Beginner’s Mind: Our Access to Vitality

In our information age, it is said knowledge has a half-life of seven years, and technical knowledge a half-life of 18 months. Just think of how we use e-mail today, compared to 5 years ago. Look at the impact of the Internet on this presidential election as compared to the 2004 election: new fundraising records, bloggers fact-checking the conventional media, hourly campaign updates, and greater transparency!

To live well in this Age of Information requires us all to embrace what Zen Buddhists call our Beginner’s Mind – to approach life as a beginner. Yet, as a coach and former professor, I’ve witnessed adults learners and leaders struggle with the notion of being a beginner. This is understandable, being a beginner requires putting oneself at risk, and a willingness to unlearn and relearn. The rewards, however, include an incredible aliveness, and reduced stress from the pressure of having to know everything. Together, we will explore some practices to recapture the joy and vitality that accompanies a beginner’s mind.

Years ago I was unable to “admit” that I didn’t know something, so learning was a painful process. Yet, with practice at recognizing my ego, it has become a little easier for me to embrace a childlike state of wonder, bewilderment and play.

Just in the last two years, my beginner’s mind has inspired me to engage many large and bite-sized commitments. I took on daily gym, cleansing, and nutritional practices and routines; then began running daily, and ran a 10K; and then started biking, yoga, and spinning. With those practices, I increased my energy and focus to create 3 blogs, chuck my Palm Treo and grab a Blackberry, and to leap from AOL to G-mail. Most challenging, I engaged a dream of mine: I began writing my memoir. As an "experienced" writer, I confronted what I already knew about writing, set it aside, then bought books to support me as a beginner.

Like anything, developing a beginner’s mind takes practice. Yet, mastering it can add a new vitality to our lives. Newness brings joy and enthusiasm to any project. I’ve discovered some pitfalls that can stop us from embracing our beginner’s mind. To begin, I’ve selected a some common obstacles to beginning.

No time for mistakes.
Leaders are in-demand, busy professionals, who must juggle careers, families, social lives, reading, travel, etc. As leaders, we can also tend to be perfectionists, so of course we avoid mistakes. Here’s the paradox, failure paves the path to learning. Success yields little insight, but a mistake energizes us to pinpoint a cause and learn something. Mistakes lubricate our learning muscles. The real failure is not in the mistake but in not learning from it.

Ever watched children? They build a sand castle, and when it falls, they look up and around, and plow back into building the next one. The fun of playing has them too busy to worry about failing. We “adults” will need to practice a bit.

As leaders, we pride ourselves on doing things “just right.” This “perfectionism” can place undue pressure on us. We must give ourselves permission to lighten up, and the time to learn. Everything new involves a learning curve. Embrace this first lesson: we do not know what that learning curve will look like, but you can count on a curve, so create the time for it.

Attachments and Expectations
Underneath our “perfectionism,” lurks two bugs eating away at the fun and joy in our learning: Attachments and expectations.

Attachments usually occur as reasons and results. The reason soon replaces the learning. Then we turn the reasons into results. Finally, we identify with achieving the results as part of our identity or ego.

For instance, I will write my memoir by the end of 2008. In that result, I establish the importance of the result: the product of the book, over the discovery of becoming a writer. I then assert, “That unless I write a book, I am not a writer.” If I do not accomplish the result, I see myself as a failure, get depressed and invalidate any learning about being a writer.

In that example, notice all the expectations. First, notice how I “expect” this goal; second, notice that I expect to achieve it by year’s end. See the pressure? Where did these expectations come from? If I am a beginner, I’ve never done this before, right? How could I come up with any timeline for myself? Nevertheless, I identify with these expectations as markers of my success and happiness, and simultaneously discount any joy I might discover along the way.

Other expectations I identify with might include, reasons I to write the book: to have a best seller; to increase my credibility; to attract attention; to market my business; to become rich or famous. Becoming attached to goals, replaces any possibility of joy. Now writing becomes something I engage for these “reasons,” rather than the possibility of joy.

Breakthrough
For a breakthrough, replace attachments and expectations with intentions. For instance, I might create three intentions in writing my memoir. I intend to 1) tell my truth; 2) write something every single day, and 3) discover something daily about myself as a writer. Then I can reflect each day on these intentions to see how I did. Soon, I begin to learn about myself as a writer. And out of that learning, a book will manifest.

Consider that learning is for its own sake, not for any reason. Remain a beginner and you will remain vital. Here’s a secret: once you embrace your beginner’s mind, you can bring this vitality to any domain of your life: family, friendships, work, travel, relationships, spiritual, living, wellness, communications, or projects. Let me know what happens as you practice.
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Tony Zampella is a communications specialist and leadership consultant and coach. View his website or his blogs. He can also be reached at tonyzampella@gmail.com.

Culture Crash!

I have grown accustomed to feeling like a lone voice in the wilderness over the past 25 years. I really don’t mind, at all. I much prefer being alone in the forest to the boardroom, anyway. However, having said that, I find that I still sometimes get frustrated, as do most iconoclastic thinkers, when others just don’t get it.

