Dimension of transformation: focus on the individual

The world we live in, is increasingly complex.

Globalization made the world seem like a village. Studying & working around the world, traveling to distant destinations and the interacting with people all around the world, have been peaking since the early 2000’s. The tricky part: each culture has their own value system and rules by which they operate. Those cultural differences are experienced by many, but truly understood by few.

Technology, especially digital technologies, massively scaled in the same timeframe. For sure the smartphone, but especially the internet on the smartphone, and even more specifically: social media, is changing the way people (and corporations) interact with each other. The pace and frequency of communication massively accelerated.

As a result to the globalization & technology developments, schools, universities, but also companies, had to massively change the content of their curricula. Languages, cultural awareness, economics, computer science etc. had to be added to the list of courses for the new generations to “function” in our modern world. As there is so much knowledge to be acquired and competencies to be gathered, it became the new norm in the western countries, to study an university degree. So, young professionals start their first jobs in their mid-twenties, after 13 years of schooling and 3-5 years of academic training in an university.

What those global trends produce

All of that education is being done, but most of the times the inner worlds of each individual is forgotten in the process. Many that go through those 16 – 18 years of schooling end up in a profession, which they don’t appreciate at the end. Ending up in a depression rate in Europe of about 7% in 2021 according to Eurostat. When we look at a more recent study from 2024, and focus on young adults between 18 and 29 years of age, than this percentage even climbs to a stunning 58% of the population which are at risk of depression (according to Statista).

There are multiple reasons for this development – but as depression is a mental disorder (WHO definition), I cannot stop to believe that the focus of our generation needs to go inward. We need to be aware of our own thoughts, emotions and motivations (even in the cultural context), to then align with the outer world (expectations from society) to balance out the two worlds.

Where to focus for sustainable change

Recently I’ve come across a model that perfectly illustrates this complexity. It’s part of the integral theory by Ken Wilber and is known as the “theory of theories”.

It is a comprehensive framework that seeks to integrate diverse theories and models from both Western and Eastern traditions into a unified conceptual system. It introduces the concept of a “spectrum of consciousness,” depicting an evolutionary development from archaic awareness to advanced spiritual consciousness.

What I like most about this model: it shows how to address each category (via Coaching, Education, Consulting or Workshops) and gives guidance and clarity on the multiple factors that play into our experience!