One night I woke up from a dream that I was supposed to give a speech to thousands of people. But, we kept having technical difficulties and having to start the session over. This happened 7 times and with each restart, we would lose people until there was only about 40 people left. These 40 people were the folks who didn’t just come to listen, they came to transform. The folks running the event apologized profusely. But, I was not concerned. When people asked me how I felt that I lost thousands of audience members due to the difficulties getting started that were no fault of my own, I said, “I didn’t lose anyone. I simply found the people who were actually ready to do the work.”
One of my foci right now is what I call, The 2% Theory. Essentially, it is the idea that by consistently choosing to live from my highest IDEALS, I will likely only make sense to approximately 2% of the 8 billion people living on this planet. This notion stems from the understanding that many individuals are often driven by their immediate desires, societal norms, or external validations, leaving a smaller subset of the population that resonates with deeper, more authentic principles. By striving to align myself with these IDEALS, I know that I am embracing a perspective that prioritizes personal growth, integrity, and purpose, even if it means that 98% of the people I encounter might find my inspiration unrelatable. In less than 90 secs this video below will give you an introduction to the theory, illustrating how I made this determination and why it is critical to living an inspired life.
Do What It Takes to Break Free
I was once in a very intense seminar where the participants had to scream at the top of their lungs, “I WILL DO WHATEVER IT TAKES TO BREAK FREE.” I screamed it until I was coughing and hacking up congestion. But, I noticed that a lot of other people were holding back. Probably because they felt embarrassed about screaming like a maniac event though the setting had not only given us permission to do so, but challenged us to and even connected it to us living from our INTEGRITY–what the I in the IDEALS Framework stands for.
Far too many of us live our lives fearing rejection and wanting to be accepted by everyone. That is a fool’s errand; it’s a path that leads to self-doubt and mediocrity. I am sorry, but it is. If you are truly living from your highest IDEALS, it is inevitable that, in a hyper-polarized society, some people will love you while others may hate you FOR THE EXACT SAME REASONS!!! The reality of this dichotomy is difficult to accept, yet it is a necessary truth.
Your work is to be consistent enough and discerning enough that you have no question who is who. This discernment allows you to navigate social interactions with clarity and purpose, recognizing that not everyone will appreciate the authenticity you bring to the table. Then from there, you make the conscious choice to surround yourself with the people who are bettered by your presence in their lives, individuals who inspire you, challenge you, and nurture your growth, and in turn, you are bettered by their presence in yours–your 2 percent. This selective companionship not only brings joy but also fosters an environment where your true self can flourish.
Using my IDEALS framework, I can help you tell the difference between what truly matters and what is merely a distraction. This clarity will empower you to make more informed decisions in your daily life. By understanding your values and priorities, you will find yourself more focused and aligned with your goals. And that knowledge will make an extraordinary difference in your life, enabling you to pursue paths that resonate with your authentic self, leading to greater fulfillment and success as you define those terms.
This is your invitation to join my 2 percent. I welcome an invitation into yours.
Higher Up Consulting 