Humanity is at a crossroads and enlightened leadership is needed. Never in human history has this type of leadership been more important. As the rate of change approaches the speed of light, our leaders face three major challenges:
- The human brain is not designed for life in the twenty-first century.
- The intersubjective stories of the past that will no longer work.
- The story of our future is filled with rapid change (i.e. accelerating expansion).
These challenges must be faced immediately and boldly to move our world forward in a healthy way. We must demand from our leaders a deeper understanding of the true nature of reality: Our new reality is accelerating expansion and it is driving the future story of humanity. They must seize the immense opportunities amid these soluble challenges.
There is, however, reason for optimism. Humanity has overcome every obstacle set before it. We have the ability to feed, clothe, educate, house and provide healthcare for everyone. With our safety and survival needs met, it is possible for us to enter a new era of peace, creativity, prosperity and sustainability. This will take resonant leadership. The following will help light the path.
Leadership Challenge One: Your Stone-Age Brain Needs an Upgrade
Humanity has undergone a radical environmental change. Seventy thousand years ago, Homo sapiens were an insignificant species of hominids whose numbers had dwindled to an estimated two to three thousand. We slowly crawled out of central Africa and seventy millennia later, we dominate the planet. This transformation occurred in a relative nanosecond on the cosmic timescale.
We are not the biggest, fastest, nor the strongest animal, but we are, by far, the smartest. Our brain evolved over 600 million years in three basic stages, or layers: reptile, mammal and primate. The first layer is the reptilian brain. These structures are at the base of your brain and automatically regulate basic body functions. Your reptile brain keeps you safe by constantly scanning for threats. Your inner-lizard keeps you breathing, runs from bigger animals, eats smaller ones and mates with ones of similar size. It’s a simple life.
