Over the New Year holidays, I've been looking deep within myself to see what there is for me to clean out, to remove, to face, to leave behind, to evolve beyond...  And as I became present to what lies in 2007 and what I must leave behind, my body gave me a cleanse on it's own terms.

I "caught a bug," I suppose and my body immediatel cleaned itself out--entirely.  After a few days without food, my stomach has shrunk and I feel lighter and more centered, as one would after an intentional cleanse.

I've been very conscious over the past few days what I put in my body, as I've had to be in order not to upset my stomach, and it's giving me a great opportunity to start entirely fresh in 2007--a clean slate, so to speak. Perfect timing.

Come spend an afternoon with me this Sunday, the 14th!

I attended a brainstorming meeting hosted by FLOW (on Zaadz)here in Austin yesterday, and wow...  I came to see Austin in a whole new light, as attendees contributed what they see makes Austin such a great place for entrepreneurs, especially conscious or enlightened entrepreneurs.  But what was really exciting was the conversation we had about what we, the people in the room, could create Austin to be and be known for now and in the future.

Much more to come on this topic... and from Austin.

A First Lieutenant in the U.S. Army has taken a stand. Ehren Watada, a 28-year-old Hawaii native, faces a court martial next month and up to 6 years in prison. He is the first commissioned officer in the U.S. to publicly refuse deployment to Iraq.

Here’s the link to the blog and audio. Overy 100,000 people have commented on this man’s stand. Many of his peers call him a traitor and a coward. Others think he’s anything but that. (leave your comments below)

It’s easy to take a position on this young man’s decision, and that’s one of the fundamental problems with the world we live in. Actually, the problem lies within our methods of thinking, our consciousness. Yesterday’s consciousness is insufficient for the world we face today with all of it’s accelerating change, globalization, the advancement of technology, etc.

Someone thinking with yesterday’s consciousness, the “positionary mind of the past,” rushes to judgment without much honest inquiry. Rather than look to understand the person or organization they judge, they simply attack. It’s usually in defense of a position they formed long ago.

This is a very emotional issue, especially for those who chose to stand for their country by risking their lives by fighting at war–even if they objected to the war. To be inspired by this man’s stand, it’s assumed they’d have to turn on their own stand. They are proud of the stand they took to fight, and feel that those who stand for their country by not fighting are invalidating or dishonoring them.

Some soldiers, in going to war, might judge those who don’t as cowardly. This affords them more pride and confidence in their decision, but the judgment itself is what devolves their stand into a position.

In our eagerness to stand for something, we too easily form a righteous position, from which we can no longer think honestly about the situation.

Isn’t honesty the quality of not refusing to look at or think about something, when forming one’s thoughts, words or opinions? Yet, when we form our thoughts and opinions with yesterday’s positionary thinking, those very opinions become walls beyond which we cannot see. Beyond the walls of our position, we can not see the humanity, the courage, the stand taken by “the other side.” And then we treat and speak to them as less than human.

Is it any wonder the world is in such a state of crisis?

What we’re lacking is a new form of consciousness. A visionary consciousness, the likes of which have been rare throughout history. Gandhi is a great example of someone with a visionary consciousness. What we’ll need going forward, however, and what I see is fast approaching, is a much more sophisticated and developed visionary consciousness–higher level thinking methods that facilitate visionary thinking and make it much easier and more common place.

Eventually, evolution to a new kind of thinking will occur. Indeed, it must if we are to survive and thrive in this world.

Some are courageously undertaking the quest to evolve their consciousness even now, and are seeking out training for living as a visionary. Of course, that’s why VisionForce exists–to facilitate this conscious evolution of consciousness.

And right now, we’re looking for 30. We’re looking for those willing to live their lives standing for humanity, including men and women who are standing for peace and freedom even now in Iraq–at war.

If you are willing to live your life as a visionary, as someone who stands, as a hero for mankind, we’re looking for you. We need parents, teachers, entrepreneurs, lawyers, politicians, activists, artists–we need you. Are you willing?

(copied from the Vision Force blog)

Talk, talk, talk and more talk. Everyone talks about change. Like the armchair quarterbacks, they’re usually talking from the sidelines of life, gossipping, criticizing and complaining about what everyone else is doing or not doing. Yet there are two main differences between the armchair quarterback watching football and a well-meaning person being a spectator in today’s world.

1) We’re all in this game called life. Everyone is a player, like it or not; yet so much of our team is on the sidelines, watching, cheering, whining, commenting on those who are on the field.  Can you imagine a football team where most of the team is not just “on the bench,” but at home watching the game on TV? Can you imagine a team whose players don’t dare even play? They might contribute some money or vote on team decisions, but when it comes time to get down and dirty and play… they’re nowhere to be found. Except you.  You’re here to play, and you cannot deny it.  Life lived from the sidelines would be death for you.

