Am I ready to be a leader?

What attracts people to leadership positions? Is it the power that can be wielded? Is it the prestige and recognition that comes with reaching the upper echelons? Given the image many leaders have these days, it seems that responsibility, humility and the search for excellence are not among the virtues that are given priority to. I think that so much effort goes into getting to the top that leaders sometimes forget that with power comes great responsibility and not just personal gain. Being a leader requires making the vision a reality and taking responsibility for the failures as well as the challenges that may stand in the way of attaining success. Overcoming the difficulties requires a lot of self-knowledge and self-control to ensure that our personal demons don't get in the way of resolving the issues at hand. In this sense, as leaders we must keep an eye on:

• Our leadership style.
• Our criteria for decision making.
• The implementation of the vision.
• Measuring our progress.
• The participation of stakeholders.
• Selling our ideas.
• Communication.
• Ethics.

What is the meaning of my life?

What has changed when we have come and gone? Our birth and eventual death mark the duration of our lives. For some of us there is nothing more to it. But what gives it meaning? Maybe nature can give us some hints. Imagine being in a drop of water falling from the sky and somehow you end up in the stream of life on a mountain high. Here the flow of water is quick, vibrant and full of energy. Yet the stream is small and erratic. This flow of water may seem trivial on the surface however when we look in detail at all the things that it helps to sustain such as plant and animal life, it gains greater meaning. In this sense, if we abstract the definition of our lives beyond our biological presence it is possible to see that we can find greater meaning in our existence.

If we follow the stream we find it feeds into a river which is bigger but more coherent in its flow. Somehow by simply flowing we can shape rocks and transform the landscape. In much the same way we as humans work together to create things such as homes, relationships and life in the form of children. They are part of our legacy and yet I think there is more to life than perpetuating our DNA. As any step-child can attest, being a biological parent is not enough. I think our true legacy lies in the memory of our loved ones, friends and acquaintances. In this sense by observing and learning from ourselves and our surroundings we can cultivate true knowledge and meaningful relationships as we progress on our paths of life.

There are drops of water that are captured by man-made objects. As a result this water ceases to flow. When we focus on the temporary and base our lives around it, we are exposing ourselves to suffering. Thinking constantly about our physical assets and our mortality makes us dependent on them and can stop us from progressing in our lives. Even though the physical and the temporary are important for our physical survival, we would do well to pay attention to those aspects of our life which are eternal and meaningful.

Eventually the river reaches the vast ocean. At this stage a lot of people reflect on what they have done with the time given to them. There the flow of water and its energy are different. The drop has become part of something far greater and yet that is not the end for the drop of water. Eventually it will evaporate and be part of some other life cycle. In nature it doesn't matter if you are rich and powerful or poor and destitute, our bodies eventually die and we become part of something else. It is my belief that you can pursue whatever temporary objective you wish but you will truly benefit from those things you can take on your transcendental journey.

Am I the owner of the truth?

The absolute truth encompasses those things we believe apply universally, like natural laws. If we believe a statement or idea to be true we sometimes expect others to follow and enforce it. What do I believe to be true and just? Is it that we are all equal? Does that mean that we all have equal rights and obligations? Must everyone follow the ideas and laws I believe to be true? In the same way many of us expect the light to turn on when we flick the switch, so we have come to believe that written laws control everything we do. In a sense, written laws are usually designed to define expected behavior and regulate our freedom of action.

So why are there so many people breaking written laws? Maybe it is because we are unaware of them or because each of us have different views on how those laws apply to us. For example, history has shown us time and again how certain laws that forbid killing other people have been bypassed for some "superior" motive. As any lawyer will tell us, laws are usually open to interpretation. Those who create them envision situations in which they apply and reasons for applying them. Somehow each of us must interpret these laws and take them into account in our everyday lives. In case we break the law there are others in charge of enforcement and applying penalties as required.

