“When we quit thinking primarily about ourselves and our own self-preservation, we undergo a truly heroic transformation of consciousness.” Joseph Campbell
“Personal transformation can and does have global effects. As we go, so goes the world, for the world is us. The revolution that will save the world is ultimately a personal one.” Marianne Williamson
“When you are inspired by some great purpose, some extraordinary project, all of your thoughts break their bonds. Your mind transcends limitations, your consciousness expands in every direction, and you find yourself in a new, great and wonderful world.: Patanjali
I’ve had a long history of attempted transformations:
1967-1970: Military: I tried to win hearts and minds in a government that measured success in body counts.
1970- 1974: Corrections: I tried to humanize jails through training and treatment in a dehumanizing environment of “line em up and shoot em.”
1974- 1978: Education: I tried to train teachers that kids learn from people they trust in administrations driven by “teach through tests.”
1978 – 1982: Health Care: I tried to institutionalize health promotion in institutions that profited from sickness.
1982 – 2015: Corporations: I tried to train leaders to empower their people in a culture powered by greed.
2015 – 2025: Environment: I tried to develop programs to protect the environment in an economy built on exploiting resources.
Yup, a lot of these attempts were fools’ errands. Or should I say, this fool’s errand. Even though I had little success in many of these endeavors, I wouldn’t trade the experience for anything. I didn’t end up rich or famous, but I survived and thrived in my own way. I won’t go into all the “crazy” paths I pursued along the way, but at least I can say that my journey has led me to a place where I feel at peace. I can look back with pride that I co-founded Possibilities, Inc. over 40 years ago, and that I had the privilege of being engaged in many transformational efforts – some of which actually produced some meaningful results. More importantly, I learned a lot about transformation and transcendence along the path which I plan to share with you here.
Transformation is defined as a process for changing the nature or character of something resulting in actions that are more aligned with a new awareness. I have written about that process in a previous post, so I won’t go deeply into what that might look like. Instead, I will explore why transformation is so difficult in contexts that don’t support change, why it is even more difficult in environments that want to go back to the past, and why it is so important to develop contingencies based on the changing nature of the context.
Future events can never be predicted with any real certainty, but success depends on our willingness to describe scenarios that could significantly impact our plans and to predict the likelihood of transformation in a variety of situations. In short, we need to describe and predict before we prescribe. Since success is largely impacted by context, it is critical to take into account how those contexts, conditions, and culture could effect desired outcomes for better or for worse.
To me, the importance of context in change cannot be overstated, as understanding the social, political, and economic contingencies that shape a community or organization is fundamental to designing effective strategies for transformation. Change is inherently complex and often met with resistance, especially when approached without a nuanced appreciation of the environment in which it is to take place. Recognizing and respecting the prevailing cultural mindset, values, and structural realities allows for the development of tailored interventions that are more likely to be accepted and sustained.
At the core of contextual understanding, as I briefly reviewed in the opening paragraph, is the recognition that cultures vary significantly in how they perceive change and progress. For instance, some societies prioritize stability and preservation of tradition over innovation, viewing their existing social structures as integral to their identity and continuity. Such cultures may be more receptive to incremental change that aligns with their values rather than radical transformations that threaten their sense of identity. Attempting to impose rapid or extensive reforms without considering these cultural preferences can provoke resistance or outright hostility, as it is perceived as an attack on the community’s core values.
In. my experience, what I have found to be helpful is to ask several questions before attempting any significant transformation:
- Who are the role models in this culture?
- What behaviors get rewarded in this culture?
- What is the dominant belief system in the culture?
- What norms and values drive behaviors?
- What size and pace of change is the organization or individual ready, willing, and able to embrace?
- How will the transformation threaten a strongly held sense of identity?
- How does this individual or organization measure success in this context?
Historical examples underscore the importance of context. The implementation of educational reforms in certain developing countries has faced strong resistance when outside agencies have ignored local customs or imposed Western-centric models without adaptation. For example, efforts to introduce Western-style liberal education in traditional societies have often encountered hostility, as they are seen as cultural imperialism designed to erode local values. Conversely, reforms that integrate local customs and values, such as community-based approaches to health and education, tend to experience better acceptance and more sustainable results.
