Story & Lesson Highlights with Aleksandr Mishustov of Hawthorne

We recently had the chance to connect with Aleksandr Mishustov and have shared our conversation below.

Aleksandr, a huge thanks to you for investing the time to share your wisdom with those who are seeking it. We think it’s so important for us to share stories with our neighbors, friends and community because knowledge multiples when we share with each other. Let’s jump in: Who are you learning from right now?
I’ve recently been deeply inspired by the words of Neale Walsch in “Conversations with God.”
He says that we didn’t come into this life to learn, but to remember.

We came here to remember.

And we remember different things – who we are, and who we are not.
Both are equally important for understanding ourselves, our principles, and our foundation.
Every experience we go through reflects either our true intentions or the lack of them.
Either way, it sheds light on whether we’re moving in the right direction or not.

So perhaps we don’t really learn – we remember.
Because before we came into this world, we already knew everything we needed to know.
We had a kind of blueprint, an inner instruction manual for our own being.
But once we start interacting with the Matrix, we forget our true motives and our authentic path.
We follow society’s expectations, adopt false values, fears, and illusions.
And the rest of our journey becomes the process of remembering – remembering who we truly are and who we are not.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Alexander Mishustov – Musician, Educator & Creative Storyteller

Born and raised in Moscow, I’ve spent over two decades on stage and in studios, living and breathing music. My journey began with Russian rock bands like The Sun and Jack Action, later evolving into my U.S.-based project Chase the Comet, which I co-founded with my wife and vocalist, Nika Comet. After moving to Los Angeles in 2016, we toured nationally across the U.S., opening for acts from CKY to Yngwie Malmsteen, and performing at festivals including Burning Man 2024.

Alongside my music career, I’ve built a multifaceted creative life as a teacher, video editor, and blogger. I teach guitar, drums, and music performance at School of Rock Palos Verdes, where I’ve had the honor of working with incredibly talented young musicians – including Lila Bennington, daughter of Chester Bennington.

As a video editor and content creator, I collaborate with brands, artists, and businesses, crafting visually powerful stories – from cinematic music videos to viral social campaigns.

In the Russian-language creative space, I’m also known as Дед Кишовед (Ded Kishoved) – a music blogger and storyteller with over 100 million YouTube views, where I dive into the philosophy, humor, and human depth of rock culture.

What connects all these worlds – teaching, performing, editing, blogging – is one simple truth: I create to connect. Whether through a riff, a video frame, or a life story, my goal has always been the same – to move people and remind them of what’s real.

Okay, so here’s a deep one: Who were you before the world told you who you had to be?
The world never told me who I had to be. I always chose my own path.
I was inspired by music, by bands, by individual artists who made me feel something real.

But before I became a musician, I saw my future in professional football – or soccer, as they call it here.
I played seriously, lived and breathed the sport.
At some point, though, my interests shifted toward music.

I still love football to this day – I watch games, play FIFA on PlayStation – but because of several knee injuries and surgeries, I don’t play anymore, although I wish I could.

What fear has held you back the most in your life?
That’s a very interesting and philosophical question.
The longer I live, the more I realize that fear isn’t really an obstacle or an enemy that deprives you of something meaningful. Fear is actually your ally – your friend.

It’s like a fuse in a car or a warning light on the dashboard telling you that you’re low on fuel or need to change the oil. It’s a signal – a reminder.
And we should actually be grateful for that signal.

Fear is simply a lack of knowledge. We fear what we don’t understand.
But once we bring awareness and light to it – once we “turn on the light in that dark room” – it stops being scary.

Some fears need to be worked through – with self-reflection, or with a therapist.
But overall, fear isn’t something to fight. It’s something to listen to.

It tells you exactly where your growth is waiting.

Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. What do you believe is true but cannot prove?
To prove something, there first needs to be someone I’d want to prove it to.
But there isn’t such a person in my life – no one before whom I feel the need to justify or validate what I believe in.
There’s only me.

If I believe in something, I don’t always need evidence.
And if someone around me doesn’t share that belief – what difference does it make?
What role does it play in my life? Absolutely none.

So for me, things that need “proof” simply don’t exist.
If I believe in something, I believe intuitively – deeply, sincerely – and it starts working for me.
One way or another.

Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: If you laid down your name, role, and possessions—what would remain?
That’s another really profound question.
It’s something I actually had to face in my own life not long ago – the need to stop identifying myself with what I do.

For years, I saw myself as a musician – and naturally, my value was tied to my achievements, my highlights, the shows I played, the records I released, how many copies I sold.
But that’s one of the greatest illusions of the Matrix – the illusion that our worth comes from what we accomplish.

Because external achievements will never be enough.
There will always be someone who plays better, jumps higher, earns more, or sells more records.

But none of that defines who we are.
We are souls – pure, beautiful, unconditional beings – and our right to exist doesn’t depend on success in the material world.

Even without any “achievements,” we deserve to live, to experience, and to enjoy this life – just like every other being on this planet.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://chasethecomet.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ded_kishoved
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexander-mishustov-2144151b2/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alex.mishustov/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@ded_kishoved
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@ded_kishoved

Image Credits
• Niles Gregory https://100percentrock.com/2024/03/a-dirty-dozen-with-damien-fagiolino-from-felicity-march-2024/?utm_source=chatgpt.com
• Canvas Rebel Team https://canvasrebel.com/meet-chase-the-comet/?utm_source=chatgpt.com