How to become a great leader, listener, or problem-solver? Create loving relationships, sustainable business and cope with volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity (VUCA)?
Millions of programs and books attempt to answer these questions. While they offer great choices, the sheer volume can be overwhelming. Although AI offers nice summary, it doesn’t reach beyond what most people already know. Where does one start, and whose advice can be trusted?
Fortunately, it is not that complicated. If we try to count the leaves on a great tree, we will be overwhelmed. But if we trace our way to the root, we find a single seed. With the same logic, the answers to all the questions above converge on one fundamental principle: raise your consciousness. This means cultivating the ability to see the bigger picture, instead of being perpetually trapped in the specifics.
With higher consciousness, we gain a long-term perspective. We understand the fundamental rules of how the world operates regardless of short-term turbulence. We become better leaders, listeners, partners, and parents. We navigate VUCA environments with greater ease and grace. We lead our lives and grow our organizations from a place of authenticity and evolutionary purpose, akin to the “Teal” paradigm of action.
But what is consciousness, and how do we raise it?
Consciousness is awareness. Human consciousness is a measure of our spiritual intelligence—which, in this context, simply refers to our deepest capacity for awareness, connection, and inner wisdom. Imagine walking in the wilderness at night. If the light in your hand is off, you struggle, bump into rocks, and suffer injuries. When the light is bright, illuminating the path, you see with clarity and walk with confidence. This is how consciousness operates. Our life is the walk, spiritual intelligence is the light, mindset is the light switch, and consciousness is the resulting visibility.
Lower consciousness leaves us struggling in the darkness. We curse obstacles, fight rivals, and try to remove “rocks” with immense effort, often creating more problems and side effects in the process. This is why we live in a world obsessed with problem-solving. Every business proposal or investment pitch centers on a solution to your problem. Yet, if born from a low-consciousness mindset, these solutions can become problems themselves. As Einstein famously observed, “We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.”
There is a simpler way: turn on the light. Increase visibility and follow the path of least resistance, rather than dedicating life to becoming a “problem-ologist.” This shift in focus—from fighting darkness to seeking light—opens infinite possibilities. To do this is to raise consciousness, allowing spiritual wisdom to illuminate our path and guide our thoughts and actions.
Consider a common scenario: a boss requests extra work with unpaid overtime. A low-consciousness response is to see the boss as the problem and ourselves as victims. We might stay late with resentment, go home angry, and complain to colleagues, spreading negative energy while avoiding direct communication.
A high-consciousness response is different. We ensure excellent performance during core hours, communicate with the boss to fully understand the context, and, if necessary, say “no” clearly and without fear. We see the boss not as an adversary, but as a collaborator who has presented a challenge for our growth—an opportunity to reflect on our efficiency, set clear boundaries, speak our truth, and exercise self-respect.
To many, consciousness seems abstract, but only because we have not learned its language. In reality, it manifests in observable patterns. The overarching direction of growth is always from states of fear, control, separation, and selfishness toward unconditional love, oneness, wisdom, compassion, and trust. Each level of consciousness has its own distinct patterns of thinking and behavior.
The benefits of this shift are profound and practical. Research in fields like positive psychology and mindful leadership correlates high-consciousness states with better health, less stress, deeper relationships, and enhanced creativity. It leads to higher achievement with less striving and to financial abundance that feels both guilt-free and sustainable. The core question is simple: which gives you more positive, creative energy—fear or love?
So, how do we move from fear to love, from control to trust? The ultimate answer is not on the internet or another person’s mind, though these can serve as guides. The ultimate answer resides within. We are all born with an innate spiritual wisdom. One effective way to activate this inner light is to systematically study the Laws of Nature. These lawys remains the same through eternity and dictates everything in the Universe, regardless of social changes. Then apply these laws in life. This is the essence of personal development on a spiritual path.
Your priority is always your choice: will you spend your life trying to remove rocks in the dark, or will you focus first on finding the light?