Extraordinary People's Strategy for Realizing One World, One
People
There are many approaches when looking at the how to of actualizing
the vision of one world, one people. The United Nations might have
an approach, though their results often seem to indicate they don't.
Many religions have an approach, with mixed results. My personal
observation is that the approach taken by some of the Buddhist sects,
notably Tibetan Buddhism, by Sufism and by the Bahai Faith, often
come closer than others to at least generating connection between
people in a peaceful, loving manner--a good beginning for creating
One World, One People. The Sarvodaya community development organization
founded in Sri Lanka is the finest practical expression of one world,
one people that I've personally witnessed and it is based in a simple,
profound commitment to acting toward others with loving kindness.
Many
philosophies seem to ignore the notion of an individual's personal
responsibility for a better world. The approach seems to be one
of simply understanding the self and the place of the self in relation
to others and society. Of course, such understanding is valuable
in itself but it is not a complete strategy for achieving the vision
of one world, one people.
I've
read a lot on this subject over the past twenty years. I?ve attended
a lot of seminars, conferences and study groups. I've joined a lot
of groups including serving on the governing boards of The American
Chamber of Commerce in Japan (ACCJ), The Windstar Foundation, New
Dimensions Radio, The Pacific Basin Economic Council (PBEC), The
Rocky Mountain World Trade Center, Jazz Aspen at Snowmass and World
Echoes. I'm a member of Social Ventures Network, World Business
Academy and The Center for the New West. I'm also a Baden-Powell
Fellow of the World Scout Foundation. All of these fine organizations
make a difference. I'm proud to support them with my time, energy
and money.
After
all of the study and service, I've come to a conclusion. It's my
conclusion, I don't presume to believe it's the right conclusion
for everyone. I'm also open to the criticism that my conclusion
is ego based and self-serving because it's very clear to me that:
The best contribution I can make toward actualizing
my vision of One World, One People is to enroll more people
into an EP Seminar.
So
that's Robert White's strategy and EP's approach. I
firmly believe that while our work is certainly not the only way
to move people to a state of awareness, responsibility and communication
about their essential connectedness to their essence and to others,
it is the most valid, powerful, effective and efficient method
I know. Perhaps most importantly, it deserves my dedicating my
life to enrolling the maximum number of people into our seminars.
A
personal example: I was thrilled when John Denver invited me to
join the Board of Directors of The Windstar Foundation, his environmental
education non-profit organization. I worked hard for over three
years to expand Windstar membership, create a more powerful annual
Choices Symposium, create the outreach program called Connections
and the evening entertainment program called Higher Ground. Personally
and through ARC, we also donated more than US$700,000 to Windstar.
I
met and learned from many wonderful and committed people who had
dedicated their lives to protecting the world's environment. I
read extensively to educate myself on the issues. I took a six-month
break from ARC, the only time in over twenty years that I've taken
more than a two-week vacation, and worked full time for Windstar.
Then
after three years of dedicated effort, I resigned from the Windstar
Board of Directors. Why? Because I realized that people and their
individual choices were the problems with the environment. Every
decision made that harmed the environment was made by a human
being---from the corporate director authorizing the discharge
of toxic chemicals into the Pacific ocean to the person who throws
down the cigarette butt outside of Nakano station and to the person
dropping a candy wrapper into Hong Kong Harbor.
I
further realized that the essence of all environmental problems
is ... separation.
Only
by holding ourselves separate from our earth can we despoil it.
Our essential separation from ourselves and from each other is
mirrored in how we treat our planet.
My
friend Hossca Harrison created a retreat in the mountains of southern
Colorado that is very successful in working with troubled teenagers.
Most of them are already in prison or treatment centers and the
State has given up on rehabilitating them.
I
have supported their work with yearly donations so I was invited
to visit the site. I was surprised to discover no facilities for
housing or recreation, just a well for drinking water and a toilet
with septic system. I asked Hossca what they do with these teens
during their one-week stays. He replied that their only agenda
is reconnecting these troubled young people to the earth, ending
the separation they feel with our planet. They've discovered that
simple tents and no distractions, certainly no swimming pools
or tennis courts, works best.
Find
your own examples, they exist everywhere. Wherever you look at
the issues confronting people, especially those in advanced societies,
you'll find the essential problem of separation.
I
sometimes feel it wise to be humble about the power of Extraordinary People's work.
Sometimes though, that humility is simply my way of avoiding a
principled stand. I know that when we properly enroll people and
deliver our best work, we move people toward a connection with
their essential selves, their families, friends and co-workers,
and with the greater world community - toward living extraordinary
lives. This is what is wanted and needed by society so we should
be proud of our work and committed to expanding its availability.
Be
clear: Extraordinary People's strategy for actualizing one world, one people begins
with making our unique contribution: enrolling the maximum number
of people in our seminars and creating an environment where they
can fully choose life and all its possibilities. Our strategy
goes on to teach in The Extraordinary Living Program, in our Business
Seminars, in our Consulting Interventions and through the products
and services available to the Extraordinary Living Network, how
to create personal and relationship breakthroughs for ourselves
and others that lead to measurably improved results.
We
further model for people Extraordinary People's involvement in community service
organizations by investing our time, energy and money. Plus we
encourage staff and graduates to create their own involvement,
make their own unique contributions and network with others that
share their passions.
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