The starting line

Information Theory researchers have discovered that our body sends the brain 11 million pieces of information a second but that our conscious brain can only process 50 pieces of information per second! I suspect that might be why, especially as I’ve gotten older, I gravitate to simplicity. 

Imagine my delight then, when I opened the book, the 15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership, a new paradigm for sustainable success, and was confronted with the brilliantly simple concept… the Line.

That’s right. The Line. This simple, easy-to-remember model is what we use at intogreat to help you build self-awareness by providing a context for your emotions, thoughts and behaviour. The Line is foundational to all our learning content, and we like to use it as a tool to check-in with ourselves, get present, and consciously choose how we want to show up in any situation. 

Why do we find the Line so meaningful? 

At any point in time, you’re operating from above or below the Line. As you go about your day, you constantly oscillate, above and below, below and above the Line. We use the concepts above and below the Line as shorthand for describing two different approaches to showing up in your life.

When you are above the Line, you feel fulfilled, curious, open and committed to learning. When you are below the Line, you feel reactive, defensive, stressed and committed to being right. You think there isn’t enough time, money or energy leading you to feeling disappointed, stressed and anxious. When you are above the Line, you are able to let go of stress and anxiety. There is an ease and balance to life, and you are able to show up with compassion, listen with curiosity and embrace your creativity and passions.

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Your thoughts and emotions are the drivers behind your behaviour, and they determine whether you are operating from above or below the Line. 

This is why oscillating above and below the Line is a human experience and something we all do–every minute of every day! Being below the Line doesn’t make you a bad person, it simply makes you human. 

One of the ways to know where you are in relation to the Line is to take a deep breath and connect with your body. What emotions and sensations are you noticing? If I notice that all-too-familiar heaviness in my chest, I know that I’m below the Line. You can also connect to your thoughts. When my inner storyteller is telling me that I am beautiful, I know that I’m above the Line. This simple process of orienting yourself to the Line, gives you the opportunity to be in choice over how you want to feel and react in every situation. 

We have loads of resources and training on our membership platform, to help you build the daily habits and mindset to go into your days less reactive, and more focused and intentional.