“The root cause!”

“Cramming”—that’s how we get through elementary and high school. We memorize lots of lists and multiplication tables! Physical and creative subjects are sidelined. That makes sense, because our society values left-brain achievements above all else. Learning is primarily focused on measurable perfection, comparability, and competition—within each discipline. Seeing connections, the ability to make connections, intuition, reflection, and creativity carry less weight. They’re also less measurable and therefore more subjective in those comparisons. Cognitive performance is what matters.

At home, too, you learn to use your head wisely. You adapt, learn what’s expected, and develop a sense of what’s normal. Often, you don’t choose what suits you best—instead, you conform. In the parental home, the message is: “If you won’t do it willingly, you’ll do it unwillingly.” To avoid that pain—think of disapproval, exclusion, mental or physical suffering—you live up to expectations. In doing so, your mind weighs the chance of being “right” against the risk of being “wrong.”

Is that really such a bad thing? I used to think not. As a late bloomer and a go-getter, I was mainly busy catching up on life. A lot of adjustments. I successfully broke through barriers; for a long time, I didn’t face any problems—only challenges. Fortunately, in my line of work, I often encountered situations where logic alone wasn’t enough. And it turned out that some walls were stronger than I was. After enough bruises, with the help of mentors, I was able to “rediscover” my right brain. Fortunately, I rediscovered the inseparable “soft side” of change in time and dared to “reason” from my feelings rather than just with logic.

So now I know better. I understand now that I’m not what I think I am. You still see this kind of mismatch all around you. Many leaders so often leave a trail of destruction in their wake. Our upbringing primarily nourishes the mind. And it drives us away from our nature, our primal self! That explains the enormous stress and many physical ailments. Often with serious consequences, including childhood trauma and burnout.

We’ve gone too far in our minds, and even later in life we’re still trying to avoid the old pains caused by all the adjustments we’ve made. With their minds as a refuge, most people live caught between shame about themselves and judgment of others. Until life intervenes. Often in the form of an unfortunate, sorrowful life event………

Fortunately, leaders are becoming increasingly aware of the need to shift from “learning from the head” to “learning to step out of the head.” First and foremost, this is for their authentic selves—where mind and body are connected. Meditation, massage, or bodywork can help, as can walking in nature or dancing. Psychology offers important tools and methods for this—such as EMDR or psychedelics—to “turn off” the mind and reconnect with the body. Once that connection is restored, there is greater balance.

Good leaders recognize that the mind is the source of much progress, but also the source of much stress and emptiness. A better balance with the body—our nature, our primal self—is truly essential. Out of the mind, from cause to root cause!