In many respects we must earn our freedom. When we live in society there are laws that we must understand, accept and apply that will help us operate with greater transparency. It is clear to me that those societies where respect and trust for the law and for each of its citizens are upheld, the costs of maintaining law and order are much lower. Even if we were to live alone in a forest, natural laws such as survival of the fittest and gravity would affect us. In the end we would operate best in harmony with nature and its laws.

There are schools of thought that predicate a set of laws and rules that apply to everyone. For me the mere existence of a multiplicity of schools of thought of every kind makes me think that it is natural for humans to interpret ideas and laws, and adapt the way they apply. Even laws such as those expressed in human rights or "thou shall not kill (under any circumstances)" seem to have many exceptions with respect to our local behavior. For these types of laws to apply effectively, each individual must have respect and trust for his fellow man and for the society he belongs to.

Natural laws tend to be universal and apply to us independently of our interpretation. On the other hand, written laws tend to apply to defined groups and require interpretation and acceptance. In this sense written laws must respect our individuality as much as we accept our responsibilities towards the collective. In our everyday life we must balance our rights with our obligations as citizens and participate actively in the definition of laws to ensure that they are representative and will not be open to abuses. It is natural for us to apply the laws we believe in and any idea or law that is imposed unilaterally will surely meet resistance.

What do I know?

Socrates once declared, "All I know is that I know nothing". This observation gains special meaning in our modern world where we are so reliant on information and knowledge. In many respects we have developed a faith in science and technology that has allowed us to progress and achieve things we could only dream about. The tools and knowledge we now possess have amplified our capacity to create and destroy to the point where we have developed a sense of arrogance.

Yet, a lot of the knowledge we have developed is dependent on observation and experimentation that have generated more questions than answers. This begs the question of how reliable our observations are in terms of yielding everything there is to know. If we look at the scale of the known electromagnetic spectrum it is impressive to see how small our field of vision is. A lot of the phenomena we observe are actually secondary and always open to interpretation. This explains in part why we have had a history of changes in the way we conceive the universe, and these paradigm shifts are likely to continue for a very long time.

I think it is safe to say that there is so much we do not know about, that a sense of humility would be more appropriate. Our knowledge is very dependent on how we understand and see our environment, and in many cases only applies to specific conditions. In fact, a lot of our effort goes into reproducing the conditions in which we can apply our knowledge more easily. For example, computers require electricity and we have dedicated a lot of resources to installing and maintaining the infrastructure required for them to function. In terms of communications, medicine and education we have made a lot of progress extending our influence and well-being to a lot of persons around the world.

If we assume an attitude of arrogance towards our knowledge I think we would be limiting ourselves. I say this not only in the sense of limiting the scope of knowledge, but also in closing our hearts and minds to other possibilities. In this sense the Internet is a testament to how openness can help us learn about our environment and progress.

The more we are open to consider other points of view, the more we reduce the risk of skewing our knowledge with our particular bias. It is also important to be vigilant of the context and situations in which we apply our knowledge. Sometimes we have a tendency of wanting to apply knowledge universally without thinking through the consequences. I believe that we must complement our limited knowledge with a vision of that which is eternal and meaningful. True knowledge comes from accepting that there are many things we do not know about. Assuming an attitude of continuous search for the truth can be our way of accepting this.

Who am I?

This is a question that is difficult to answer in a direct manner. What tendencies do we have? How will we react to a given situation in a given moment? It may seem that we are not so connected to our inner self but I think that if we observe carefully at what we care about in a given situation, we will start to find the answer. For example, most parents will do whatever it takes to ensure the well-being of their family in a perilous situation and the way they respond is a reflection of their inner self. By believing in something and acting upon it with our heart, our true self becomes evident.

When we care about something our thoughts are dominated by it. For some it may be the love of a spouse, the well-being of a new-born child, the football match or the legacy we leave for future generations.  In these situations our principles, values, beliefs, intentions and experiences are activated, and reflect a part of who we are. Our feelings surface when we really care about something and we express them with a variety of emotions including happiness, anger, love and anxiety. Our behavior is generally a manifestation of our thoughts in the physical world and an important component of our communication.

