By Tom Braford
What if it were possible to build communities that work for everyone with no one left out and with no offense to Nature?
Thanks to the science of total motivation and ecological design, it now is possible. So far total motivation has been studied and applied primarily in the business environment. (Read the book Primed to Perform by Neel Doshi & Lindsay McGregor). Given that many of us spend over 50% of our time at work, that could be huge by itself. But what about the rest of our lives and those of us not working full time?
Fortunately, this science of adaptable community that is now being applied at Southwest Airlines, Gore-Tex, Whole Foods, Starbucks, Apple, Google, etc. may have even more application in our communities. At Arizmendi Ecovillage, we are combining the social and economic sciences with ecological sustainability.
Total motivation has as much to do with limiting indirect negative motivators like social and economic pressure and inertia, as with increasing direct positive motivators like play, purpose and potential.
When people are more secure they are more creative, which has them be more adaptable.
We are social animals and we thrive when we have the support we need at all levels of community, and the communities and businesses that we are part of thrive as well.
This is because enhancing creativity and adaptability in a rapidly changing world is the only way to ensure longevity. It used to be that once established, companies and the communities that surround them could count on at least a 35 to 40 year run and employees could count on jobs for that long as well. The average today is only 17 years.
Being part of an appropriately scaled and organized, cooperatively owned and managed business and living in a similarly designed community, therefore, provide the best of all worlds, with higher levels of social and economic security, combined with all the positive motivators, play, purpose and potential.
It all revolves around PLAY. Communities that PLAY together STAY together! Come play with us in creating a world that works for all with no one left out and no offense to Nature.
We meet on the third Saturday of each month for a potluck lunch and activity. Check our website for details.
Contact: Carol & Tom Braford
braford@sbcglobal.net
www.ArizmendiEcovillage.com