Life-Work gains more direct support in the academic space with new publication: “Self Comes to Mind”

A recent book publication by neuroscientist Antonio Damasio:  Self Comes to Mind: Constructing the Conscious Brain http://bit.ly/iMKXy4 …is another indication that “TheWork” here has been on the right path. 

Since 1986 I’ve been focused on a specific question. As it turns out this singular question is intimately connected to a number of other critical and interrelated questions.

The core question has always been: How do we discover, develop and value our innate, gifted and naturally unique Self.

Some of the critical interrelated questions follow:

Why is an awareness of our innate Self, and Self-Evolution knowledge, critical to the health of the human species, as a naturally interconnected macro-organism called humanity? (Think Gaia with Frontal Lobes 🙂 ) 

What does individual Self-Evolution have to do with the quality of everything else in our life? 

What does knowing, living and valuing one’s innate Self have to do with quality of: our relationships; our career choices; and our parenting? 

How is it that in consciously living our gifted Self we will come to know our true Life-Purpose: that a more conscious knowledge of Self connects each of us more directly with our Life Purpose.

Why is it not obvious that in valuing and living our Self and our Purpose we positively affect our health habits; our immune system; and increase our productive working synergies with other people?

Finally, how does the intentional living of a more coherent, gift-founded and driven Self enhance the quality and quantity of human social synergy?

The Solution as a System:

All of these questions have been considered as a system of inherently interrelated processes – as a singular system. The combination of content system and business system is used in the solution.

LeModel – as illustrated through the characterizations and imagery of LeToonz and LeCozmos, and the associated and proposed system of products and services is the content dimension: http://letoonz.wordpress.com/ and https://imonad.wordpress.com/

 G.E.T.TheVision is the business systems dimension: http://getthevision.wordpress.com/

The two of these combined dimensions are what I believe to be a very powerful and effective answer to each and every one of these questions – as a singular system’s oriented solution.

How to Make “Self” Consciousness Cool 4 Kids

LeToonz on T's - Cause the Convo!

To make the consciousness of a personal “Self” cool you first have to define it. To do that you need a framework, a way of speaking to the question to begin with. In our conversation the human “Self” has an evolving quality that we believe we can visually represent in a meaningful way – both for the user and for society as a whole – and over time.

So, to make Self-consciousness cool you have to make the process of personal evolution entertaining, ergo cool. You have to make the thought-framework you are using, in our case, a human evolutionary-ontology, entertaining and cool.

Then, of course, you have to create a brand universe of products and services founded upon this “framework-as-ontology.” Not a simple nor obvious solution as this complex brand universe is born from a synergetic system of words, images and meaning-rich messages. And this system of words images and messages will grow out of this idea of evolving personal YOUnique-ness; TheSelf; and so on. AND all of this, schtuff… you know… must be truly kewl to fly.

The model, we call LeModel (Learning-to-Evolve the Model), consists of 6 core “state” or “process/operator” variables, facets or components. It was first created and presented to academic audiences as a new way to frame, and speak to the idea of, gift-centric Self-evolution. These first presentations occurred at Stanford University between 1983-1985. 

The character images are called LeToonz and were added to illustrate the phrases within LeModel in 1990-91. These “toon-ish” illustrations were done in collaboration with Jack Dempsey, a Chicago (Illinois/USA) artist. 

LeToonz - Your YOUnique SELF Is TruKewl

From Left to Right and riding directly atop the wave (LeWave) we see AskYourSelf, LetGo, Ah-Ha, and DoIt.  Below AskYourSelf and on the circular pedestal, and in blue, is Flo, Across from Flo and in front of and below Ah-Ha is BeIt. BeIt is a comnbination of all the LeToonz characters. BeIt’s shapre is that of a chalice and a torid… see the donut around BeIt’s waist. The arms and legs spread up and out to form the shape of the chalice (bi-spiral vortices).

“Ah-Ha” (aka: “aha-moment”) is one of the LeModel “state” variables.

