EIGHT (R)EVOLUTIONARY AXIOMS

“Destiny is not a matter of chance, it is a matter of choice; it is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved.”
~ Williams Jenings Bryan

These eight (R)evolutionary axioms are based on five-plus decades of coaching, training, and convening visionaries. These powerful principles have lit the way for legacy building and social change that reflects this new evolved materialism:

(R)evolutionary Axiom 1: Align with Your Soul Purpose

Aligning with your Soul purpose is the first essential evolutionary axiom leading to greatness. It means connecting with your core values in a profound way. As people gain greater success, many grow dissatisfied with a life that is focused on external rewards and pressures. With the recent shifts in the global economy, even more people find themselves facing an uncertain future.

(R)evolutionary Axiom 2: Access Untapped Reservoirs of Potential by Embracing the Shadow

Accessing untapped reservoirs of potential by embracing the shadow is the second essential (r)evolutionary axiom leading to greatness. In the natural world, dark matter is often invisible but it still exerts an undeniable force. For example, black holes cannot be seen, but their gravitational force is distinctly felt in space. In the same way, the “dark” aspects of our psychology may not be apparent but can exert a strong force on our actions and thinking. Questing the Canyon of the Soul, people discover repressed and forgotten aspects of themselves. These are what renowned psychologist Carl Jung called the shadow.

(R)evolutionary Axiom 3: Integrate the Inner Feminine with the Masculine

“The best thing about getting older is that you can really begin to think about your calling, your passion… When I look into the future, it is so bright, it burns my eyes.”
~ Oprah Winfrey

Integrating the Inner Feminine with the inner masculine is the third (R)evolutionary axiom that is essential to greatness. There is no stronger force in nature for softening the hard edges of stone than water. In the same way, no influence is more healing in taking away the edges of living in a high-pitched accelerated world than that of the Sacred Feminine. The traditional Masculine qualities of competitive achievement, hierarchical organization, and goal-orientation have been at the foundation of our institutions and our very way of life. Both men and women who are successful have to internalize some or all of these values in order to succeed in the mainstream.

(R)evolutionary Axiom 4: Shifting Perspective: Thought is Energy; Thought is creative.

Shifting perspective based on the scientific principle that thought is energy is the fourth (R)evolutionary axiom. Quarks are subatomic particles that teach us not only about matter but also consciousness. Scientists have discovered that just the presence of a researcher can affect the movements of a quark. Our consciousness, therefore, influences matter—even at the subatomic level. If consciousness influences quarks, then clearly, what we think shapes our world. Our thoughts create our reality.

(R)evolutionary Axiom 5: Invite Mastery and Mentoring

Inviting mastery and mentoring is the fifth (R)evolutionary axiom that leads to greatness. No one creates greatness alone. This is the very principle of being human: We are birthed of the dual contributions of our mother and father. Even at the very microscopic level, we are encoded through a double helix, having been created by the chromosomal contribution of our parents.

(R)evolutionary Axiom 6: Commit to Enhanced Consciousness

Committing to enhanced consciousness is the sixth (R)evolutionary axiom that leads to greatness. If none of the stars sheds light, there can be only darkness. We must first find the light in ourselves before bringing light to the world, as part of a constellation of stars. Many people believe that if they can only achieve and achieve, they will reach greatness. On one hand, it is true that we can gain great success through outward focus; however, over and over again, I have seen that the truly great know themselves, and as their self-knowledge deepens, they transform others.

(R)evolutionary Axiom 7: Course Correct for Continuous Quality Improvement

Course correcting for quality improvement is the seventh (R)evolutionary axiom essential for greatness. In nature, there are many examples of self-correcting systems, where elements of a greater whole are continuously brought into balance. This is called homeostasis. Living greatness requires continual self and system correction targeted at bringing the internal and external into balance. Course-correction tools can direct us to areas that need improvement and allow us to adjust accordingly (and continuously). Greatness is an evolutionary process, and course-correction strategies allow an ongoing appraisal of where we are and where we need to go as we continually seek balance in work, family, and community life.

(R)evolutionary Axiom 8: Transform Yourself So You Transform (Y)our World

Transform yourself, so you transform (y)our world is the eighth and final essential (R)evolutionary axiom that leads to greatness. To survive the natural world, species must adapt to the changing conditions in the environment around them. So is true with humans. As we create organizations, systems, and relationships that foster sustainability and greater meaning, we adapt successfully to these challenging times.

These axioms lead to the personal greatness and visionary leadership that are becoming increasingly critical in these times of historical, social, environmental, and economic crisis. As we Americans shift our definition of “success,” we positively redefine not only our country but our contribution to the world as well. The individual’s quest for more meaning in life and work is a collective quest for the survival and thrival of the species as a whole. As each individual evolves, the world also evolves.

Photo by Robynne Hu via Unsplash