Exploring Leadership, Psychedelics, and Entrepreneurship
I believe that a new paradigm of leadership is here to stay. One that challenges older norms by integrating innovative and creative insights gained from expanded states of consciousness and psychedelic experiences into leadership and what we might call “conscious” business practices. Here, we explore what leadership might truly mean in today’s rapidly evolving world, and how psychedelic experiences can be integrated to offer new perspectives and solutions for today’s challenges and opportunities as entrepreneurs.
From Traditional to Transformational Leadership
Many years ago when I was first starting out in my coaching business, my former coach spoke a lot about leadership. At the time I didn’t consider myself much of a leader. I thought leaders had to be famous to be “a leader”.
For me, the word leadership was triggering and sounded so intense. I felt like it was reserved for incredibly famous people, big authors, or people with millions of followers earning multiple millions. I’d even taken multiple leadership training programs over the years – including some very intense, life-changing leadership trainings – and, still, I felt that “leadership” maybe wasn’t for me.
I still thought this, even though at that point, I’d already accomplished some big things in my business and career.
I’d had two previous businesses and I’d done several collaborative projects, like producing an incredible three-day live event called “Urban Ceremony” with my friend East Forest, helping run a women’s retreat with 200 women, being published in major newspapers and speaking on stages, podcasts and summits.
The word “leadership” might be a bit scary for some people and you might have an aversion to seeing yourself as “a leader” even though everyone has their own form of natural leadership.
Old Paradigm vs. New Paradigm in Leadership
I believe there’s leadership in the old paradigm, and then there’s leadership in the new paradigm. The old paradigm is one that many of us come from and are familiar with, and this new paradigm is what I consider myself living in currently.
In the old paradigm, we were raised (programmed!) to believe that we should be competing against each other. We’re all here to make a lot of money, work harder than others, and claw our way to the top. This might ring especially true for anyone who spent time in corporate like myself. I had a corporate career for about 15 years, and the dog-eat-dog competitive mentality of “do whatever it takes to get promoted, and don’t help others along the way” was very normal.
Eventually I grew sick of Corporate America because it didn’t align with who I was, my values or what I stood for in the world.
When I transitioned to work for tech startups, I felt more empowered because the culture of startups encourages you to take ownership of your role at the business or at the company. While in tech, I started working on my own businesses which is when I really began to step into my power.
Collaboration and Cooperation: Defining of New Age Leadership
It wasn’t until I got into entrepreneurship that I truly learned what leadership is all about, at least in my personal opinion. This new paradigm of leadership is where leaders today are collaborators, they’re co-operators, and they want to help one another instead of fight against.
Working under this new paradigm creates space for me to collaborate with people in my field that offer services similar to my own. The old paradigm would have us see each other as competitors who should look for ways to outperform the other. But instead, we collaborate and help each other for the greater good.
This is what I believe to be this kind of new paradigm of leadership, whether you call it psychedelic leadership or spiritual leadership, it’s about the collective versus the individual.
Challenging Individualism with Collective Leadership
For thousands of years, humanity has been on this path of individualism. This path encourages doing what it takes to survive, even if that means leaving others behind. They’re your competition after all. It’s a very patriarchal paradigm. To be clear, this paradigm is not about masculine energy, but it is a framework where competition and dominance prevail.
In contrast, there’s another paradigm often termed “feminine leadership.” This term is somewhat misleading because this leadership style is applicable to all genders, not just women. It’s about adopting a mindset focused on the greater good, collective well-being, and transformative change. This approach, centered on commitment to something beyond oneself, ultimately benefits us as individuals as well.
Learning Leadership through Intensive Training
A few years ago, I took this really intense leadership training, which I always highly recommend to all of my clients, especially once they finish my True Path Entrepreneur Group Business Coaching Mastermind Program. I tell my clients that one thing they can do to really grow their businesses is to do some hardcore leadership training because it will break their egos down and have them step into their power.
Whether you have an audience of 20 or 200,000 people, it doesn’t make a difference. We can all be leaders, and we’re all here to be leaders if that’s what you’re feeling called to do.
Clients in my mastermind program or even my private 1-1 coaching program share a lot of limiting beliefs around their potential. They feel like imposters, don’t feel good enough to do what they’re doing, or feel scared of what people will think.
We’re all human, and we all have the same fears. I had those thoughts as well when I was first starting out. I wondered what people would think of me if I started to share about my psychedelic experiences and how they’ve helped shape my purpose, my business, and my life. I had to do a lot of inner work to get past my own ego.
