The Art of Un-Conditioning
Conformity was an integral part of my upbringing. My father was a military officer, both in his work and at home.
Still, I was very different from my fellow students at primary school. I was complying with my father’s norms and not with those of my friends or school. I was different in the sense that I always had a short haircut (remember: military coup) and was not allowed to wear jeans. This was hard, especially in the sixties. Also, I wanted to play football, but that was not allowed, I had to play (field) hockey. If I complied in every area of my life (school, gardening, polishing shoes, sports, etc.), he would not be angry, then it was sort of okay.
In high school, the focus was on knowledge tests and totally not on discovering and developing talents and strengths. And – even more important- there was no attention for who I am and how to live life. Like most young people I had no clue what career and corresponding education to choose. At the university, the approach was basically the same; the focus was mainly on memorizing knowledge. I was still a cog in the learning machine.
Then I had to do military service, no need to further explain what that meant for fitting in.
In my work, both in a small company and in multinationals, there was a strong push to comply with corporate culture. Although it was my job to innovate, there was still this strong centrifugal force.
This means that from a very young age, I/we are conditioned to meet the expectations of others (parents, teachers, professors, or bosses). We are conditioned to live someone else’s life.
To fit in is the holy grail of our society.
I am arguing that this fitting in is seriously impacting the (physical and mental) health of individuals and that it also restricts the growth of business. My headaches and use of alcohol proved that fitting in was harming me personally as well.
When I quit my job and divorced I did discover a completely new world that has been totally out of sight for me. I learned about health, sleep, spirituality, emotions, climate change, and above all personal development. There is so much useful and meaningful information available to strengthen life and work. It makes my life more fun, fulfilling and it gives me control over my own life. I have taken back that control from others. I am always happily gaining the knowledge, skills, and lifeset to flourish, to fly out. I am now living my own life.
Continuously I am questioning why there is no curriculum to learn to fly out, at school, and at university. Further automation and robotization, make it necessary to stimulate uniqueness in order to stand out, both as an individual and as a business.
Through my experience, I found that much of the programs, tools, and methods that are supposed to help you both personally and as an entrepreneur or freelancer, are not working. First, I thought that it was my mistake and that I was not good enough. That is -after all - how we are conditioned to think and feel. If something doesn’t work, we have to do better, we are failing. Then I realized that it has nothing to do with me. The programs that I am trying to apply in my life, are not simply not working because the expert is a unique being under unique circumstances. And as I am also unique, their approach is not working for me – as I am different.
Therefore real personal change can only happen once we upgrade our personal operating system. Real societal change can only happen once we upgrade our economic, social and environmental operating systems.
Extraordinarians recreate new Operating Systems. Being an Extraordinarian is a lifeset and lifestyle. It is not a position, a status, an identity, or a job. It is how we live life and contribute as good as we can.
I have made the shift (from Fitting In to Flying Out to Extraordinarian) and it has been very rewarding. I am sharing that learning to enable others to enjoy being the best possible version of themselves and together build a better world for all.
Need for Un-Conditioning
You don’t know how you are being conditioned to live someone else’s life.
Hardly anyone knows how your (physical, mental, emotional and spiritual) capabilities are intentionally being suppressed and why you are not taught how to live life.
You feel stressed, powerless and unfulfilled in a world where others are pulling the strings.
Your brain is hijacked by parents, teachers, bosses and the media and entertainment industry.
Your body is hijacked by the food, fashion and pharmaceutical industry.
Your future is hijacked by governments and high-tech giants.
When you know how you can escape from this conditioning, you’ll be amazed at what you can do.
You will experience huge growth in health, fulfillment and freedom.
Would you like to learn the secrets of this conditioning?
Would you like to follow your own dreams instead of the dreams of others?
It is time to stand up.
It is time to take responsibility.
It is time to act for yourself, others and the planet.
Own your brain, body and future!