2) The armchair quarterback acts as if his yelling at the TV will make a difference, yet there is nothing he can do to affect the results of the game.  We, as human beings in the game of life, often act as if our ideas or our voice won’t make a difference, yet everything we choose to do or not do affects the results of the game.

The game clock is ticking…  A mulititude of crises threaten our children’s future…  Everything we value is on the line…

Are you on the field?

VisionForce is looking for 30 hungry change agents to come play in the championship game of life.  Apply here to be one of them.  For more details about our “training camp,” go here.

The E Revolution!

Listen to this conversation with Kevin Koym, a visionary entrepreneur here in Austin, who believes that entrepreneurs are the revolutionaries who will solve the world’s problems.

This is the first in a series of conversations we’ll be having with Austin visionaries, who are coming together to create a radically different future than the one we’re headed towards now. A future that really works for everyone. What we talk about here directly affects your life and your children’s future. Download it to your iPod and tell us what you think. It’s about 50 minutes long.
MP3 File

Mohammad Yunus And The New Revolutionaries

“In 1974, I found it difficult to teach elegant theories of economics in the university classroom, in the backdrop of a terrible famine in Bangladesh. Suddenly, I felt the emptiness of those theories in the face of crushing hunger and poverty. I wanted to do something immediate to help people around me, even if it was just one human being, to get through another day with a little more ease.”

Thus begins the story of Mohammad Yunus, the 2006 winner of the Nobel Peace Prize. In his Nobel lecture (watch the video and read the transcript here), he tells his story of how he came to found Grameen Bank and pioneer micro-lending to the poor.

The prevailing assumption of bankers and capitalists at that time was that the poor were not a good credit risk. Over the last 30 years, the Grameen (meaning “village”) Bank has given out loans totalling $6 Billion (US) to 7 million poor people, and the repayment rate has been 99%. Yunus proudly asserts that Grameen Bank routinely makes a profit, is self-reliant and has not accepted donor money since 1995. And, according to an internal survey of borrowers, 58 per cent have crossed the poverty line.

These results have say something about who we are as human beings, and what is possible for humanity going forward. Mohammad Unus sees a future where poverty only exists in museums! The path to get there lies, he sees, in questioning our assumptions about who we are as human beings and using free market principles to help the poor lift themselves from poverty.

“I am in favor of strengthening the freedom of the market. At the same time, I am very unhappy about the conceptual restrictions imposed on the players in the market. This originates from the assumption that entrepreneurs are one-dimensional human beings, who are dedicated to one mission in their business lives − to maximize profit.”

“…Human beings are a wonderful creation embodied with limitless human qualities and capabilities. Our theoretical constructs should make room for the blossoming of those qualities, not assume them away.”

“…By defining “entrepreneur” in a broader way we can change the character of capitalism radically, and solve many of the unresolved social and economic problems within the scope of the free market.”

In his speech, Mohammad Yunus introduces the concept of a “social business,” as a free market solution to end poverty, and as a vehicle for young revolutionaries to change the world.

“Young people all around the world, particularly in rich countries, will find the concept of social business very appealing since it will give them a challenge to make a difference by using their creative talent. Many young people today feel frustrated because they cannot see any worthy challenge, which excites them, within the present capitalist world. Socialism gave them a dream to fight for. Young people dream about creating a perfect world of their own.”

The FLOW Movement being started right here in Austin, Texas is forming an idealogical framework to provide a global context for tomorrow’s young revolutionaries. Michael Strong, Co-Founder of FLOW, sees how these new ideas about human potential, entrepreneurship and free markets can ignite a spark in University students, giving them a viable way to literally change the world for the better.

Mohammad Yunus says that we have poverty, because we accept it as part of the human condition. Once we raise our standards and refuse to accept it, we will easily find creative solutions to eliminate it altogether. The human mind has incredible power to solve problems, but only the problems that we refuse to accept.

“We create the world in accordance with our mindset. We need to invent ways to change our perspective continually and reconfigure our mindset quickly as new knowledge emerges. We can reconfigure our world if we can reconfigure our mindset.”

Of course, this is what we are up to here at VisionForce.com. The visionary mind of the future is one that evolves continually in ways that empower the individual to stand for more, see more as possible and create more. Our free Visionary Mind Shifts course by email is an introduction to this kind of evolutionary consciousness.

