The Potential Generation. We are at a turning point in world history–the design-plan-build of a new, better civilisation. This morning, as I got my two young children up and out of bed, I looked at them and said, “I am going to do my best as your father to create the conditions so you can become all you are capable of becoming, and build a whole new world out of the opportunity of this learning moment.”
The 2020 pandemic is changing the course of human history with every breath. In and out–something changes again–it seems. Every Sunday night for the first few weeks of the crisis, our government here in Australia announced its plans to suppress the virus. It is the new rhythm of life. We no longer live in the world that existed 30, 60, and 90 days ago. It is gone. Accept that.
The Potential Generation
When I look back over the past 30 days, it is hard to believe how much freedom has been simply taken away as governments declare emergency powers. This is within the legal rights of governments in times of crisis. Yet. often, once government acquires something, it is never returned. The Potential Generation will need to work to ensure freedom is restored to what is what before the pandemic.
In my article “Why Are Governments Killing Their Economies?” I present the strategy behind the government-mandated economic stall. I recently wrote our Prime Minister and MPs imploring them to talk straight to us as adults. Not only has government had to stall the economy, it has also legally put freedom on hold. We need to start a public conversation about all of this. In our conversation, we also should place on the agenda how disturbing, dependent, selfish, and fearful people are right now.
The Rise of The Sheeple
I have been referring to the fearful as sheeple–sheep people. Yes, the toilet paper hoarding icons of the narcissistic, mentally ill, panic and anxiety afflicted, weak society we have become. I do understand that real sheep have many wonderful traits. Nevertheless, as humans, we are fond of viewing the animal kingdom as “who’s who in the zoo.” We compare one animal to another. We learn from animal behaviour and apply what we observe to human life; our own behaviour and that of others. Despite, the positives in sheep, their weaknesses have become a checklist of behaviours humans should avoid:
–Followers, not leaders.
–Timid, fearful, easily panicked.
–Dumb, stupid, gullible.
–Stampede easily, vulnerable to mob psychology.
–Little or no means of self-defense; can only run.
–Easily killed by enemies.
–Easily “cast” that is, flipped over on their back, sometimes from too much wool.
–Sheep are unable to right themselves and will die of starvation if not turned over by shepherd. Need the most care of all livestock.
I am looking for the courageous and brave to build a new world with. The panic contagion that went viral on the internet shows us, we need leaders as we build a new world. We have a long journey ahead. Sheeple cannot build a new, better, stronger world. For that we need shepherds; leaders.
Technology brought us many conveniences and capabilities in the pre-COVID world. It also destroyed human progress in character development, behaving civilly, and being a community of neighbours who come into unity to ensure our survival. Henry Hazlitt’s “Economics In One Lesson” is a good primer about human interdependence which you are about to learn is at the core of an economy. We are all about to learn just how much we need each other.
The Potential Generation: Design, Plan, Build
In my job, I work for an essential industry and business. The definition of “essential,” as it turns out, is what world governments have decided are the basic building blocks needed to preserve enough GDP to have a foundational economy to rebuild on after the pandemic.
If your business has been closed, or your job eliminated, it is because it was not essential. A cafe that adds the service of preparing and serving food is not essential. Growing, processing, and distributing food for people to buy and prepare at home is essential. People must eat to have energy to fuel their ability to work in the core essential building blocks of economic GDP. I work in the building and construction industry supply chain. I think design, plan, build in my mind constantly.
That is what we are about to do–design, plan, and build a new world.
The Potential Generation Inflection Point
I am writing these thoughts on a Saturday morning in my home in the Western Sydney Blue Mountains here in Australia. I am hyper-aware that we all are determining the course of history right now. The public health and economic crisis we face is an inflection point.
My life work is helping others understand what potential is, and applying it to all of life. Human potential fascinates me. When I look at the history of the human race with my fellow human beings, we can see people who in the process of becoming all they were capable of created opportunities to radically change the world.
The Potential Generation: Crisis, Opportunity and the New Future of Potential
As people lived in a world of challenge, suffering, crisis, and struggle for survival, people have become all they are capable of and transformed fear into courage; crisis into opportunity.
The Potential for a New Civilised Community of Nations
As we build a new world, there will be many adjustments and changes in the reconstruction of humanity. Our priorities. Our medical system. The way we work. The need to travel. Home schooling via the web. Less reliance on Chinese manufacturing. Building essential production capacity nationally again. As an American who left the homeland by marriage, and became an Australian, I pray America will finally end the employer-based managed health care developed in the Post WWII industrialism. It failed a society facing pandemic.
Why did we not see how fragile our medical systems and supply chains really are? Why did we accept “just in time” supply chains and not learn from the animals who gather food for winter? Was it pride? Was it a blind spot believing that technology had overcome human nature and the classical understanding of anthropology? Was it greed?
The Potential Generation: Born For Such A Time As This
I, and you, have been born for such a time as this. My life work is human potential. In the coming days, I will be writing, broadcasting, and as sherpa, continuing to lead those who want to climb toward the peak of their potential. COVID-19 is a temporary setback. It is like encountering an obstacle on a climb to the summit of Mount Everest. I encourage you to think about your role in rebuilding our economy and society.
My mission with “The Peak of Potential” has been to teach 100,000 children and 1 million adults how to achieve their potential in order to create a new world. That mission was crafted long before COVID plague. The virus world has only served to show me how important potential, resilience, flow state, and understanding what well-being is will be as we come into unity to survive a pandemic, and then enter an era of reconstructing a new and better civilisation.