As a philosopher, I spend a great deal of time watching, studying, researching, learning and thinking. That’s what philosophers are supposed to do. But it doesn’t stop there. What good is coming to conclusions if they are not shared freely with others. Moreover, how significant is the information derived if it cannot be applied in the real world, obtaining real results? The answer? It isn’t. Therefore, the philosopher has the responsibility to share what he or she has learned but nothing can compel others to listen, much less apply. Therein lies the frustration.

What can seem so obvious to some philosophers can appear as “prophesy” to those who cannot make the connections. To be sure, there are many false prophets out there, but a few do possess the ability to make the connections between prophet and profit and predict if we go down this road or that path, this is going to be the result.

There are those who ride the waves of change and then there are those who create them. I have always preferred the latter role and frustration comes as part of the territory. Still, I have to admit to an occasional dab of smug pleasure (Hey! Nobody is perfect. I am still working on the ego!) when something that I have been declaring for what seems like eons, suddenly comes to fruition and all those people out there who were reluctant to listen suddenly exclaim, “Aha!” The only problem is that it usually takes a tsunami of biblical proportion to get them to that point of epiphany. Very often, however, it is too late. We are, I believe, in such a time and I am feeling no joy, none at all. The enormity and tragedy of the current situation holds no joy for me. I am experiencing a plethora of feelings and emotions, but joy, sadly, is not among them.

We are experiencing a culture crash. It was inevitable and didn’t happen over night. It is not attributable to one person or factor, rather, the result of many that are interconnected but not indistinguishable. There are solutions but, whatever path we take from here, we must realize that, just as after 9/11, our world and our culture will never be the same. It is time to seek new solutions to old problems and forge a new path forward, not backtrack down the trail that led us here. A bitter pill to take is the realization that our best thinking got us here and that no problem can be solved by the same consciousness that created it, in the words of Albert Einstein. No, it is time for a new manner of thinking and that is exactly what I have been saying and teaching for the past 25 years. In fact, the slogan for Transformational Thinking, the philosophy I have been developing and sharing with others for the past quarter of a century is, “Welcome to the Thinking Age!”

The recent economic crisis is not a stand-alone nor isolated problem, as we are all learning. It is, in fact, not THE problem, merely one of many symptoms of the root cause. Identifying root cause(s) is an absolute necessity when it comes to basic problem solving. If we cannot identify and change, minimize or eliminate the root cause(s), the problem will only come back to bite us again. Unfortunately, this step is all too often omitted as we rush to solutions, the equivalent of placing a band-aid on an arterial wound. It may be perfectly applied and may even stem the bleeding temporarily but, in the end, the patient dies.

Show me one system by which we live that is problem free and I will immediately drop to my knees and convert. Virtually every system with which we deal is laden with problems that serve as anchors, preventing forward progress. So what are some of the root causes that have brought us to the brink of disaster? And, remember, we are talking about global disaster, not just the home-grown version!

I feel, at the ripening age of 63, I can speak with some first-hand authority on at least the last half of a century. I think that provides us with a suitable cushion or margin of error on both ends of the scale of experience, involvement and awareness.
Something vital has changed in our culture. What is it? Did we ever really have it? If so, how did we lose it and can we regain it again? Those are the real questions. I think I can sum in up in a single word: Connection.

Many people speak fondly of a time in America when people went to sleep without locking their doors, children were allowed to roam the neighborhood freely and without fear, and neighbors rushed to help others in need. I remember those times. They are not a part of urban myth. There was a connection people had and valued then but I think that has dissipated. As we lost touch with each other, we also distanced ourselves from the systems that we employ and they got away from us.

How many people can say today that they personally have met their president, senator, congress person, and other political representatives who are supposed to protect and serve them? How many of us know the banker who approves or disapproves the loans for which we apply towards our business or homes? How many of us depend on our computers and the Internet to attain the information we seek, rather than real people? Strange as it may seem, the increased connectivity offered through advanced technology has actually served just the opposite purpose. We have exchanged real and meaningful human connection with real people for an artificial system of connection that seems so Spartan in the area of human feelings and we are experiencing the associated ripples of that choice. And this is not a uniquely American phenomenon. It is global.

I was in a restaurant in Male, the capitol of The Republic of the Maldives, a few months ago dining alone and there was a table of ten young people to my left. What drew my attention to them was that they were all (at the same time) on their cell phones texting or talking with someone who was not there! That was a moment of incredible insight for me. They were not connecting to each other; they were too busy connecting to someone else, probably telling the person on the other end what a great time they were having connecting with their peers at the table. Artificial? I think so.

We are losing the value of what I refer to as The Human Connection rapidly and most of us do not even realize it. As we have shifted from a village mind set to a global one, we are losing sight of what it means to converse, write and share our experience, knowledge and feelings. We are losing sight of what it means to form real and close relationships with others. I think this is having a huge deleterious impact upon the culture I have known, defended, love and revere so much.

To be sure, the Internet brings certain advantages to the table as far as forming and developing human relationships that were never available to us before. I have in mind two people with whom I have been corresponding and teaching for years via e-mails but whom I have never yet met in person. They are Sammy Jacobs Abbey of Ghana and Terrence Jackson PhD, of Columbus, Ohio. The former is a leading advocate of youth development and the latter is someone I intend to join forces with and advance the cause of Transformational Thinking. I consider both to be my brothers.

