Ali Mahlodji - The Era of Self-Responsibility

It has never been more important to take your future into your own hands. In a world that is changing rapidly and presenting us with ever greater challenges, we must learn not only to withstand external adversities but also to develop the inner strength to master them successfully.
This applies not only to our role as citizens of the world but also to how we lead ourselves. Self-leadership means consciously taking responsibility for one's own life and staying mentally clear—a skill that is becoming increasingly important.

When things are being reshuffled and changed, we are often disappointed. But if we don’t engage with it, we lose the most important thing we have: the ability to play with life. We should enjoy this game—both on the mountain top and in the valley.

Ali Mahlodji realized through his life, in which he encountered many different people, one thing: there is one essential commonality that connects all people—the desire for a fulfilling life. A Harvard study followed 2,000 people for over 80 years to answer the question: “What makes us happy?” An important question. Because if we are not content, we work against ourselves, stuff food into ourselves, move less, and treat ourselves poorly—the beginning of a downward spiral.
The study considered many factors, but one stood out: the quality of relationships. Not just romantic ones—even a long-term single can lead a happy life—but all relationships, especially the one with ourselves...

The current situation in our world is not easy. Suddenly, we all share the same fears globally, and this helps us realize that we are more alike than we thought. We don’t know what will happen in the next ten years, but now we have the opportunity to gain new perspectives and create change.
We live in a world where everything is fragile. People are insecure, cause and effect no longer seem connected, and the world becomes incomprehensible. All the external sources of security are collapsing. That makes inner security all the more relevant.

In the past, leaders clearly dictated what to do and where to go. That has changed. While hierarchies are still needed, co-creation within companies is becoming increasingly important. Job descriptions are becoming more flexible. Allowing people to shape their life and work enables responsibility and growth. Leaders are evolving into mentors and coaches. The situation requires a new kind of organization—a fertile ground where new ideas can emerge and coexist.

→ Development culture: Trusting that others hold potential.

→ Relationship culture: Giving feedback even when it’s uncomfortable, with the mindset: “I want you to grow because I see your potential.”

→ Trust culture: At school, we're constantly told what to do, with a focus on mistakes. In the workplace, we suddenly have to take responsibility. This requires trust—in others to do their best without constant control, and in ourselves.

• Purpose: What is the goal?

• People: How can I get people to take a stand?

• Performance: How can we create a performance culture without burnout?

The most dangerous question in the world is: “What do you want to be when you grow up?” From childhood, we carry beliefs, roles, and live lives where we may think, if we pause, “This isn’t what I actually wanted…”
Who am I really, why do I think the way I think? Where do these patterns come from? Who do I want to be? We must become aware of these patterns to change the world.
This awareness often comes when we are emotionally triggered. Our inner system tries to match the outer system and applies patterns.

Engagement means being present with hands, heart, and mind. A study investigated the level of employee engagement across European countries. In Austria, 9% and in Germany, 12% of employees are considered 'engaged' at work. That means around 90% don’t find meaning in what they do—they don’t proactively think about it.

Why do I do my work? A question we should ask ourselves regularly. If we don’t do our work wholeheartedly, if we’re not truly present, and if we don’t manage our energy purposefully, we lose it and become chronically overwhelmed.
“He who has a why to live can bear almost any how” (Frankl).
Especially in uncertain times, we must know why we do what we do. We need to find meaning in life and in our work—because every job has meaning. In addition to asking, “Why do I do my job?” we can ask, “How does my life and what I do impact the lives of others?”

Life's winds may shake us, but if our roots are strong, we won’t be uprooted. What meaning do I want to give to what happens in life?
How can we shape a mentally healthy future?

• Error culture: Maybe I’m just on a path to learn what doesn’t work. Some call it failure—I call it learning!

• Questioning the status quo: Even if something worked for 20 years—does it have to stay that way?

• Willingness to experiment: Try things out and create new perspectives.

• Collaboration: Build together and be there for each other. Most of this we learn at home.

There are two fundamental things the human brain learns early in life:
• The mother tongue: You were born into a world where people believed in you, where love surrounded you, and you were nurtured.
• Upright walking: You imitated your parents to become part of society. As a child, you didn’t yet understand the concept of 'mistakes'. You fell, again and again, but were never discouraged.
These two experiences modeled a concept for us: Lead – Care – Trust.
We should apply this same model today—with others and ourselves. For example, AI may cause stress, but we can approach it positively: watch a YouTube video, listen to a podcast by someone with similar concerns (Lead), tinker with it in your free time (Care), and trust that you’ll make progress if you put in the time (Trust—in yourself).

Children ask 'why' very often—because they want context. And that doesn’t stop as we grow up. Adults also want to know the purpose behind what they’re doing. But for too long, others answered this question for us: education – job (ideally until retirement) – marriage – children – homeownership, etc.
Now that things are being reshuffled, this 'why' question can resurface. We want to know: 'What is the purpose of this task?'

An experiment showed that 90% of toddlers help strangers with a task without any reward or praise. Studies show that collaborative people tend to thrive. Humans are naturally collaborative—it brings us joy. We are inherently wired to strengthen others. When we give a gift, the same brain regions are activated as when we receive one. So instead of focusing only on big goals, we might focus more on strengthening our relationships and gain immediate positive outcomes.

Research shows that it’s impossible to feel fear or anger while being grateful. So we should focus on the positive and intentionally practice gratitude. Innovative companies foster strong personalities by offering workshops that encourage reflection on where people see themselves in a few years. This visualization empowers action. And that’s the kind of mindset we should also cultivate in our personal lives to unlock our potential.

As artificial intelligence advances, we must simultaneously cultivate our human intelligence. Some people trust machines more than themselves. There's fear that we won’t be needed anymore. We need balance: trusting ourselves and our abilities, while remaining open to new technologies to stay empowered.

The future is a choice. Whether we believe the best is behind us or still ahead shapes our future. When we treat ourselves well, we make better decisions. We should ask ourselves daily: 'Whose life am I living?' Optimism is lived self-responsibility. Practicing it is a daily decision shaped by our inner attitude. A nightly gratitude ritual—naming three things we are thankful for—can support this.
It’s up to us: how we treat ourselves, whether we plant our own roots, or let life occasionally uproot us. That’s the big question.

Die Aufzeichnung des gesamten Vortrags inklusive der Q&A Session steht den bei Windhund 365 teilnehmenden Unternehmen auf der Eventumgebung 40 Tage lang zur Verfügung.