The Only Way Through These Times

Introduction

If we are brutally honest, we will recognize that humanity is at a crossroads. We are living in times that are pushing the human race to a breaking point on many fronts. Anyone of the issues we face can lead to massive breakdowns that will put millions of lives at risk. Alternatively, if we can meet these breakdowns honestly and through vision, we have an opportunity to avert disaster and create a new world that works for everyone. So what’s getting in our way of choosing the latter path?  

The biggest obstacle in choosing the latter is that we are stuck believing in narratives that are divisive and mostly constructed with black-and-white thinking. In contrast, these times call for us to move beyond the status quo and divisiveness so that we can work together to transform outdated systems. Because if we are unable to do so, we are increasing the chances of the human race’s demise.  

Before I share the way out, let’s take a moment to examine how we create our reality as human beings.  

We do not have the neuro-machinery necessary to experience the world as it is. We cannot sample every little portion of the world, every little pixel. 

To do that, we would need to have a  brain the size of a building, and that would not fit in our head.

Dr. Susana Martinez-Conde, Director of the Laboratory of Visual Neuroscience at the Barrow Neurological Institute

There is No Reality ‘Out There’

That quote points to the truth that our brain does not have the sophistication to see the world factually. The mind is built to help us survive by interpreting what’s happening and comparing it to our past experience database. This programing serves us well in survival-type situations and also forms the basis of our expertise. Yet, this programming fails us when we live in a constant state of fear and attempt to solve increasingly complex challenges through thinking alone

The truth is that most people are unaware they live life through their past and are primarily living from a survival mindset. They do not realize that most, if not all, of their opinions, aren’t even theirs. In short, our firmly held beliefs are programs downloaded into us by our caregivers, teachers, and culture. This tendency to avoid self-examination sets the stage for an unnecessary conflict that hinders our ability to solve our biggest challenges. Now add to this:

• Social media’s ability to build algorithms that bring similar interpretations together to reinforce views.
• The separation of the news media into camps that support divergent views.
• The current left versus right division in politics which both kinds of media exasperate. 

Attachment. That’s what keeps us from recognizing when our opinions are off the mark and rethinking them. To unlock the joy of being wrong, we need to detach. I’ve learned that two kinds of detachment are beneficial: detaching your present from your past and detaching your opinions from your identity.

Adam Grant, Author and Wharton Professor

Given all of that, you can see why our divide is getting broader. In short, different groups of human beings walk around believing thoughts they have never questioned that media sources reinforce. And when we do not examine our thinking habits, it ignites a disdain for those who do not hold our point of view.  

And all of this ramps up fear and keeps us stuck in a cycle that serves no one. In other words, much of the divide we face in the world today comes from our inability to examine our view of the world. But there is a way out. In short, we have to start to engage the heart and imagination to dream again.  

Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited to all we now know and understand, while imagination embraces the entire world, and all there ever will be to know and understand.

– Albert Einstein

The Only Way Out

This quote by Einstein says it all. When we get stuck in a narrative about how life is, we reinforce it. The world becomes a mirror that reflects back data that supports our view. But when we begin to look at the current reality and wonder what is possible beyond it, something different begins to happen. We stop complaining and start envisioning, and from this, new solutions give birth.

Few would argue that we desire to live in a world that promotes freedom, love, peace, and abundance for all. Authentic, Courageous Leaders focus on creating such a world. While they see the challenges we face, they do not complain about the state of the world. Instead, they envision a world that takes us beyond the status quo and towards a more just, uplifting world. And they recognize that we must embrace the artist’s way of creating something new.

Authentic, Courageous Leaders aim to fulfill their visions in practical ways. Such leaders are on a mission to close the gap in an area that generates positive impact and value. Their aim is not to merely line their pockets; they focus on making the world a better place, to uplift, and bring people together. So the next question becomes, where do we find such leaders?

Where Do We Find Such Leaders?

Such leaders in waiting are everywhere, but the most important place to look is in your mirror. Yes, I mean YOU. What stops you from moving forward to designing and manifesting your vision is your belief in anything that counters your aspirations. Once you remove that heavy wet blanket, nothing will be able to stop you. Our times are counting on it. This is what Gandhi meant by being the change you wish to see in the world.

It’s time to stop waiting for other leaders to show up – so take the step to believe in your vision and take the necessary steps forward. It’s your time and we need you to find the courage.