In many elitist cultures – and most of the powerhouse cultures base themselves on elitism – the notion that its people are “the best, the chosen group by their God” has led everyone to believe that they are “special”.
None of us is special!
It is estimated that one hundred and eight billion humans have populated the Earth so far – take a moment to understand that – 108,000,000,000 – and I am just one of those one hundred and eight billion before me, and who-knows how many still to come.
This proves the point… I am not special! You, reading this, are not special.
But each of us is unique! Yes, one in one hundred and eight billion is pretty unique.
Each of the one hundred and eight billion of us has faced both good and bad times. We have been pushed to our limits, resulting in some of us breaking down and some breaking through – surviving, and even thriving! If you think back on some of your unique challenges, and multiply these by one hundred and eight billion, the result is an unimaginable number of problems and happy moments. Unimaginable for me anyway – Einstein and his brainiacs might begin to comprehend the sheer volume of that amount of difficulty and Joy.
Some time ago a conversation with a dear friend highlighted something to me that was simply mind-blowing. A basic concept I assumed we all subscribed to was shown to not be widely held at all – the notion being that with the right ability, effort and grit, anyone with an unwavering will can become more than they are and not be limited by their background. Something that was so decidedly obvious to me was not how my friend saw it – they were convinced that we are, to a large degree, limited by background, privilege or circumstance.
This added to my curiosity and, I guess, fuelled my quest to work towards this point in the evolution of what YQ is becoming.
First and foremost, we are Human Beings. Natural organisms with approximately three hundred thousand years of history on this planet.
When you reflect on the foundations provided for you over that vast expanse of time and then find and nurture your uniqueness and do what serves You – from a place of Love – you will begin to grow your YQ and fully embrace the experience of life and the journey that is yours to enjoy!
I was once asked why I even began to do this?
I didn’t have a ready answer back then.
Upon reflection and in preparation for writing this I realised that I have a long-standing curiosity about us humans – what makes us tick and why we respond so differently to similar situations. I also have a hard-wired tendency to want to help.
When I became aware of the massive disconnect between my “reality” and my feelings of inadequacy, depression and, at one point, despair, this is when YQ started to germinate from a seed that was, I guess, already in me.
Being our ‘best self’ sounds so simple – it should be the easiest and only way to live. And some do accomplish this!
But for me? Sadly, I allowed noise and non-serving influences to mess with my simplicity. These interferences are usually forced on us by our parents, the rules of the schools or society we have grown up in, or religious beliefs imposed upon us from an early age. What Don Miguel Ruez labels “our domestication”.
You see, my parents gave me a solid upbringing – a stable home, a good education and their best attempt at a “perfect family environment”. I have a good marriage with wonderful sons, I work hard and am relatively successful in business – I am a contributing member of society (I like to think so anyway). And yet I was deeply sad, felt paralysed at times, and I had no idea why, or what to do to change it.
With the Love and support of family and friends, most of whom never saw my pain (I was, and still am, good at portraying “the right picture”) – I found the strength and endurance to set off on this journey of growing my own YQ. I am now able to provide a fertile environment for others to germinate their unique seeds and find their own path to personal fulfilment – to live their best life, with the grit to persevere in their ongoing life experience. I do this from a place of Love, and in the hopes of helping them to find their own place of Love.
Over a period spanning more than a decade, in a very on/off kind of way, I have sought out knowledge, experiences, ideas, observations and reflections that have delivered YQ to this point.
I have explored and experimented with various forms of meditation and the “formulas” (and a secret or two) dished out as solutions to create a great life with their promise of the answers to solving all our problems. A recent marketing success of great impact was “The Secret” – which wasn’t really a secret at all.
The ancient wisdoms gleaned from the teachings of Chinese, Japanese, Indian and Aztec cultures, which are still actively practiced today, are largely overshadowed by “modern science” and quick-fix, self-help snake oil remedies & formulas depicted in memes that don’t help people in the long-term.
I also began to closely observe people I respect. Some of whom are great leaders who seem to nurture & develop those they lead, rather than drive them for personal gain or glory.
These realisations and the many years of consideration, observation, reading widely, and practicing some of what I came across, have all contributed to what ‘You Quotient’, or ‘YQ’ as I refer to it, has become. YQ has evolved, and will continue to evolve, as people like you reading this learn from it and add to it, in your unique way.
Over time, I simplified these fundamental truths and influences into a straightforward process. The use of symbols makes it easy to follow and, as I attached my own meaning to each element without obscuring the outcome with preconceived filters, it has become unique to me, as it will to you.
The people who have worked through the program with me, who are intently building their own YQ, have been amazingly grateful and encouraged me to continue my pursuit to help others who feel lost, disillusioned, disconnected and who are battling with the notion of living a life of meaning.
I am excited to be in a position like this, at a time like this, considering all the work that our ancestors have done over the last three hundred thousand years to lay the foundation that I get to live from.