My debate is not with the technological advances, but what we are doing with them. My gripe is not with current societal tendencies, but with what we are willing to risk. Do you really want to live in a world without Human Connection? I do not. If there is one aspect of any culture that must be preserved at any cost, it is that.

I believe we will come out of the economic crash in which we currently find ourselves. But, if there has ever been a serious wake-up call to re-examine values, surely this must be it! Look beyond the economics and politics. Look within your own heart. Look at your next door neighbor. Look at the poor fellow on the street. Start making those Human Connections now. Find kindred souls and expand your perimeter of awareness and sphere of influence. There is an entire universe out there and you can connect to it. You will be glad you did.

Happiness And Fulfillment? Constant Meditation Leads To Focus, Clarity, And Power Regarding The Creation And Pursuit Of Your Life's Vision

I was discussing the importance of meditation the other day, and it dawned me that I should discuss the importance of this practice with you. Now, I know some of you are going to say, meditation, what is he talking about now? But, trust me, many of you who question this ancient practice are the ones that need it most. You see, with the ever-increasing frenetic pace of life, many people are running themselves ragged, mindlessly going from one task to the next with no purpose or vision for their life in sight, leaving them unfulfilled and unhappy. The big problem here is that many individuals never know nor choose to take an introspective look at the causes of their unfulfillment and unhappiness. Instead, we tend to add more of life's distractions (like being overly consumed by the desire for unnecessary exorbitantly priced material items or engaging in activities not conducive to aligning ourselves with our true purpose) to our life, believing they will fill the void that unfulfillment and unhappiness inevitably brings. However, this practice actually adds to our life's frenetic pace, all the while taking us deeper into despair and further away from our true purpose on earth.

Sadly, many of us never take time out to inspire, feed, heal and grow the mind (our intellectual entity that has the ability to create or recreate our reality), soul (our spiritual/formless essence that connects the mind and the body--without the acknowledgement of the feelings that the soul emits there will always be a disconnect between the mind and the body), and body (our physical entity that executes the mind's intentions in the physical world) through meditation (the act of gaining clarity, unifying, and aligning one's mind, soul, and body with one's life vision by expelling life's distractions from the mind and soul by focusing on creating a crystal clear plan for achieving what one wants out of life).


Meditation requires that you block out the distractions of life (any thoughts, ideas, and feelings that are not conducive to creating and pursuing your life's vision). This means you have to tune out the world in order to engage in this activity. Meditation allows the mind, body, and soul to converge as one by focusing each entity into one all encompassing objective (the creation and fulfillment of your life's vision). Meditation allows the mind to relax as one focuses on inspirational goals, expelling (even if just for the duration of the meditation) life's many distractions. Meditation allows the mind, body, and soul to rejuvenate and nurture themselves by providing positive goal oriented inspiration. Finally, meditation allows the mind and soul to grow and create as new thoughts, views, and insights that are beneficial to the creation and fulfillment of one's life's vision are integrated, incorporated, and developed. With all of these benefits, it is no wonder that many people around the world make meditation a part of their daily lives. For example, I use meditation to keep my mind focused on the goals that I need to accomplish in order to achieve my life's vision. This provides my life with a sense of focus, clarity, and power that most individuals do not have. This is not to say that only certain individuals have access to the benefits of meditation, while others don't. No, not at all, we all have access to the kind of synergy, clarity, focus, and power that meditation provides. The problem is that many of us are unknowingly, nevertheless continually allowing the distractions of the world to dominate and clutter our minds with ideas, thoughts, and feelings that are not conducive to creating and fulfilling our life's vision. Basically, many of us are not taking control of our mind by uncluttering it, just as one would when one takes out the trash.


But, how does one meditate? The primary tenet of meditation: Quieting your mind by mastering the art of focusing.

• Focus on what you want for your life and what you need to do to accomplish it.


• Allow your mastery of the art of focusing to quiet your mind and push away all other thoughts that are not conducive to the creation and pursuit of your life's vision.


• Allow your mastery of the art of focusing to quiet your mind so that you can create a crystal clear mental picture of what you want out of life.


• Allow your mental picture to play in your mind like a record skipping on an old record player until you obtain that which you want out of life.

When you initially begin meditating it will be difficult to quiet your mind. This is because you probably have never done it before and/or are still immersed in life's distractions. So to get started, you may find that you have to separate yourself from the distractions of outside world (including, but not limited to family, friends, chores, and work related activities...). Go to a quiet place in your home or office. Relax by slowing down your thoughts (concentrating on slowing down your breathing helps). When you are relaxed, immediately begin to create mental images of what you want your life to look like in as much detail as possible (including what you want to be, and what you want). I can't stress enough to be as clear as possible in creating this mental picture, all the while developing the art of focusing to expel and keep out distracting thoughts, ideas, and feelings from your mind, body, and soul. Start out with 10 minutes a day. As your mind begins to unclutter and your life's vision begins to gain clarity, increase your session from 10 to 15 minutes a day. Now, I know that because of our busy lives, some of you will claim that you can't find the time to engage in this practice consistently, but do realize that this is for the benefit of your life. If you don't work to improve your life, become fufilled and happy, who will? So, please, remove the "lack of time" conversation from your mind. Trust me, you have more than enough time to improve your life.


