Viktor began a story--one we would have liked to hear more about, but time would not allow.

He reflected back to the time when he began the project... creating a new Academie in Siberia, Russia... The New Russsia was very young. His vision----his dream --idea of the future was clear. But, the way forward was far from clear.
 
Viktor knew the old ways no longer fit the changes needed to sustain society.  The burning question that weighed heavily for him... How would they begin?
 
With fear in his heart, yet wearing confidence on the outside, he hired a team.  They were all people with a passion to enable a healthy, strong Russia. Their passion was clear, but the risks of failure were great. He could loose face for life or suffer a fate far worse.

Yet, into the unknown he went, leaving an old governmental system behind to create a new institution to develop the next generation of Public Administrators.  12 years and  a lot of change. Still, he wonders... how did we come so far especially when those 1st steps were so unclear?

How many times have you stopped  yourself short by not taking the first steps> because you did not know where to begin? If you could engage a team to support you take those steps and build on their knowledge would that have helped? Next time an opportunity comes along to make a large leap forward or change a paradigm, support from a large scale collaboratie change process or team approach may ease the process while helping to clarify the way forward.

The Altaisins believe that the Shamans (healers, holders of the Truth --the Knowledge) originated from Altai. Many shamans were killed in a meeting years ago --a meeting called  to enable peace. Those who listened to their inner knowing did not attend and survived.Of the direct decendents of those original Shamans, only a few remain. At an official  meeting in Altai, I was approached by one of them.

Our talk was complicated by our need for a translator-- Shamans see the world a little differently than most of us and our translator's desire to translate the Shaman's meaning to what she thought he meant, at first. But, soon we had a rhythm and an understanding.

He (Kahn) Yuri, sees the world is coming to the end of the way of life as it has been. It  is  time for our mind, body, spirit connection to integrate. Will we make this transition successfully? He looked somewhat sad. The struggle  has been long and using the tip of his nail as a indicator, he told me we have this much of a chance as the time is so close.

Words from Shaman, I am told, are often meant to take time to understand. As I awoke the next morning the revelation hit me, he was describing the last stage of our Emotional Steps that related to the 3 Phase of Change  in our 7 Step Model.  
Now we are standing at nearly the bottom of the energy drop off, just before integration takes place AND where most change fails, as we often give up when this deep drop off of energy/productivity hits us. Yet, if have patience... integration takes place and the situation reverses itself and a massive surge of energy and productivity takes place when we finally are able to let go fo the old and integrate the new.  

As I described this to a colleague, I realized that it was like mountain climbing. When you turn  our model upside down, it became so clear. The steep drop off and change, became a mountain. Could it be that we are nearly at the top of the mountain, tired, worn out, living in dualities so long, wondering is it worth trying to change at all...should we just continue with the old way or turn back or start something new? The answer may be that we are so close to the top, why not keep going... so we can enjoy the view at the summit and rest on the vast and flourish plateau when we arrive.

Are there situations in your life where you are undergoing major change and feel ready to quit? Could you be closer to the summit than you think? What would it take  to keep going and continue to the end... to the summit?  

Excuse Me Your Life Is Waiting, Lynn Grabhorn

Take a few minutes and think of a change you are undergoing, especially one where you are feeling like you are ready to give up on it.  Now imagine that this change is a mountain that you are climbing. You are climbing to the summit, but feel very tired. Each step is harder to take. The oxygen level is lower and breathing is harder. You can feel the stress on your body. Now imagine that you are standing at the top of the summit with time to get used to the change in altitude. Rest there for a few minutes, taking in the view. Now imagine that you are looking back at yourself climbing. Call down yourself, encouraging yourself to continue the climb. Notice how close you really are. Suggest choices to yourself that will enable you to continue to the summit. 

It was like a revelation ...

"To move from Survival thinking to abundance thinking, we need to develop a sense of safety, hope, identity with the new, a willingness to take risk... AND a bit of pure audacity!"