A transgenerational shift can best be described as the change in ideas, values, beliefs, or experiences that are passed from one generation to another. A few years ago, I was messaged by the president of our secondary school alumni body and asked to suggest a topic for our reunion. I remember proposing several thoughtful topics, but one stood out: Living an Advancing Life.
Human beings—and the world at large—have evolved significantly over time. We moved from the Stone Age, marked by the use of stone tools for tasks like building, lighting, hunting, and gathering, to this present era of rapid technological advancement. Humans have continuously sought to understand and transform the world around them. We invented trains, the internet, mobile phones, cars, airplanes, and more. We’ve explored the planet, yet scientists and researchers work tirelessly every day to understand it further. Isn’t that beautiful? We are now in the age of Artificial Intelligence (AI), and the future looks even more promising. Amid all of this progress, I see a transgenerational shift occurring on a global scale.
Let’s bring this home—down to you and me. Any successful family or society is built on great systems, and these systems are products of human thought and innovation. Humans have evolved through the influence of programming and culture, shaped by the contributions of remarkable men and women whose legacies are etched into history.
When you program a person, it yields habits; when you program a group of people, it shapes culture. What I find myself thinking about is this: How can one engineer a transformational shift in one’s lineage—one that challenges the status quo? Excellence plays a vital role in any generational transformation, but beyond excellence, what other principles are essential for experiencing a meaningful shift from one generation to the next?
1. The Law of Consumption
What you consume can either prolong your life or shorten it. In the same way, what you feed your mind can cause you to thrive, stagnate, or even regress. What enters the mind determines what it produces. I love the way Dr. Sam Adeyemi puts it: “Whatever you see and hear consistently will enter your heart.” No wonder the Good Book encourages us to guard our hearts diligently.
Your mind is like an engine; your body is simply the vehicle for it. One of the most effective ways to initiate change is by starting with the mind. Among the many challenges we face when aiming for a transgenerational shift, the most difficult and closest is reshaping our mindset.
When the mind is right, we make the right choices and dare to initiate generational change.
“Risk being different by what you consume!”
2. The Law of Value
As AI continues to grow, experts have warned that these intelligent machines will increasingly serve as assistants to leaders and large organizations. While AI is making us more productive, it’s important to recognize that some people bring unique value that AI simply cannot replicate. The key question is: Are you so valuable that AI won’t replace you in the next five years?
Sometimes we underestimate our value. Other times, we know what we need to do to increase our value but avoid confronting that truth. Those who will shift the trajectory of a generation must master exceptional skills in their chosen fields.
Everyone is born with talents. But have you honed yours enough to stand out?
Beyond being valuable, great personal values are needed to sustain any change you’re driving. These include integrity, hard work, compassion, honesty, respect, generosity, loyalty, tolerance, courage, humility, responsibility, perseverance, gratitude, and forgiveness.
“Become a sought-after individual because of the great values you embody.”
3. The Law of Time
Time is essential for change—but not just any use of time. For positive change to occur, good seeds must be sown into time. How do you spend yours? Do you seize it, or let it slip away?
There are two types of time:
Chronological time (Chronos)—measured in seconds, minutes, hours, days, and years.
Kairos time—a divine or opportune moment when everything aligns in your favor.
Kairos moments are those magical instances when it feels like time stands still—when all the forces of the universe seem to support your actions. God operates on Kairos. True and lasting success often comes when someone has invested deeply in Chronos, and eventually, Kairos unfolds.
Many think that Kairos moments—those “lucky breaks”—are only for a few. Not true. The problem is lack of preparation.
“Get ready for your Chronos to meet your Kairos.”
Conclusion
Many things can be passed from one generation to the next. Unfortunately, this includes transgenerational trauma—fear, anxiety, and limiting beliefs caused by war, abuse, political instability, poverty, etc. But it only takes one person to rise and say, ”Enough is enough.”
For some, there may be no trauma—but why settle for the status quo when you can raise the bar?
Will you be an outlier in your generation? Are you ready to end generational trauma like poverty or ignorance? There are complainers, and there are achievers. Which one are you?
Life may not be fair—but can you be fair to the generation coming after you?
So I ask:
What are you feeding your mind?
What values are you building?
How well are you investing your time?
These are some of the things that will make the difference.
Thank you for reading. Don’t forget to drop your comments below.
I am Samuel Ayankoso, a mere quester with some ink to write.
Quotes
“All big things come from small beginnings. The seed of every habit is a single, tiny decision.”
~ James Clear
“A man’s mind may be likened to a garden, which may be intelligently cultivated or allowed to run wild… If no useful seeds are put into it, then an abundance of useless weed seeds will fall therein and will continue to produce their kind.”
~ James Allen
“Success is adding value to the world through your unique gifts.”
~ Lewis Howes
“Great people have great values and great ethics.”
~ Jeffrey Gitomer
“Time = Life; therefore, waste your time and waste your life, or master your time and master your life.”
~ Alan Lakein
“The time for action is now. It’s never too late to do something.”
~ Carl Sandburg
Those who will shift the trajectory of a generation must master exceptional skills in their chosen fields.
True and lasting success often comes when someone has invested deeply in Chronos, and eventually, Kairos unfolds.
Your consistency in sharing those powerful words teaches me discipline and purpose.
“When you program a person, it yields habits; when you program a group of people, it shapes culture.”
Thank you for sharing and Happy New Month.
Thanks for your consistency!
This is a powerful read!
Often times, people are only privy to the kairos moments and not the chrono efforts. The conclusion is a call to start making the chrono counts and may be some day, we or generation after us can benefit the kairos moments from our chrono efforts.