Our Visionary Mind home study program takes you much deeper, having you question the biggest assumptions about human beings, which keep us limited; and having you experience your “inner calling” to stand for a better world–your call to “greatness.” You can dive more fully into your visionary mind, and accelerate your evolution with this program by purchasing your hard copy here.

And if you’re already deep in the game of world-changing and conscious evolution, or if you are committed to living as Mohammad Yunus has lived, we want you to attend this event and be one of the 30 to step forward this spring and create a future that really works for everyone. The revolution starts now!

comments January 22nd, 2007

Zaadzsters!

Together, we've helped Clovis start some businesses in Uganda and employ people.  With our last ChipIn fund raiser for Clovis, he rented the space for his real live Vision Cafe (an internet cafe, where he teaches people to be visionary leaders and entrepreneurs).  He also paid the licensing fees to the government, got some furniture and computers. 

Now he needs internet access, so he can connect his fellow Ugandans to the worldwide web.  The installation, equipment and monthly service is quite expensive as there are not many people who have internet access. 

Please join us again, and contribute whatever amount you can, large or small.  For contributions of $100 or more, I will send you my 8-week downloadable program, Vision Force 101, that Clovis used to change his life and to teach his classes.  For $300 or more, I will send you my physical home study package, Visionary Mind, with audio CDs and more (Clovis is holding his copy in the photo above).

ANY amount is appreciated... even what you'd spend on a cup of tea!  On behalf of Clovis and all his students, thank you so much.  To contribute, just use the ChipIn tool below:

The Super Bowl, for millions of people, is the most exciting game in the world.  Every year over 100,000 Americans gather to watch the game, many as if their lives depend on it.  What does this say about us as human beings?  What does this say about our values? 

What if our most exciting game were the game called our life?  What if creating a radically better future for our children was much more exciting than who wins on Super Bowl Sunday? 

More people watched the news on 9/11 than watch the Super Bowl.  How many more crises will it take for all of us to wake up and engage in the game we’re playing, simply be virtue of living in the 21st century?  Terrorism, war, extreme poverty, aids, addiction, depression, global warming, pollution, crime, corruption—the stakes are much higher than the Super Bowl, yet how many of us are playing as if we have the ball in our hands, and it’s up to us?

Sadly, many people do relate to the challenges we face as human beings right now as if they are but spectators, watching us all lose as time is running out.

Talk, talk, talk and more talk. Everyone talks about change. Like the armchair quarterbacks, many well-meaning, “good” people are talking from the sidelines of life, gossiping, criticizing and complaining about what everyone else is doing or not doing.

Consider these two important differences between the armchair quarterback watching football and the well-meaning, “good” person being a spectator in today’s world.

1) We’re all in this game called life. Everyone is a player, like it or not; yet so much of our team is on the sidelines, watching, cheering, whining, commenting on those who are on the field.  Can you imagine a football team where most of the team is not just “on the bench,” but at home watching the game on TV? Can you imagine a team whose players don’t dare even play? They might contribute some money or vote on team decisions, but when it comes time to get down and dirty and play… they’re nowhere to be found. Except you.  You’re here to play, and you cannot deny it.  Life lived from the sidelines would be death for you.

2) The armchair quarterback acts as if his yelling at the TV will make a difference, yet there is nothing he can do to affect the results of the game.  We, as human beings in the game of life, often act as if our ideas or our voice won’t make a difference, yet everything we choose to do or not do affects the results of the game.  Sitting at home yelling at the politician on TV instead of having your voice heard in public makes a difference in the outcome of the game.  It's a great strategy for losing the game of life.  Complaining about anything and acting as if there's not much you can do about it affects the outcome of the only game that really matters--life itself.  When we chose to be an armchair quarterback in the game of life, we are choosing to lose the future we could be creating for our children.

Right now we don’t need any more “good” people, who mean well.  Right now, the world needs great people.  We need champions.  But more than that, what we need is simply more people who are willing to get off the chair, turn off the TV and get out on the field.  Greatness begins with the will to act. 

One of the most dangerous illusions today is the notion that the people with political power  rule the world and the only ones with real power to cause change.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  Look around you.  The world you see was not created by politicians.  It was created by individual entrepreneurs, artists, inventors, industrious workers, etc.  Human beings have all the power we need to create a better world right now—in our heads and our hearts.  It is our creative, intellectual minds and heroic spirits that give us more power than all of the political and military might in the world.  And yet, we so often act as if the power is outside of us.

Consider that you have the ball.  You can run with it right now.  You can put points on the board and affect the outcome of this game called life, not just for yourself but for your team called humanity. 

The game clock is ticking…  A multitude of crises threaten our children’s future…  Everything we value is on the line…

Are you on the field?

The game is in full swing at VisionForce.com