The Road to World-Determination.

“The most exciting breakthroughs of the twenty-first century will not occur because of technology, but because of an expanding concept of what it means to be human. — John Naisbitt”

We all know the world is changing. But what is less clear is the direction in which this change is taking us. Should we rejoice in the face of this shift and lean into the uncertainty, or perhaps run screaming for the hills? From a basic observation, two opposing forces are grappling to take the lead. And, like crossroads meeting in a forest, we (the traveller) are required to make our choice.

One path is well-trodden and is that of the old world. It represents the status-quo and the ‘way things are’. This path is familiar and well-worn. We find ourselves returning here out of comfort and conformity. Some who walk this way are scared of letting go of the familiarity, others see the dry, ruined landscape and recoil. Toxic corporate cultures, aggressive politics, secrecy, inequality, ‘me before we’ attitudes and excessive consumption can be hallmarks of this journey.

The second path is that of the new world. It represents the alternative and the ‘way things could be’. This path is almost pristine but it is lush and enticing in the same breath. We are compelled to discover it, from a deep desire to experiment, to experience wholeness, creativity, community and to do something different. Detected in groups that are embracing the evolution of the workplace, for-benefit businesses, communal living, active global movements, grassroots social impact, and a ‘we before me’ attitude, this route is increasing in popularity.

The world of work and business has been thrust into the centre of this debate, symbolising in part the crossroads on which these two opposing paths collide. Why? Because people across the world are rejecting the ‘old way’ of working in favour of something…more. This directly contributes to the shift we are feeling in society, both economically and spiritually. Or, as Joanna Macy would say, it represents The Great Turning — the essential adventure of our time. She describes it as a shift from an industrial-growth society to a life-sustaining, green and conscious society, and this to me feels correct.

It means that we are all responsible for the journey we are on and can no longer follow blindly. The work you choose to do, the companies you choose to support and the products you choose to buy all directly contributes to the world you are building or the one you are destroying.

“We can not solve our problems with the same level of thinking that created them”.

— Albert Einstein

We are collectively waking up to the fact that something is broken. Only 13% of people globally are engaged at work. Almost half of employed Americans earn so little that they are are eligible for food stamps. The earth is choking on industrial waste from products that consumers have no confidence in or need for. We waste 1.3 billion tonnes of food annually whilst 3.1 million children die from malnutrition. Our Earth is suffering from the most dramatic loss of biodiversity since a comet wiped out the dinosaurs. We are entering the 6th mass extinction witnessed by our planet, only this time we get to claim some responsibility.

Looking at the traditional working world it is clear we require new ways to govern ourselves and to find harmony with our natural home. Organisations throughout time have had a great influence in deciding the fate of the Earth and happiness of it’s people. They have dictated that we must ‘earn a living’ and ‘get what we pay for’, they decided profits and efficiency were vital success metrics. They are active participants in the gender pay gap and have encouraged us to oil their cogs with the ebbing juices of our hearts, hopes and precious time. Business at large, even today, can seem an enemy to progress.

The system or mindset that put us here needs to be peeled away to show something better. But much like pulling off a plaster, it stings, and you can never be sure what you’ll discover underneath.

“We change our behaviour when the pain of staying the same becomes greater than the pain of changing. Consequences give us the pain that motivates us to change.”

— Henry Cloud

With the consequences being what they are, many people, myself included, are hurling themselves down path no. 2 in a bid to deliberately tread lighter. However, the principles of ‘leave no trace’ are rapidly eroding and it is not enough to simply visit and vanish. We need to build and protect, to nurture and grow, to heal and to hope.

Organisations are also a force for good. Incredible people have come together to create more human work environments, support our natural resources and power innovative social projects inconceivable outside of that structure. History and current evidence suggest that we are about to make a giant leap and, like the above, some organisations and groups are way ahead of us. By reinventing the way we structure ourselves as organisations and relate to one another as humans, we can achieve more than we ever dreamed possible.

“Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”

— Howard Thurman

At Escape the City, we are fortunate to have a community of curious travellers, all connected by a desire to do more in the world. I want to help accelerate their progress by connecting them to great companies within which they can make wider impact. Companies that embrace wholeness, creativity and a purpose-before-profit mentality are places where, I believe, these people can truly come alive. And to echo Mr Thurman, we need this now more than ever.

I wonder if it is no longer enough to just do something different? Perhaps we are now required to be someone different and to invite as many people as possible to join us on this road. By increasing the size and quality of our communities inside and outside work, I know that we will be able to bring about a truly powerful change.

Every footstep counts.

I am working on a project to identify companies that are open to supporting people on this same journey and who are mindful of their impact on the planet at large. If you would like to share your opinion or experiences related to this, find me at mel@escapethecity.org.