One could spend an eternity seeking the verbal formula that triggers the mechanism of a person’s desire to grow, yet ultimately it all derives from a phrase known since childhood: I’ll do it myself. This sentiment underpins the biblical narrative of human history, which according to Erich Fromm begins with an act of disobedience — a liberation from guardianship and bestowed blessings, and the commencement of intellectual development. I’ll do it myself transforms the insignificant into the significant, invents gunpowder and the wheel, constructs bridges and demolishes them — only to return to the cycle of creation and destruction.
Between these cycles lie events — pivotal intellectual milestones upon which the fabric of the future is stretched. When Albert Einstein’s theory of relativity revolutionised the world in 1915, his equation E=mc2 became a fiery rune unlocking new doors in nuclear energy and medicine, philosophy and psychology, and later in satellite communications and information technologies. This not only altered our understanding of space and time but also allowed us to reimagine human potential and our relationship with the external world and our inner cosmos.
Life is always in motion, and thus in development — it is the natural state for a living person. Dubai is one dazzling example of what rapid development and innovation look like in physical form. Half a century ago, this luxurious metropolis was a small settlement almost engulfed by the desert.
The discovery of oil in the 1960s was a turning point. Today the city actively invests in IT industries, biotechnology, and infrastructure for renewable energy. Reflecting on human potential, Ali ibn Abi Talib said: you think you are a small body, but within you lies an enormous world.
How do we activate this inner cosmos? Perhaps the source of developmental strength lies in initially recognising within oneself enough space to allow all parts of one’s personality to coexist. Einstein devised a formula for success: A equals X plus Y plus Z, where A is success, X is hard work, Y is play — the balance between work and rest — and Z is keeping one’s mouth shut. In our version, Z stands for faith in the power of one’s inner cosmos. — Lara Palmer, Founder & Editor-in-Chief