Ah-Ha - Fun Pose... Surfin'

It has taken some time but all the LeModel linguistic variables have, as of 2010, become part of the consumer lexicon. This is not to say the utternace “ah-ha” did not occur before Oprah.  It is only to say that broad and commonly defined consumer awareness of what an “ah-ha” means and its “reality” as a shared  experience started with Oprah. The same with “Do-It” via Nike; and “Flo” or “Being in the Zone” via our star athlete Brand scripting (and Dr. Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi).

It took 1 human generation, approximately 25 years between 1984-2010, for all of the variables within LeModel to achieve this level of awareness and frequency-of-use in the consumer market.  One thing LeModel provides that we have yet to see is to show the natural interplay and relationships that exist between each of these core variables and how these operate within our lives.

The phrase “Do-It” is one of the “process” or operation variables within LeModel. Nike made “Just Do It” famous 1988. Once a phrase becomes has developed a certain permanence within our conversations with each other, or within our Selfs, we can assume a new level of awareness, or consciousness, has been achieved related to the idea, or meaning of the word or phrase and its emergent associations. In this case, “Do-It” became part of our common lexicon by the early 90’s and has persisted into present day conversation. Ah-Ha, or aha-moment, emerged in and around early 2010 and will continue to spread dramatically.

Flo - One of 6 of the LeToonz Characters within LeModel

“Flo” is one of the LeModel “state” variables that made it to verbal ubiquity in the late 90’s under the umbrella of pop sport psychology with its early roots found in the published and later more broadly popularized work of Dr. Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi  (1985, 1989).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mihaly_Csikszentmihalyi#cite_ref-Finding_Flow_4-1 

“Ask Your Self” we began to see in a number of Print, Radio and TV ADs and then TV comedy scripts such as Seinfeld in the late 90’s early 2000… to date each and every one of these phrase-as-variables has been isolated, or seen as separate by the consumer-mind. In our model they are unified as a system. Over time each and every one of these phrases has migrated across multiple social-semantic contexts.

Ah-Ha clicked-in-relevance with the consuming mind in the last quarter of 2008 w/Oprah: http://www.oprah.com/packages/aha-moments.html … and is now being used in media scripting, business, academic and product and service presentations and speeches around the world. Speaking to perceived value of a “phrase”, Mutual of Omaha even sued Oprah over use of the phrase “Aha Moment.”

So, how can we get kids to think, see and viscerally experience this idea that their SELF, and the Consciousness of their innate and evolving Self is actually amazingly cool?  This has always been the big question.

We have looked at the array of product domains and channels and age-groups by which to enter the market, knowing full well that the “thought-product” we are offering can manifest itself within any number of product domains – from fashions and accessories; to toys; to educational-tech to media/entertainment content (TV, Video, Music, Film); to mobile (dedicated learning and/or learning-game)  and social media apps… to knowledge, collective intelligence and semantic web apps…. and even to coffee cups. http://letoonz.wordpress.com/2011/03/30/letoonz-product-kids-8-13-lewave-wremoveable-letoonz-characters-and-embedded-songs/

We also know a number of these categories are inherently synergistic (Cool Mobile-App Suite meets new Brand Toys (assume younger demog) and/or Fashions + New “Brand” Music/Video, etc) and we have been looked at these scenarios as parallel devel waves.

LeFashion - Ah-Ha Watches - Self-Consciousness/Time

For example, we know we can build an exciting game-culture (with sequel and age-migration legs) specific to human-evolution (EvoReVo!). Not a simple task. We could use a treasure hunt, mystery and puzzle storyboard format with a focus on the discovery (recorded ah-ha’s) of innate personal gifts and dispositions (The Natural-Self Revealed)… “Yea so.” & “…then what?” …the user asks. Well, it’s inherently Self-developmental and social developmental, or simply “social”… so we build in connectivity into the game… it is global multi-player treasure hunt, the treasure being “The Self” and Synergies-of-Self’s defined by who the users really are; defined by a significantly more authentic “Me.”