Now, when you get to the mastery level of meditating, finding time becomes a non-issue because you will have developed the ability to mediate anywhere, at any time, and in most conditions. Over time, you will find that your mind, body, and soul have become one entity, with the sole purpose of fulfilling your life's vision. Now, how did this occur you may ask? Through your mastery of meditation, you have reprogrammed your mind (which informs the feelings of your soul, which in turns allows your body to take the mind's desired actions in the physical world) to create and fulfill your life's vision. You have trained your mind, body, and soul to expel and not let in useless thoughts, ideas, and feelings into your being or space. This will provide you with a focus, clarity, and power that others do not possess. Your being has now become powerfully aligned with your life's vision. A miracle isn't it? No, not really, just hard work.

Try meditation, it really does work.


I have provided you with a video that includes both inspirational music and serene images. Many people use inspirational music and serene images as a pathway to attaining the meditative mindset because these portals have the ability to take one's mind, body, and soul away from the distractions of the world. Inspirational melodies and serene images tend to soothe my mind so that I can engage my life's vision. Take a look at this video, it may do the same for you. But remember, don't get caught up in the melody and images, as they too can become a distraction if you choose to focus on them rather than the creation and pursuit of your life's vision. Just use them as the portals they are and empty your mind of the clutter and then immediately begin focusing on what you want for your life and what you need to do to get it.

Leadership and Faith (Part I): Having Faith Is Essential To The Betterment Of Society

In interviews, I am often asked, what makes me persevere when others stop? Why did I escape the NYC streets, while so many others perished on them? Well, there are a number of reasons, but the one that I would like to discuss today is that of faith; faith to continue in the face of adversity. Faith to know that I not only can, but will overcome life's challenges because I believe in something greater than myself. Faith to know that I have the ability to impact this world in a powerful way. Faith to know that humanity has the ability to join me in my pursuit to recreate our existence into a place where ideas, freedoms, happiness, and joy are staples of our society, rather than brief glimpses of hope.


What Is Faith?
I know that when I speak of faith, many of you automatically think of religion or the notion of a higher power, which is fine. But, what I mean by faith is more than simply believing in a particular religion or believing in a higher power. No, faith in this context is founded on the notion that you will be able to overcome life's challenges and leave the world better than you found it because of your belief in an entity or idea larger than yourself. Whether your faith is guided by religious underpinnings, belief in nature, an idea, a particular worldview, or a higher power, it is your intimate relationship with these entities that serve as thy rod and thy staff when dealing with life's challenges in pursuit of this outcome.


Many of us look at faith in a very simple way. We often cling to a particular religion, God, or worldview without ever really utilizing our faith as a foundation for our daily lives. For example, many of us attend weekly religious services as though we are punching in our time clocks at work. However, does this practice mean we have faith? Does the fact that you attend religious services mean that you have put your faith in the entity that your religion subscribes to? If yes, how so? How does your faith in this entity show up in your daily life? What is its influence, if any?


Faith is based solely on belief, not proof. Therefore, do you believe what you say you believe in? And, how does that manifest itself in your life? Finally, how do you translate your faith (in whatever entity you choose) into you servicing the betterment of humanity?


A strong sense of faith in something greater than ourselves allows us to take on tasks, struggles, and burdens that appear insurmountable. Faith provides clarity and direction, where there is none. You may ask, what should I have faith in? The answer to this question is personal and only you can answer it, not your parents, religious leader, boss, or favorite celebrity. Nevertheless, it is a question worth answering, as faith in nothing will leave you at the mercy of every possible distraction known to man. And when I say faith, I mean more than saying you believe in something larger than yourself and simply going through the motions. I mean believing so much that you look to your faith as your foundation. It is that faith that will carry you when you are not strong enough to carry yourself.


My Personal Journey Towards Faith
When I was a teenager, I believed in a higher power, but had no faith that this higher power could help change my life for the better. I often chastised this entity for allowing the drugs, violence, and extreme poverty to thrive in my community. Why was poverty so embedded in my community? Why was violence so commonplace? Why was no one there to help? Where was this so-called higher power? Was I not worthy of the same assistance and guidance from this entity that my counterparts from higher income brackets seemed to enjoy? Or, was I destined to die on these streets simply because I was born of a different race and socio-economic standing than my counterparts?


All of these questions swirled around in my head, as I toiled about the poverty stricken Brooklyn streets that I called home. Even today, I cannot answer many of these questions, but I am here to tell you that I survived. In fact, I did better than that, I thrived. You can too no matter what your situation is, as long as you weave your faith into your daily life. You see, life got tougher for me, before it got better. During the darker periods of my life, I chose to create a relationship with this higher power. I allowed this higher power and its higher purpose for me to consume me. Never before, had I done that. Prior to this occurrence, I simply went to church, listened to the sermon about this so called God, and went on with my life until the next sermon. There was no connection between this entity and my everyday life. But that all changed when I found myself in the Middle East during the first Gulf War at the age of 19.


