Mindful Leadership: Dr. Manijeh Motaghy’s Mission to Transform 1 Billion Lives
Dr. Manijeh Motaghy is an Organizational Psychologist and mindfulness expert with a bold vision to optimize 1 billion lives by 2042. Certified by UCLA Mindful and Mindful NYU, she has designed and taught over 700 mindfulness-based courses and retreats, and spoken at numerous universities, and global summits/conferences transforming individuals and organizations worldwide. As the creator of Mindful Life Optimization (MLO) Methodology, Dr. Motaghy blends science, psychology, wisdom, compassion, and conscious leadership to elevate human potential, foster resilience and drive positive systemic and planetary change. Her expertise has earned her praise from top industry leaders, including Martin Buehler of Disney Imagineering, who describes her as an inspiring speaker with the power to deeply connect with audiences.
What inspired your journey into organizational psychology and mindfulness, and how did these two fields intersect in your work?
As a Persian girl, I grew up under the influence of cultural practices, beliefs and traditions. Some of which were meaningful and valuable experiences, like love for poetry, art, philosophy, human connection, kindness, forgiveness, and pride in an antient heritage that values human rights. Other not-so-great experiences included restrictions for women that produce fear, shame, and the anxieties of not being good enough. These experiences are not exclusive to my background; they are prevalent all over the world. Growing up, I was always curious about why people think or act the way they do. Why do people act chaotic and dramatic, illogical and reactive? Why did I have to be other than who I wanted to be? So many restrictions, not enough explanation, like no one knows how to live fully and happily. Well, these questions weren’t so clear at the time. I just wanted to be free from the suffering that arose in my mind because of these circumstances. Hence, finding my way into psychology and separately into the Buddha’s teachings that offered some sense of clarity and a pathway to resolution.
Mindful Life Optimization (MLO) is a unique concept you developed. What sparked the creation of MLO, and how does it differ from traditional mindfulness practices?
There were countless insights and sparks. One insight was that mindfulness (as it’s been presented in the secular movement for stress reduction) isn’t enough. Though there have been a lot of benefits from the mindfulness practices, they take person so far.
When one is mindful and present with their mind, feelings, body and the environment, they still need to know how to act wisely during tough times; or how to live in ways to not create difficulty for oneself and others. Mindfulness is the seventh fold of the Buddha’s Noble Eight-fold Path, and without practicing and embodying the rest of those folds, one could not gain the full benefit of mindfulness practices and completely avoid unhappiness and failures.
As I set out to prove this point, I was also studying and teaching about a few other aspects including the importance of our planet, our connection, dependence, and responsibility towards it. Neuroscience revealed other things that I realized would be helpful for my clients and students to understand and overcome some of their cognitive behavioral challenges. For my own development and freedom from suffering, I attended 10-day silent retreats, (16 of them so far), met with my teachers frequently, asked hundreds of questions to understand and free myself from my restrictive programming. As I kept diving deeper into nature’s laws and systems that govern us, I recognized how most modern humans are disconnected from these laws, with grave consequences. It’s like driving without paying attention and disregarding traffic laws. One consequently runs into accidents and problems. The more I taught and practiced conscious living, the more I saw the missing pieces in the human programming.
That was the birth of MLO, with the premise that some of our upbringing and habitual living is based on false notions, traumas, living on autopilot, innate biases, and we also miss some real pertinent lessons about life’s intelligence. So, I organized these mindful life intelligent lessons under three domains: systems, planet, and humans. I had also discovered an organic five-stage process to develop these lessons so that one can reprogram oneself and act with an upgraded or optimized character. I call this the five-stages of Human Software Optimization (HSO). Together, the three domains of mindful life intelligence and the five-stage process are the MLO (Mindful Life Optimization) methodology.
As a contributor to the Planet Positive 2030 project by Stanford IEEE, how do you see the intersection of mindfulness and technology shaping the future?
My contribution in the creation of the 400+ page Strong Sustainability by Design, which includes 13 chapters (committees) addressing various aspects of climate issues through technology, human rights, urbanization, etc., involved bringing awareness to the impact of our thoughts, choices, words, actions, and not judging those who are unable to do so.
I have continued to emphasize that, while setting out to prove that ethical standards are key to preventing systemic problems, the need to know how to be ethical is often overlooked. Many experts continue to raise questions about unethical innovation that leads to harming either humans or the planet. They keep complaining, educating people about the ramifications of biased innovation and technology. But there is very little understanding that until people, including innovators, entrepreneurs, and policymakers, as well as everyone in every industry and the average consumer are not fully developed in those three domains of mindful life intelligence, (which by the way includes superior heart intelligence), these issues would not be resolved. We could keep asking others to do the right thing, but if “the right thing,” which is alignment with natural laws and skillfulness in regulating one’s thoughts and emotions with peace and wisdom aren’t a part of their inner-navigation system or their mental programming, they won’t be able to do it (“the right thing”). And we can keep complaining, but until they are trained and developed, it won’t happen.
