The story behind the co-founder & CEO of Nuoptimal, Mau Pan.

Throughout my life, I’ve always been addicted to something. As an adolescent, it was countless hours of video games; as a young adult, came college with the partying—and thereafter drugs.

On a daily basis, I was taking every drug imaginable—illicit drugs, alcohol and even obscure research chemicals. This eventually led to a downward spiral of insecurity, reckless behavior, and a constant need for instant gratification.

After a series of near-death experiences and witnessing my friend pass away on my own bed from a drug overdose, life came to a screeching halt. I realized how those 3 years of self-indulgence were leading me towards self-destruction. I knew something had to change.

I experienced a moment of clarity that I hadn’t before.

I knew I had an addictive personality, for better and for worse. Whenever I got into a new hobby or interest, I would fully immerse myself into it. I would seek to know everything there was to know about whatever I was focused on at that time.

This was true with my drug addictions, where I went deep into the world of psychoactive substances. When I wasn’t using drugs, I was constantly researching to learn everything about them. I went in-depth—how they interacted with the mind and body, the short and long-term physiological effects on neurological pathways.

How could I channel this addictive personality into something that would give my life meaning, or better yet, provide value to other peoples’ lives as well? 

To meaningfully impact this Earth, one must become the best version of oneself.

This mantra eventually became the north star of my life, to upgrade four integral parts of the human experience—body, mind, heart, and soul.

I tapered off the harmful drug addictions, and transferred that energy to explore and study nootropics, supplements that enhance cognition. From there, my journey into the world of self-optimization began.

At first, my brain was in complete haywire. My neurotransmitters—the brain’s chemical messengers—were dysfunctional from the years of drug abuse.

The social anxiety I used drugs to mask came back tenfold, my thinking was cloudy, and I could barely focus on a single task for more than a few minutes at a time.

What could I do to heal all the damage that I had done? I knew I had to relentlessly pursue a better life. I embarked on a quest to find the perfect nootropic stack (combination of nootropic supplements) to repair my brain coupled with a disciplined routine of self-optimization tactics.

I dove deep. Anything that improved life, I made into a habit. Cold showers, random acts of kindness, reading a book a week, a ketogenic diet, 30-day comfort zone challenges, daily meditation routines—you name it, I’ve tried it.

Through a combination of good habits (many of which are now the core of our 8 branches of an upgraded life), consistently experimenting with and taking nootropic supplements, and maximizing the hours in my day, my life completely transformed.

My memory started to come back. I could focus for longer periods of time. I developed a disciplined drive to accomplish things. For the first time in ages, I felt fulfilled, productive, and sociable in my daily life. 

Over the next half-decade, I did what I thought would have never been possible while I was in my drug-addicted state.

I co-founded businesses in the blockchain, augmented reality, and social media space, learned to play piano pieces at the associate diploma level, went from barely being able to lift a barbell to deadlifting 500 lbs, and truly experienced the possibilities that could unfold when choosing to upgrade all aspects of your life.

It’s been an incredible journey filled with joyful experiences and an ever-increasing wealth of knowledge. But I didn’t want to use everything I’ve gained only for myself.

The whole point of human existence is not only to improve ourselves, but to also share our knowledge and life experiences with society so we can all collectively grow as one.

We are here to empower one another to be our best selves. If we all collectively work towards becoming better—not only as individuals, but as a community—that is how humanity will truly evolve.

And from that philosophy, Nuoptimal was born. 

Human potential is nearly limitless. There’s always the opportunity for us to be better—to transcend our self-imposed limits. And ultimately, to fulfill our life’s purpose, we must become our best self.

That’s why we call it Nuoptimal. No matter where you are in life, you have the opportunity to become a more optimal version of yourself.

We provide you with the tools and knowledge to empower your peak human potential, but it’s up to you to put in the work.

It’s time for you to create your optimal life.

Welcome to the Nu You.

Mau Pan

CEO, Nuoptimal