In 1997, a young entrepreneur named Jeff Bezos took a leap of faith and founded Amazon, an online bookstore operating from his garage. Despite facing numerous challenges, Bezos had a vision—a deep belief in the potential of e-commerce.
What he might not have realized at the time was how his personal experiences, subconscious fears, and ancestral instincts were influencing his decision-making.
His conscious mind was focused on strategy—identifying opportunities, managing operations, and navigating market uncertainties. However, his personal unconscious, shaped by his childhood experiences of watching his hardworking mother and witnessing financial struggles, fueled his relentless drive.
Meanwhile, the collective unconscious played a role in his intuitive understanding of how consumer behavior was evolving in the digital age. Over the years, his journey demonstrated Carl Jung’s key concepts: the conscious mind that strategizes, the personal unconscious that holds everyone’s fears and ambitions, and the collective unconscious that connects humanity through shared ideas and archetypes.
This is not a one-off case. The same is the case what would have happened with Mr. Narayana Murthy and his co-founders when they started Infosys.
In this article, we will explore Jung’s ideas and their practical applications, drawing from universal human experiences and everyday life.
Jungian Consciousness: The Tip of the Iceberg
Jung described consciousness as the part of our mind that we are actively aware of—our thoughts, perceptions, emotions, and identity. It represents the “tip of the iceberg,” with the larger, hidden sections being the unconscious layers beneath. Consciousness includes our immediate awareness, decision-making abilities, and the aspects of our personality that we recognize and accept.
Consider Elon Musk, a visionary entrepreneur who attributes his success to his deep curiosity and conscious effort to learn across various disciplines and his ability to say No which prevents his energy from being distributed all over the place.
His conscious awareness of future possibilities and problem-solving abilities has enabled him to revolutionize industries like space travel and electric vehicles.
How often do you tap into your conscious mind to make strategic life decisions? Share your thoughts in the comments!
The Personal Unconscious: Our Hidden Reservoir of Experiences
The personal unconscious, according to Jung, consists of forgotten or suppressed memories, experiences, and emotions unique to an individual. It includes repressed fears, desires, and unresolved conflicts, multiple learnings that we would have had that influence our behavior in ways we might not realize.
Am reminded of what Steve Jobs often refers to as the calligraphy class that he did which in college which he did only for passion since they had the option of attending any class that they liked which became a driving force in his second innings at Apple while designing the iPad and the iPhone etc.
Also remember the Williams’ sisters’ journey while watching the movie King Richard and its many of those small learnings including delaying turning pro which helped Serena continue for such a long period and become the champion with the maximum number of Grand slams.
Are there past experiences that might be shaping your present behavior in ways you haven’t acknowledged? Please do share in the comments.
The Collective Unconscious: Ancestral Wisdom and Cultural Archetypes
Jung’s concept of the collective unconscious refers to a shared reservoir of experiences and archetypes inherited from our ancestors and shared across humanity. Unlike the personal unconscious, which is unique to an individual, the collective unconscious contains universal symbols and themes that transcend cultures and time periods.
The global response to the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the collective unconscious in action. The shared fears, resilience, and adaptation strategies adopted worldwide reflected humanity’s deep-rooted instincts for survival and cooperation, showing how people instinctively turned to familiar patterns of behavior in times of crisis. The same is the situation every time a natural calamity happens like the Kerala floods or the Los Angeles fires.
Carl Jung’s insights into consciousness, the personal unconscious, and the collective unconscious offer valuable tools for self-exploration. Whether you’re making important career choices, dealing with personal challenges, or seeking deeper meaning in life, these concepts can serve as a guide to better understanding yourself and others.
A good way to start would be by becoming more aware of your daily thoughts and patterns. Ask yourself: What drives my decisions? Am I acting from my conscious mind, personal experiences, or something deeper? Self-awareness is a lifelong journey, but with Jung’s framework, you can begin to recognize and embrace the unseen forces that shape your life.
For more insights like this, subscribe to my LinkedIn page Rejo’s Business Bytes or visit my website rejofrancis.com.
