What is the “18 Principle”? At it’s core, it’s a new system of personal development, based on a unique life stages model. As I have observed how successful people are able to “shift gears”and focus on different themes during their life time, I have become convinced that if one is looking for a peace of mind and personal fulfillment, life should be broken down to specific developmental phases that correspond to long term age cycles.
I’ve heard different versions of the journeys these successful people, from all walks of life, took in order to become what they needed to be, from Manhattan to London to Beijing. More often than not, the person telling the story wasn’t aware of having had a grand plan starting out. His or her journey had invariably started with a dream, a passion, and a burning desire to do something specific.
That dream then turned into a period of exploration during which the dreamer “road-tested” various paths until a plan emerged and he or she seized upon an opportunity that would lead to the fulfillment of his original passion and allow him to create something grand. That creation, in turn, led to the financial independence that allowed him to retire in his fifties and use his wisdom and experience to mentor other dreamers and, finally, to give something back to the world.
The more I heard these stories, the clearer it became that the lives of those who were most successful fell into five distinct stages:
1. The Dreamer (birth to 18)
2. The Explorer (18 to 36)
3. The Empire Builder (36 to 54)
4. The Mentor (54 to 72)
5. The Giver (72 onwards)