The Ego and the Soul in Leadership
By the way, our egos are not something we should want to shut down entirely. Instead, we can recognize our egos as a part of ourselves that wants to feel safe and secure. The danger comes when our egos keep us frozen. Our egos want to protect us. This might have served a bigger purpose when we had to assess risk on a life and death basis, but taking risks in modern day are rarely so serious.
When you step into your role as a leader, your ego will be put to the test. You have to work through the noise that says you shouldn’t take a risk because you’ll be jeopardizing your safety and security. In reality, there is no guaranteed safety.
The only thing that I believe is truly safe is your connection to your soul and spirit. This knowledge came through my years of working with Buddhism when I went deep into the idea of impermanence.
When you take a step back and engage your observer mind, you’ll recognize the thoughts for what they are; a part of your mind that’s scared. And then there’s this other part of the soul, the higher self, or whatever you choose to call it – your inner being that’s being called to something greater. Maybe you’re being called to create transformation or share your psychedelic story. Whatever it is, just know that it’s your own unique medicine.
Creating Space for Your Fears Without Being Controlled By Them
Acknowledge the two conflicting parts within you: one that desires and feels deeply, and the other that is fearful and hesitant. Recognize and observe the fearful part without judgment, understanding that it’s a natural part of your being.
True leadership lies in prioritizing your inner desires and strengths over your fears, choosing love and positive energy over fear-based reactions. This approach, inspired by Buddha’s teachings, involves simply acknowledging your fears, not being dominated by them, and focusing on your authentic self and its aspirations.
Now, according to A Course in Miracles, this is all that exists in reality, and which is actually what I believe as well is that everything is either love or fear. But our nature and then nature of everything in our reality is essentially love. It’s our ego illusion mind that gets fear involved. But it is not the nature of our reality.
I truly believe that you should prioritize your mission and higher purpose over your fear-based ego. Your leadership should focus on serving a greater good rather than just earning money. Clients that join my spiritual business coaching programs are all on the path of being of service to something bigger than themselves.
I don’t partner with clients who are solely motivated by money, especially in the coaching field where transformation and greater purpose are key. While there’s nothing wrong with making money — I enjoy it and do well financially — it’s important not to be overly attached to it.
This attachment stems from an ego-driven mindset. Embrace an abundance-based approach, focusing on fulfilling your calling, serving others, and staying true to your deeper mission. Remember, you’re alive on Earth during a remarkable time of transformation and change.
Follow Your Beacon of Light
So I like to use a pyramid analogy for this. If you’ve ever attended one of my free workshops (which I offer a lot – be sure to sign up to my email list to be notified of these), you’ll hear me reference it. The point at the top of the pyramid is the beacon of light that is guiding you and all you do. When you are connected to that and realize that you are here, incarnated at this time in history, like this incredible, amazing time of transformation and change, and if you put all that before anything else, that’s when you become a leader and achieve greater success.
And this is why the new paradigm is about collaboration, cooperation, and being generous without expectations of receiving. Give from a pure place in your heart that knows it’s a part of something bigger than yourself.
I have found over the years, the more I operate from this place, the more you are divinely guided. Pay attention and stay connected to this greater part of yourself and this greater vision that you have for not only your life, but for the world. Once you lean into this, things begin to work out smoother.
I have made more money, gotten more clients, and grown my business more when I work with this larger picture in mind. Of course, you do need to have the tangible processes and support in place to make it a reality. But an essential step to becoming a leader is you choosing to step into that role.
This is a big part of what I get my clients to work on inside of my Group Mastermind Program. I’ve never promoted it as a leadership program, but I do implement a lot of mindset shifts and somatic therapeutic techniques to help my clients take on a fully embodied leadership role.
Mission over Ego: Leading with a Higher Purpose
Mindset techniques are essential for boosting confidence and connecting with your greater purpose. In my True Path Entrepreneur Group Business Coaching Mastermind Program, we focus on more than just business growth and marketing strategies.
Success in marketing hinges on being in the right mental and emotional state, connecting deeply with your inner self, and overcoming ego and fears. If these aspects are neglected, your marketing efforts will lack authenticity and energy, and people will notice.
Deep inner work, mindset shifts, and overcoming personal blocks are crucial. Embracing your unique strengths and stepping into your leadership role is key to achieving significant results in your business.
While basic business strategies can yield some success, those who fully embrace their leadership potential achieve greater growth, attract more clients, and make substantial changes and profits.
Your calling might be as a psychedelic pioneer, an aligned entrepreneur, or a spiritual entrepreneur, but at the core, it’s about leadership. This is a vital part of your journey. I hope this insight is helpful for you.
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