Fear can be a great motivator to reevaluate one's life, priorities, and worldview. It was for me. From the moment I created an intimate relationship with this higher power, my life has moved with velocity to where I am now. That's not to say that I have not encountered trials and tribulations. We all do, but I walk with a sense of confidence that I do not believe most people have access to, and it is because I have a strong faith in something much larger than myself. I believe that because of my intimate relationship with my creator, I will be able to overcome and successfully deal with whatever life throws at me.


I now access a power that I could not access on my own. My faith allows my spirit to thrive when others seem to crumble. Armed with my faith, I will be able to fulfill my purpose, just as King, Ghandi, Mandela, and Mother Teresa fulfilled theirs.



What Is Your Faith?
I remember Dr. King saying, "I have seen the mountain top...” What did that statement mean? It meant he saw his vision being fulfilled. Can you say that about your life's vision as confidently as he did? Do you even know what your life's vision is? If yes, have you transcended to a higher level (from existing to being), being who you were meant to be? Being the champion for what society needs to move to the next stage of development? If not, what is stopping you? I propose a lack of faith, the kind of faith that allows a man like Dr. King to press on against daunting odds so that we all could join him in seeing the mountain top.

Understand that faith does not promise that the world will be nurturing or even supportive of your endeavors, but it will help you deal with the world as it is and then help you to recreate yourself as well as the world so that it works for all of humanity. As for my calling, I am working hard so that no one else has to experience the feelings and situations that I have, unnecessarily. My faith gives me the strength to carry on my crusade, because reality tells me that millions of people still experience similar feelings and situations that I did, because they don't know of any other way of dealing with life's challenges. But, that is my call to action, what is yours? Moreover, what is stopping you if you are not actively engaging in your crusade?

To Successfully Meet The Challenges Of Your Calling You Must Have Faith In...
Whatever your skills or talents, use them to uplift humanity. What else are you going to do with your time on earth? Buy another house? Go to another party? Hmm, maybe be of service to another? You can choose to simply just exist, but trust me that leads to an unfulfilling life. Armed with faith you can aim for your higher purpose and access your greater self. Armed with faith you can add to this world as long as you believe that you can. Now, there are many people that do not believe in a higher power, and that is fine. However, regardless of your religious or spiritual views, you must have faith in something if for no other reason than to simply make it through the day in this sometimes-crazy world. Whether you have faith in your fellow man, religion, a higher power, an idea, a particular worldview, or nature, we all must walk with faith if we intend on succeeding in making this world more humane. What faith do you walk with?

Take a look at this video and try to answer the question, where would these individuals be without having faith in something larger than themselves?


The answer, they would be stopped.


Stay tuned for Leadership and Faith (Part II): Blind Faith Does Not Equate To Leadership

I Met A Man

I believe one has to live what one teaches. Anything less is to be a hypocrite. In my life's journey, I have met many people claiming to hold "the Truth" but few who lived what they preached. I know many spiritual people who are not religious and many others who are religious but not spiritual. The two are not synonymous nor are they mutually exclusive. I know something about both, having once studied to become a Roman Catholic priest and, at another time, a Buddhist monk. During the time I lived in Saudi Arabia, I studied the Koran. What is true? Not words, but actions. A little story for you . . .

Years ago I was conducting a two-month program in Transformational Thinking (TT) at a large printing and publication company in Miami, Florida. I was also training a young man, a self-proclaimed "reborn again Christian: to become a teacher of TT. He showed a lot of promise. He was an eager and voracious learner and talked a good game but the telling moment occurred one afternoon during a break between sessions. It was a rough neighborhood with more barbed wire than I ever saw in Viet Nam!

I had stepped out on the loading dock to have a cigarette (Yeah, I know!) He joined me. As we were standing there discussing the previous session and planning the next, an elderly African American man approached pushing a shopping cart filled with aluminum cans. He headed straight for the dumpsters and proceeded to filter through the trash within. One man's garbage is another man's treasure. As I watched him, our eyes met and I offered him a cigarette and he accepted. That cigarette served as an opening between two human spirits. We began to talk.

My young (white) trainee silently retreated and disappeared back into the building. I didn't even notice he was gone. I was totally mesmerized by this man's face and his eyes. His face was a map that revealed a long and hard journey. His eyes revealed a soul that was alive and glowing with energy and life. There was something majestic and magical in his bearing. He was happy. He was fulfilled. He "knew" where it was at and I wanted to learn what he knew. What was his secret?

I learned his name was "Old John". During our conversation, he shared that he was a recovering alcoholic and drug addict. He had done bad crimes, served hard time and paid his dues. I didn't ask what he had done. It no longer mattered. The man with whom I had connected was not capable of doing such things. He had changed. I knew I didn't have a lot of time so I asked him directly what had changed his life? I expected to hear an answer like, "I found Jesus," but that is not what came.

Instead, he said simply, "I am a free man. I don't owe anyone anything. I have my own place. I pay my own way with these here cans. I perform a service to my community by keeping it clean. I am a happy man and so grateful for each and every day."

