.

What’s more important too is that founders and co-founders should stay true to their values and how they want to run their business.

What were your experiences like at your past jobs or past startups? What did you like and not like about how the companies were run? What lessons did you take away?

I worked 4 jobs in 3 years. But I didn’t quite understand the purpose of why I’m doing what I’m doing. Sure, I get a salary to pay bills and have some saved for the future. But there’s this feeling of emptiness inside me.

I was constantly thinking,

“Is this it? Is this what I’m going to do for the rest of my life?”

I’d work extra hours on evenings and on weekends just so that I could earn more money.

Needless to say, I burned out. I didn’t exactly know what the definition of burnout was back then – which is probably the reason why I could not solve that problem. Recently, I understood that the definition of burnout is doing something for an extended period of time without getting any significant reward in return.

When I thought about it, why am I getting burnt out if I’m getting more than enough money to support my living?

By further analyzing it, it’s not the money that’s the reward I was looking for.

It’s the praise, recognition, and enjoyment of working with great teammates.

All of the companies I worked with didn’t give me any of those.

One thing I wished I knew 10 years ago was how to know what I want to do with my life – and which companies are the best fit for me to work with based on that. You know that cringey thing people say… “When you love your work, you won’t feel like working” – even though you’re literally working 60-100 hours per week. I think what they mean by that is even though you’re working very hard, you get to enjoy it because of the people you work with.

And when you find that kind of workplace, you’ll see yourself giving as much discretionary effort with work as with going on a trip to an exciting place or playing video games. I believe that’s how every workplace should feel like. That’s one of the features we’ll be working on in Proven Success.

Another big problem that affects business growth and employee happiness is proper communication. If businesses set the right expectations, have hard conversations, give pure honest feedback, and are transparent with their employees, these would greatly positively impact growth, profit, happiness, productivity, work output and work quality.

The biggest lesson I understood is that most leaders don’t know how to teach culture and values to people. And this leads to mental health and productivity issues - which cost tens of trillions of dollars globally. We spend most our lives working. So, the best way to solve this at scale is to help founder-led businesses make more money while having a happy team that believes in their vision and works hard to achieve it. This will have a positive ripple effect which will eventually lead to making the world a better place.

How would your friends or colleagues describe your strengths and weaknesses?

They would describe my strength as being relentlessly resourceful – finding ways to make something work.

They would describe my weakness as being overly pessimistic – always thinking of the worst possible outcome or consequence of an action.

I’ve learned from my mentors to reframe my weaknesses as an opportunity to become better. It’s not something that should hold me back, but rather something that gives me the opportunity to grow.

What are you proud of having accomplished (can be work-related or not)?

I’m most proud of becoming self-aware of the things I really want and don’t want in this stage of my life.

I’m also proud of realizing that the vast majority of schools and businesses now are hurting the quality of life of people in the long term.

They're suppressing people's potential rather than growing and maximizing them.

What do you do with your free time? What are your hobbies and interests?

I weightlift 5 times a week.

I love eating good food.

Other than that, I spend all my time working now – and plan to relax and travel around the world when the right opportunity comes.

What kind of work is so fun for you it doesn’t feel like work? What kind of work do you avoid doing?

Doing deep research, handling data, computing simple math that equates to big outcomes are so fun for me. The most fun part is getting better or achieving the outcomes I want. This way, I understood to just do the hard work even though I don’t like it because all of it would lead me to my ultimate goal in life.

The kind of work I avoid doing is anything that does not make me who I am/who I want to be or anything that makes me not stick to my values. This includes being around people who don't understand my goals and don't support them.

What are your long-term goals in life? What is your overall life-plan and how does this business fit into it?

My ultimate career goal is to build a trillion-dollar business within 20 years or less, where people genuinely enjoy working together towards a big vision. I want to lead smart, talented people. I want to see them succeed in both life and work.

My long-term personal goal is to do the things I love with the people I love, without any limitations.

My overall life goal is to positively change the world by empowering people to solve real-world problems at their core – not just band-aids, but true cures.

I believe Proven Success has the potential to help solve all the trillion-dollar problems in the world for good. We will also fast-track innovation and advance our society like crazy. Most importantly, it will be the first one that will really make the world a better place to live in.

This business fits into my ultimate goal which is to do the things I love with the people I love, without any limitations.

When you feel stressed, do you tend to want to talk about what’s going on or avoid talking about it?

I always want to talk about the issue. And I understood that different scenarios with different levels of stress are handled in different ways. We can exchange text messages if it’s too big of an issue that we might hurt each other when speaking face to face. If it’s not too big of an issue, speaking face to face is best.

What environment do you work best in? What can we do to help you create it?

I love working in an environment full of smart, talented, and hardworking people who believe in the vision of the business.

An environment where people have the resources they need to give a lot of discretionary effort to their work.

Somewhere that’s filled with people who want to grow personally and professionally in the fastest possible way.

A place where people are always coming up with creative ways to make things better.

The best you can do to help is to advertise how our business would benefit everyone – employees, investors, businesses, and the world.

I wrote an article about it here: Applied Vertical AI is the Path Forward

Are there pressures in your life that you’re dealing with now?

As of November 2024, the biggest issue I’m concerned about right now is getting visa sponsorship to work and build the business in the United States. I already researched what I need to do. Only thing left is to make it happen.

Use Growth AI.

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