Scam Victim Recovery Insights
From the SCARS Institute
Radical Truth (Honesty) and Extreme Ownership
A SCARS Institute Scam Victim Recovery Insight
Many of you have heard us use the phrase “Radical Truth” or “Radical Honesty” in our work and in how we educate and prepare you for your recovery. Some of you understand precisely what this means, while others may still be finding their footing with the concept.
Today, we are introducing a new phrase to our lexicon: “Extreme Ownership.”
Chances are, many of you “seasoned survivors” are already practicing this principle without even realizing it. Soon, you will learn its full meaning and strength. If you are one of those who already lives by this code, you are a true champion, a Thriver, not just a survivor.
The process of recovery is extraordinarily hard, but it is made infinitely harder by your own brain. Your brain’s primary function is to protect you from suffering, so it actively resists the very work that is difficult and can result in temporary pain. But here is the fundamental truth: without that pain, there can be no healing. Growth lives on the other side of discomfort.
Too many people engage in a constant stream of excuses for why they cannot take the next step. This is a direct manifestation of your brain’s resistance and its sophisticated avoidance defense mechanisms. Excuses are a shield, but they do not help you recover. Only Radical Truth (Honesty) can do that.
It is perfectly acceptable to say that you just can’t do something right now. You are injured. The injury is the reason, and the scam caused the injury. That is all that needs to be said. When you are able, you will do it if you are committed. If you are not committed, then you will not. It is not complicated.
Extreme Ownership was not invented by the SCARS Institute, but we have adapted it as a critical tool to dismantle the habit of excuse-making that so often paralyzes recovery action. It is the antidote to the brain’s instinct to flee from the hard work that leads to freedom.
We will be publishing a new article that explores this concept in depth soon. However, this is not a passive principle. It demands active engagement. It requires you to look in the mirror and own every choice, every hesitation, and every commitment without blaming your circumstances, your past, or your feelings. It is the recognition that while you did not choose to be victimized, you alone must choose to recover.
This is the path forward. This is the ‘Yellow Brick Road’. This is the way out of the cycle of avoidance and into a life of deliberate action and lasting healing. The choice, as always, is yours.
Prof. Tim McGuinness, Ph.D.
February 2026
This is but one component, one piece of the puzzle …
Understanding how the human mind is manipulated and controlled involves recognizing that the tactics employed by deceivers are multifaceted and complex. This information is just one aspect of a broader spectrum of vulnerabilities, tendencies, and techniques that permit us to be influenced and deceived. To grasp the full extent of how our minds can be influenced, it is essential to examine all the various processes and functions of our brains and minds, methods and strategies used the criminals, and our psychological tendencies (such as cognitive biases) that enable deception. Each part contributes to a larger puzzle, revealing how our perceptions and decisions can be subtly swayed. By appreciating the diverse ways in which manipulation occurs, we gain a more comprehensive understanding of the challenges we face in avoiding deception in its many forms.
“Thufir Hawat: Now, remember, the first step in avoiding a *trap* – is knowing of its existence.” — DUNE
“If you can fully understand your own mind, you can avoid any deception!” — Tim McGuinness, Ph.D.
“The essence of bravery is being without self-deception.” — Pema Chödrön