Wow! My mind was racing, as was my heart. Here was the truth! Here was a man who was fulfilled, who knew the difference between what he wanted and what he needed to be happy! How many of us can claim that, much less live it? Standing before me in this rundown neighborhood was a real teacher of truth. I was totally blown away!

This man had a dignity befitting the Buddha. He had the humility of Christ and the wisdom of Mohamed. He was a saint in tattered clothing. He was an idol to be appreciated and revered. I felt so "less than"! It was a momentous lesson in humility.

Later, I went back inside and continued teaching, refreshed, invigorated and inspired by my meeting with Old John. I was on fire with passion, man! I had them amening from the aisles! I also asked my young colleague what had happened to him. Why did he disappear? His reply was yet another lesson.

"I saw that guy and felt threatened. I wanted to get away." What a lame excuse! Fear of the unknown. Yet, how many of us operate under the same misconception?

Old John taught me that we are all teachers and students. Everyone who enters my life does so with a lesson and it is my mission to discover why and what that message is. The Chinese say that, when the teacher ceases to learn, he is no longer qualified to teach. That afternoon, I let my trainee go. He had much to learn and was not yet ready to assume the responsibility for teaching others. You cannot teach something to someone who already thinks he knows it all.

A few years ago, I met another man in Hua Hin. All the locals considered him "crazy" but, over a few smokes, he opened up and taught me so much. He lived on the streets and we carried out conversations that lasted for weeks. Every day he would come around at the same time and we would sit there, squatting on the road and just talk. He wore more Buddha images around his neck than Mr. T had gold chains! I honestly don't know how he remained upright.

One day I asked him why he was so happy, always laughing, sometimes out loud, giving credence to the opinions of the locals. You know what his reply was? "I have found the secret!"

"What is the secret?" I wanted to know.

"The secret is that there is no secret!" He exclaimed. "It is all right here in front of us. This is it! You are the secret. I am the secret. All this (waving his arm wildly) is the secret. We are living the secret."

That gave me pause. Though our paths parted since, the intersection that took place in those moments were life-changing ones. I still think about him and about the life lessons he possessed and was more than willing to share with anyone willing to listen.

The other day, I went for a walk here in Phuket, Thailand and came upon an old Thai man sitting on a piece of cardboard. He had a plastic cup in front of him that contained a few coins but was not overtly begging. He was just sitting ther is a state of absolute serenity. It was this presence that attracted my attention.

On a whim, I went to a nearby food stall and ordered two bowls of noodles and sat with him while we shared lunch. At first, he was so grateful and thanked me profusely and profiundly. we shared a couple of cigarettes. Then it got heavy. He told me he had lost everything in the Tsunami of 2004. He had lost his entie family. I was stunned and didn't know what to say.

He reached out and touched my arm saying, "Adjaan (teacher). I have spent many years searching for you and knew you would come to me today. You were my teacher in a previous life and I have longed to thank you before I die."

Talk about heavy! What could I say? It got even worse. He bent over and kissed my foot, the ultimate sign of respect in the Buddhist culture. I was so embarrassed! People were walking by and I was not ready for this! As far as I was concerned, I taught this man nothing and, in a single meeting, he taught me everything. It was I who should have been kissing his feet. I have not seen him since but he lives within my head and heart.

What do these stories teach us? Treat everyone who enters your reality as a teacher. They know and have experienced things you have not. Learn from them. Share what you know with others freely, for we are all students and teachers.

Whom have you met and learned from? Share your experiences with all of us so that we may learn.

Why Aren't Our Systems Working?

Many people are looking around, scratching their heads and wondering why everything seems to be falling apart. We wring our hands and are abashed at the poor operation of our economic system, the educational system, management systems, medical systems, insurance systems, political system, military systems, media systems , even our religious systems. What is wrong with this picture? But, before we can fix or improve something, we must first identify and eliminate or at least minimize the root cause(s) of the problem. If we don't, the problem will only recur and come back to bite us again and again.

In order to fully appreciate what is happening in the world today, we have to consider several diverse, yet interconnected factors. We need to understand how we got here from there before we can determine where we need to go next.

First of all, understand that our best thinking got us here! Our systems were designed and developed by the best minds around. Perhaps they once worked but times and people have changed and evolved over the ensuing years. Our systems haven't. We are still using, for example, management systems that were designed some two or three hundred years ago! Think of how much the world has changed in that time and you begin to realize that we are still trying to operate in a modern global environment with systems that haven't improved with age like a fine wine. The game has changed but the rules have not.

Albert Einstein told us that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing in the same way over and over, expecting different results each time. He also said that no problem can be solved by the same mentality that created it. That boy was no slacker when it came to problem solving!

Change is accelerating at an incredible pace and the impact or volatility of change has assumed global proportions. Our ancient systems are too slow, constricting, bulky and inflexible to allow them to adapt to the changes modernization in technology and communications have wrought and we can expect the pace to only gain speed from here.