I believe we are defined by our thoughts, feelings and behavior. If we want to know ourselves better then it is imperative to start with our thoughts, both conscious and unconscious. For example, how would you feel if a stranger forbids you to do something? Even though this may appear to be a logical issue such as minimizing risk, it's a sure thing there will be an underlying emotional issue such as the need for freedom, that may generate discord.  To study our thoughts we must live the moment and pay close attention to how they affect our daily experience.

If we are not defined by our thoughts then it is easy to think that in essence we are the way we are and there is no need to change. For me the danger in this attitude is that we can go through our entire lives surviving the nightmares of our reality time and time again. Life has shown us what happens when we try to impose our will on nature, for example by changing the course of a river. When things go wrong because the river returns to its original course, many of us end up asking ourselves why life dealt us this card.

Cogito, ergo sum. René Descartes used this expression "I think, therefore I am" as a proposal for existence, later concluding with "I am, I exist". For me this expression describes the connection between our thoughts and our existence. It could be said that our thoughts create our reality and I believe that in many respects this is true.

I think that among the more important aspects of our human condition is to be conscious of our thoughts, decisions, emotions and actions. It is precisely these elements that define a part of who we are. Being conscious goes beyond being aware of our reality and it requires paying attention to the present moment. For me this implies participating actively in life in such a way that we are open to the situations we create, taking full responsibility for the thoughts, decisions, emotions and actions that originate from us. That is why I think that the great masterpieces of humanity are created when we challenge ourselves to be the best we can be. If we assume an attitude of constant search for our truth, and help others along the way, we shall find the treasures that this life has to offer us, such as the unconditional love of our family.

What is reality to me?

For some of us it could be the intense traffic we wade through in the morning. Queue after queue of metal, rubber and fumes. A giant sea of red and white lights framed by asphalt and concrete between your destination and you. The feeling of anguish grows as you feel you have wasted hour upon hour of your life incessantly alternating every few meters between the gas and the brake. Just when you feel you can take no more of this feeling of being trapped, you stop and think whether this is the reality you want to live.

Is our reality only what we see? There are people who try to adapt by making their journey more comfortable. Others try to avoid it altogether by working from home. Yet the feeling of being trapped continues to mark our existence. Is what you are seeing a reflection of how you feel inside? Do you feel your life is an uphill battle and that you are trapped between a rock and a hard place?

Maybe reality is a reflection of our existence. In other words, because we exist we are able to perceive our reality. Even if we could instantly transport ourselves from one place to another we would probably still think, feel and act like if we were in a reality that limits us. In this sense our human characteristics play a very important role. Our brains are capable of processing huge amounts of information generated internally and by our senses. Yet we choose to filter and judge what we perceive by adapting our individual mental constructs that define our reality.

For many of us reality has come to mean the universe of objects we agree are perceived to exist without our presence. In other words we could believe that intense traffic is an entity that exists on its own and generates anguish within us. I find this definition limiting because it does not take fully into account our perception of reality as humans, particularly in terms of concepts and ideas. For example, the concept of property exists in our collective minds and it can have as much meaning to us as any wall we consider as real.

The connection between our existence and our reality is a duality that is inherent in our human condition. I think that our abilities as humans allow us to observe, classify and create our realities. We are the ones who divide things with our mental models and creations, such as driving in lanes. The universe could be one giant information entity which exists without us, but that means nothing unless we are there to observe it. For example, it is improbable that another species would find meaning in a traffic light and stop when it is red unless it is trained to do so by us. On the other hand we wouldn't exist without the universe and it is important for us to understand that we are a part of something bigger.

It is my belief that philosophy takes on a lot of meaning when we study it from the human perspective. We as humans may cling to our individual realities but our search for the truth will prevail. There is always another way to see things. In situations that we consider difficult we can always apply an endless list of ideas and solutions. In this sense I hope that this blog will serve us as a means to share our ideas and help each other on our paths to discovering the mystery of life.