Further, with this game-generated data and experience, can you then build an evolving social (MP) culture – a social synergy culture connecting individually evolving human beings based on a new platform of individual innate (born-with) characteristics used to mirror personal and YOUnique evolution… If we can make it fun and insight-full then we win the first round.

Can personal evolution be perceived as “kewl” today? We think so. We believe this in part based on social and semantic events that have unfolded consistently and progressively over the last 25 years in the consumer global marketplace – these emergent linguistic patterns we believe speaks to a value-perception and readiness for the ideas behind: Self-Evolution, YOUniqueness, SELF-Consciousness; and even the emergence notions of an Ecology-of-Mind and The Human-Singularity.

What do you think? Ask yourself.

It is an amazing that each and every LeModel variable has become more and more commonly used in “shared experience” conversation by human beings around the world starting around 1990 +/- 1 yr or so and LeModel was first created and presented to the “academic” public as a whole, dynamic and unified system of these same phrases in 1983/84. 

To date, the powerful connections of each of these phrases to one another has not been articulated, much less illustrated, outside of LeModel. We look forward to sharing these thoughts and insights.

How To Recognize Our Innate and Natural Gifts – The Source of Our True Self – Part I

As most of you know, my life-work centers around personal and social human evolution and to see this idea of “evolution” as a process that occurs within a individuals lifetime.  The work is founded on the notion that we, as unique human beings, have a fundamental need to:

• more effectively express and live our natural gifts and dispositions;
• discover healthier and fuller human relationship synergy born naturally from this truer “Self”;
• come to know sooner, and live more fully with intention, our YOUnique “Life-Purpose.”

What I wish to do here is very simple.  The beginning bottom line to living one’s gifts in one’s lifetime is to come to discover them, to value them, and then act on manifesting and living them most fully and in our daily life over time.  

This idea of discovering and living our natural gifts and dispositions “over time” cannot be over stated. This process is anything but a quick fix.  It is a lifetime deal. A lifetime of learning is involved in this idea of Self evolving. As it should be.  Personal evolution is The Never Ending (life) Story for each of us.

Now, invariably, and naturally, when my conversations with people in real or virtual life get to this point I will get the same question from someone in the audience, or that person I am speaking with directly in front of me (… and their inner-dialog is most likely something along these lines, “BlahBlahdiddlyblah”)

Here’s THE question:

“HOW THE $#%@ DO I FIGURE OUT WHAT MY GIFTS ARE?!”

I have capitalized this question as the speaking voice of the inquirer typically carries some shade of emotion. My answer is surprisingly simple, even elegant, but the application of the insight found in the answer is incredibly difficult to do.

Here’s my reply:  

“As an adult we can see our natural gifts through our reaction to others… over time.  Specifically, it’s those things that consistently frustrate us about other people that represents our natural and innate gifts and dispositions.”

It is those things others can’t do, that we do easily, that reflect our innate gifts and dispositions. As an adult, with life memories, and built-up pattern of thought and behavior, this is the simplest way I know of to begin seeing one’s naturally gifted Self…

It is quite illuminating as we consider our own negative reactions to others as being unreasonable. All along we thought they were the idiots, or simple minded, or just plain incompetent, when it turns out they were none of these, that we were simply not accurately valuing that which made us unique.

It is really very simple. Minds NEED other Minds that fit.

Minds Needs Minds... that fit!

That’s my take… the human mind wants to meet optimal other minds.

I think it is this simple. Defining “optimal” becomes interesting but let us assume it is about creating new “anythings.” The moment of insight “Ah-Ha” (…and yes, I spell it differently than the popular market and for good reason) is the most intoxicating experiential phenomena known to the human mind… So having more of these that are resonant to our innate and unique gifts and dispositions and doing so with others of complementary unique-ness is… well… a real watershed party. This is what our minds want AND need intrinsically – and are designed to create, are creating, and will continue to create for themselves.

There are few if any technologies in the world today that over time have evolved outside of this idea of mind-driven architecture, design and functionality.

I am sure I am not saying anything new but I hope I am saying it uniquely and therein reaching more “minds” in the process.