In nature, that which does not or cannot adapt to change dies. It is that simple. Natural systems are among the most adaptable models one can find and I have spent a great deal of time in nature studying its systems with a sense of fascination and awe. As much as we "modern, civilized" humans would like to believe otherwise, we are still creatures of nature. We are a part of nature, not apart from it. The human body contains incredible systems that operate according to natural principles. Our external systems, on the other hand, are artificial, created with predominantly linear thinking and extremely unnatural. Why aren't they working? Go figure!

If you think it is bad now, buckle your seat belts, for it is about to get worse! There is an amazing phenomenon that has taken place that I call The Great Convergence. I teach about it in my Visioneering workshops.

In nature, there are cycles. They are birth, growth, maturation and decline. In nature, nothing is really "born" and nothing simply "dies", fading into oblivion and nothingness. It is more a process of energy transformation. The decaying leaf, for example, becomes nurturing food for the tree that shed it, making way for new leaves. The cycle continues ad infinitum.

The Great Convergence is the merging of three extremely strong cycles and is a phenomenon that never could have happened in the past. We have the Industrial cycle that began in the 1750's, the Information cycle that began in the 1960's and a new cycle most people are not really all that aware of, the Molecular cycle, that began in the 1980's with the deciphering of the genetic code. This last cycle is going to challenge virtually everything we hold to be true in the very near future. It has already given rise to hotly debated issues that are moral ones, such as cloning. It is the convergence of these three cycles each of which, although can be viewed as separate and powerful influences in its own right, are actually interconnected and influencing one another and, therefore, us.

So, if we are to survive this Great Convergence, perhaps it would do us well to look at natural systems and learn why and how they are so adaptable. Maybe we can apply what we can learn from natural models at the molecular level to our own systems to make them more flexible and adaptable. I have done this with many organizations and the results have been nothing short of amazing.

Let's look at an organism most humans consider simple and primitive forms of natural life, bacteria. Talk about adaptive! Look what happened with Bird Flu! It is adapting faster than all our modern technology and medicines can handle. We are losing the footrace to an organism that has no feet! What principles of adaptability is found in nature at the molecular level? I will list six here and I hope that this sparks some interest and discussion. Remove you management hat, however. I find many "managers" cringe at first glance. Once they wrap their minds and arms around these principles, however, suddenly they see the light and start making some organizational adaptations of their own.

1. Self organize. Traditional management systems are top-down systems that are also compartmentalized. This prevents rapid decision-making and we all know where that takes us.
2. Recombine. Just as molecules recombine to meet the challenges of changing conditions and situations, we can do the same. Forget departments! Where is the talent in the organization and how can we put that talent to best use? Forget traditional organizational structure and develop new models based on what we find in nature.
3. Sense and Respond. The faster we can sense change and the wider our array of possible rapid responses, the more likely we are to survive. In nature, if I sense the presence of a poisonous snake only after it sinks its fangs into my leg, I may respond but it is usually too little too late. Better to sense it before the bite! The same is true in business. Our people on the front line, interfacing with the customer every day are our best sensors but too rarely have a voice or the authority to make on-the-spot decisions.
   
4. Learn and Adapt. We need to truly create learning organizations, not just pay such a concept lip service. We also need to create an environment in which people are free to apply what they learn. Too often, we operate in an atmosphere based on fear and punishment in wihc people will not try out new ideas and this stifles innovation and growth.
5. Seed, Select and Multiply. There is a principle of nature (and Physics) that is called the Tension Differential Factor. Simply stated, it means the more options from which I have to choose, the more likely I am to make a better choice. The oak tree drops hundreds of acorn, aware that not all will take root. In business, generate as many ideas as possible and try them out. When you find one that works, introduce it into other areas. In marketing, for example, don't just latch on to what seems like the best idea. Try several and see which ones work the best then launch a major campaign using them. Discard the ones that don't.
   
6. Destabilize. Ah! This is the one that sends shivers up the backs of most managers! Destabilize? Are you insane? I just got this company running the way I want it! Do you want total chaos? No, but a little chaos is a good thing. We tend to become too comfortable and complacent and this is obviously not exactly an innovative state of mind. Introduce change into the organization. Shake things up in a positive way. Get the creative juices flowing. Get people involved and included. You may be pleasantly surprised at the results. You are not the only person in the organization who is a thinker.

I never met a system that could not stand some improvement, though I have met many that were obsolete and some that were downright contrary to the purposes of the organization. Just because we have been doing something the same way and it seems to be working doesn't mean it is the best way. We have to get creative, folks, and nature is right there offering a myriad of models for us to study.

I invite your comments and input.

Introduction to Transformational Thinking

I am grateful to Dr. Barrett for his invitation to join his blog. My intention and purpose is to provide people and organizations with the skills necessary to effect positive change within their realities. All change begins within and expands outwards to include others within our sphere of influence. As Leo Tolstoy said, "Most people think of changing the world but few think about changing one's self."

Transformational Thinking (TT) is a philosophy of change. My first book, Champions of Change, was written in 1997. Its most important message is that we all have a choice. We can be either victims of circumstance or Champions of Change.The quality of our life is determined by the choices we make. By learning how to improve the quality of our decisions. we can improve our quality of life. It is really that simple.