Similarly, social and political movements demonstrate how misaligned strategies can lead to hostility. The Arab Spring, for instance, was fueled by deep-seated frustrations with political repression, economic inequality, and social marginalization. External attempts at intervention that overlooked these underlying issues and the cultural context of political activism often resulted in backlash or instability rather than reform. Conversely, movements that acknowledged and addressed local grievances in culturally sensitive ways gained broader support and greater legitimacy.
Economic change initiatives also highlight the importance of understanding contextual contingencies. Economic reforms that disregard local economic structures, social relations, and historical inequalities may falter or exacerbate existing problems. For example, structural adjustment programs in the 1980s and 1990s, promoted by international financial institutions, often failed to account for the social fabric of recipient countries. These programs led to protests and social unrest because they did not align with local economic realities and social priorities.
The challenge for leaders and reformers is to craft strategies that respect and incorporate the cultural contingencies of the environment. This involves active listening, engaging local stakeholders, and developing interventions that are compatible with the community’s values and social fabric. When a culture is more interested in preserving what it has—perhaps due to historical trauma, religious beliefs, or social cohesion—change agents must focus on demonstrating how proposed changes can complement or enhance existing values rather than threaten them.
On a personal level, as I look back on my life, my essential transformation occurred gradually as I had to adapt to changing environments. I was raised in a white, conservative, Christian family in a homogeneous, small town with strong nationalistic and hierarchical leanings. Being sent to Vietnam shocked my psyche, my system of beliefs, and my views of the world. My recovery process involved experiences in jails, elementary schools, hospitals, and major corporations in cities as varied as Washington DC, Kalamazoo, Phoenix, New York City, Toronto, San Diego, and Traverse City. In every setting, I found that successful transformation required me to understand the culture of the organization in which I worked and the values of the people with whom I worked. What I realized over the course of all these attempted transformations was that the most effective way to thrive through changes was to make every effort to transcend them before trying to “change” them. As a result of all those efforts, I now consider myself a liberal, non-religious globalist who despises hierarchies. To me, that constitutes a successful transformation. My childhood family would surely disagree.
Transcendence is the ability to go beyond our current state or limits in order not only to move inward but upward through a process of integrating new awareness into everyday life. This process requires that we move beyond the self, our ego, and our current environment in order to tap into a higher state of consciousness. I learned that it was the elevated conversations and consciousness that enabled me to get a clearer perspective not only of the ideal end state of the transformation, but also an impartial and objective analysis of the current state.
The main difference between transformation and transcendence is the act of going beyond one’s current state or limits, AND involving a spiritual or mental ascent; transformation is the change that occurs as a result. Transcendence can be described as elevating perspective, while transformation is a process of integrating new awareness back into everyday life. Practices like meditation, yoga, or spiritual experiences can lead to a feeling of connectedness to something greater which can facilitate transformation.
So, how does all that relate to what we experiencing today? In short, we are experiencing dangerous changes in context, conditions, and culture that require us to make dramatic adaptations and contingency plans in our day-to-day lives. I have no idea yet whether the transformations we are watching unfold will ultimately be for better or for worse. What I do know is that healthy and sustainable transformations demand that we are able to transcend the noise to “watch” from an elevated perspective. What we are not seeing in this administration is any attempt to transcend the ego, any level of impartial objectivity, or any inspiration for alignment behind a higher purpose. It’s all about feeding narcissism, solipcism, and nihilism with insatiable egos, baseless intuitions, and shameless self-aggrandizement.
Transcendence enables individuals to rise above the distractions of everyday life, which tend to be filled with constant stimuli and superficial pursuits, to an elevated perspective—one that fosters clarity, objectivity, and a broader understanding of what is possible. Once then, can transformation occur.
This elevation of consciousness is essential for lasting change because it shifts the focus from external influences to internal principles and higher values. When we transcend the noise of distraction, we can observe our habits, beliefs, and patterns with a sense of detachment, making it easier to identify what needs to be transformed. It provides the space for self-awareness and insights fundamental to genuine growth and lasting transformation.
Ultimately, transcendence acts as the bridge that links the material with the divine, the finite with the infinite. It fosters a state of openness and receptivity essential for meaningful change.
I’m hoping the transformations we are witnessing will motivate us to commit to our own transcendence. I’m hoping we can find the wisdom to pursue a higher purpose from a higher ground. Finally, I’m hoping we can all raise our level of conscious awareness and find the energy to transcend all this nihilistic nonsense. May it be so.
