Something was triggered in me after reading about the trail of evidence on Major Hasan and the Fort Hood tragedy, and how its linked to a growing self-radicalization trend.

It reminded me of a workshop I attended in which Laura Whitworth opened with the importance of the defining moments of our lives. She shared that one of hers was that she ran away from home at age 17. Since I’d done the same I figured we’d have a shared bond but when I talked to her about it there was no spark of shared understanding between us all.

I realized that the big actions and events of our lives, good or bad, affect us but don’t define us. They’re responses to change that happen after we make inner shifts, the real defining moments that take place in a blink of an eye. They’re defining, because we create our reality, making choices to grow or protect and subsequently forming complex belief systems to reinforce those choices, from that shifted identity.

Unconsciousness about, or denial of our free will and responsibility for the defining shifts of our life experience, limit our creative power and reinforce a sense of powerlessness. Its not so difficult to understand the extremes, the distortions and the self-radicalization examples that lead to oppression, violence and tragedies.

The challenge is in sensing it, in ourselves and others, in our everyday personal and business interactions, particularly when we meet resistance to change head-on. If there’s even a slim glimmer of willingness to accept co-creative responsibility then there’s opportunity to examine individual and collective (culture) belief systems to determine if they’re aligned with what is wanted in a changed world.

Clearly, this won’t be accomplished with a stick. What’s not so clear is: what does the new carrot look like?

If you’re a solo or creative professional and feel stuck or in a rut, this could be a good time to put your normal business practices and processes aside and focus on your bigger game.

By bigger game I mean an idea or inspiration above and beyond what you usually do and not driven by desires and goals related to earning a living. You play a bigger game to get a different kind of fulfillment, to make a positive difference in the world and to create meaning in your life.

If you have a dormant bigger game, consider why now is the right time to bring it to the world.

• Comfort and security are illusory
• Self-interest only is a zero-sum game
• The connected world provides limitless allies and support
• World recovery is dependent on growth, expansion and rising up to challenges, not protection
• We’re stronger and bolder than we knew we were

I took The Bigger Game workshop 6 years ago and now feels like exactly the right time to bring it to life with structure, content, collaboration and sharing.

My Bigger Game: to increase global youth (tween) self-awareness and leadership skills through entrepreneurship and philanthropy.

Is it the right time to think about yours?