There are several qualities that make TT unique. First of all, it is universally applicable. By this, I mean that anyone can apply it within their own reality and obtain immediate results. It is also skill-based. Knowledge without application is meaningless information. Action is what translates thought into reality. TT is not just a collection of thoughts, concepts and theories. It is a simple how-to guide of quality enhancement. I will be sharing these skills with you in later postings. TT is also what I refer to as a "living" philosophy and, like all living creatures, it is ever-expanding, adapting and changing. It is an inclusive philosophy, as opposed to an exclusive one, as are far too many other philosophies. Whether Christian, Jew, Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu or atheist, TT is for you.

I have taught TT in over fifty countries to hundreds of organizations and thousands of individuals over the past 25 years. For the past ten years, I have lived and worked out of Thailand and focused on South Asia. I will be returning to America within a couple of months and will continue my teaching there. It has been a great experience being in this part of the world and I have learned so much! It is time for me to return home and share what I have experienced with my fellow countrymen.

Transformational Thinking has its roots in the real world, not books. It is derived from nature and the systems found there. I consider nature as the best model and mentor when it comes down to adaptability, so necessary for survival and success. Opposed to current thinking, survival is not about the fittest. It is the most adaptable who survive. TT teaches us how to adapt to change but, more importantly, shows us how to create the changes we want and deserve. Change comes in waves. You either ride them or drown in them. I prefer to create them and TT is the way to do that.

One of the keys to becoming a better thinker is to understand the interconnections of all elements of life. That is not as difficult as it may seem at first. My grandfather, who was a Comanche, taught me, using nature as a guide. Through his patient tutelage, I learned that I was a part of nature, rather than apart from it. In future postings, I will share with you what he called the Wisdom of the Ancient Ones.

The second lesson of TT is that we are all responsible for the results of our decisions and choices. Imagine you are standing on the bank of a small pond and you reach down, pick up a pebble and toss it into the center of the pond. What happens? Ripples. They radiate 360 degrees from the center. Who is responsible for the ripples? You. The ripples represent the consequences of our decisions and, once set into motion, they cannot be stopped or taken back. Every word we utter and every action we take creates ripples. We are each responsible for the ripples we create. What happens when the ripples reach the shore? They return to the source. We all receive what we put out there into the universe.

Our ripples can have direct or indirect consequences and effects. Our words and actions can affect people we have never met. One example that comes to mind was a woman I taught in the Maldives several years ago. Two years after I had taught her TT, I ran into her on a street in Male and she invited me for a cup of coffee. She told me she had used what she had learned by sharing it with her 15 year old nephew (who was having serious problems in school and with his parents). Sitting down all three of them, she shared some simple TT skills with them and the problem was resolved by the 15 year old, himself, an amazing transformation, according to her. Indirect ripples.

This is the first time I have ever written a posting for a blog. I would appreciate your input, questions and comments.

Personal Leadership Requires A Never Give Up Attitude

As human beings, we tend to give up when things don't seem to go our way or when times get tough. The belief that life will simply roll over, give in to our demands, and allow us to achieve our goals is unrealistic. The truth is that life is neither for nor against us. No, life is simply just the natural process of existence. What we have to understand is that the power to determine the direction that our life takes is not decided by life itself, but rather by us. We hold the power, regardless of the challenges we may face. Therefore, our power rests in how we handle our daily interactions within the context of life. These interactions are what determine our ability to overcome what we may perceive as insurmountable odds. Therefore, we must learn not to blame life itself for our successes or failures, but when faced with challenges, to simply stand our ground and work smarter with a never give up attitude firmly in place.

The following comparison may add more clarity to what I am speaking of. Life is like a blank piece of paper. As that paper exists, so do we. However, just like that paper is blank, so too is our life until we create something out of it. Until that piece of paper is written on, there is no story, no direction, no purpose, but there is endless possibility (positive or negative-you will determine that by the story you write). However, interesting things begin to happen as soon as we begin to write on that once blank piece of paper. A story starts to emerge, a direction begins to tug at us, a purpose starts to form, and meaning which gives life to passion begins to set in. The same occurs when we choose to engage life. However, this engagement does not come without pitfalls. You will find in many of America's children classics such as Snow White, Pinocchio, and Cinderella that the main characters often have to overcome seemingly insurmountable pitfalls and challenges in order to achieve their dreams. I say this to say that we need to reinforce from young that never giving up in order to achieve our dreams is essential to our being able to live out our dreams, much like our childhood literary heroes.

Therefore, regardless of the pitfalls, or the challenges you may encounter in life, know that you get the final say in writing and living out your life's story. With all of this in mind, I ask the question, what are you writing on your blank piece of paper called life? Are you utilizing the words and thought process of a quitter (one who buckles to the challenges of life that we all face)? Or, are you utilizing the words and thought process of a winner (one who never gives up in pursuit of his/her vision)?

I implore you to take on the role of the winner, and not to quit in the face of adversity. Do not succumb to life's challenges, and never stop creating and working on making your life's vision a reality. Remember, everyone has challenges to overcome. Life is full of them, but be passionate about your dreams, and continue to push, even when it seems most difficult.

Again, never give up!
Never give up!

Take a look at this video; hopefully it will help those of you that need a little push so that you can keep pushing.