Alleviating climate anxiety is one of your training focuses. How do you guide individuals and organizations in managing this growing concern while staying solution-oriented?
This is a great question.
Climate anxiety has several causes and conditions. Fear of disasters and the obligation to prevent them. Having to reformat strategic missions and product development and policy compliance. Even with new policy changes to roll back some of these efforts in the United States, and having to comply with that yet remaining sustainable are some of the causes of climate anxieties. Many of these anxieties are due to a lack of the skill to stabilize one’s internal reactions to change.
The fact is, change is a natural phenomenon and is bound to happen. Some changes we like and others we resist. While resisting change, we can get stuck in our perspectives and not be able to move through problems with wise effective solutions. Hanging on to these perspectives as facts that shouldn’t change, and being unable to create the change one wants, they can feel disoriented, depressed, disappointed, angry and unable to fully function in any part of their lives.
They may think they have to move, change their environment, which is a reasonable choice. But without those fundamental inner qualities and skills that MLO suggests, one may not be able to weather storms and hurricanes of change. Living life from the same level of mindful life intelligence and continue to never find lasting peace and happiness, regardless if the issue is with policy or other external factors.
In my compassionate opinion, all individuals have the right and should be developed in the three domains of mindful life intelligence, so that they can live with ease and joy, be wise and successful, and feel valued in their lives. MLO should be a human right!
To address climate anxiety and build resilience and agency, the developmental needs I include in the training are three aspects of the MLO approach: mindful connection, superior heart intelligence, and strategic flow, which I can explain in another interview or article.
You’re recognized as one of the most effective Adult ADHD coaches. How does mindfulness intersect with ADHD coaching, and what strategies do you find most impactful?
Well, this is a whole other conversation. ADHD is a unique, powerful and brilliant nervous system. It’s unfortunately widely misunderstood for how it manifests as the symptoms of a disorder. However, it’s a highly functioning brain that is forced to behave the way that the neurotypical brains work, and without training, it fails to do so. Its so-called “failures” are mistaken for symptoms of a disorder.
Decades ago, I stumbled onto the work of Dr. William Dodson, a psychiatrist, who reframed ADHD as an Interest-Based nervous system. After seeing thousands of patients with ADHD, he realized their not disordered, but rather have unique characteristics and ways of responding that are different from the majority, and if they understood them, they would do well. I reached out to him and asked if he thought mindfulness could help this brain manage its challenges. He responded with an absolute yes, but he didn’t know how to apply mindfulness. I was excited as I did. Since then, I’ve dedicated my life to understanding and optimizing this brain, as I benefit from this brilliant brain. There are many ways that a person with this nervous system operates naturally well. For example, they live in the present moment, responding to sensory stimuli that catch their attention. Hence, going from one task to another or one idea to another and never really finish any of them. (this is only true for those who are not trained).
The mindfulness practice I give for this is to first notice it happening in real time. To take a few minutes and pay attention to how they follow or respond to something that catches their eyes. This looks like distraction. The truth is they are not distracted; they are responding to what shows up in every present moment. After a few days of seeing this in action, I give them the practice of pinning their attention to the agenda or intention they have for each task they are on, not to what catches their attention through their senses. For example, if they are speaking with someone, their agenda or intention is to be fully present with the other person. When their eyes catch a flock of birds flying, for example, to notice them but do not follow that topic, which could give rise to memories, stories and perceptions. To practice staying anchored in their intention to be present with the conversation, which is still happening in the present moment. Developing other skills help deal with challenge to be present, such as self-awareness and seeing the impact of their actions on others. Each supposed challenge has its mindfulness practice that is tailored for this brain type.
You’ve written hundreds of blogs and poems, and your upcoming book “It’s Not Easy to Be Human” is highly anticipated. What inspired you to write this book, and what can readers expect?
The book is a culmination of all the lessons I have learned and developed in myself and thousands of others, and I believe it’s the right of all humans to learn them as well. It includes backgrounds on who I am, where I come from, the challenges of my life and of most humans, the conditions and causes that lead to human suffering, and the ways to end them. My MLO methodology is expanded on and available to all who are interested in optimizing their lives. The book and MLO can especially empower any modality therapists, coaches, teachers, and others use to help others.
It’s Not Easy to Be Human was to be offered as four books: a main introductory book and three workbooks that provided detailed explanation and exercises catered to each of the three domains. Then I was told that it might be too much to handle for readers or for marketing them as a package. That I should publish one book first and then do follow ups. It is, hence, more comprehensive covering 60 MLO lessons. The core message is, if you’re having a hard time getting life right, it’s not your fault, but we can fix it. Come on this compassionate journey and guide to optimize your potential, achieve fulfillment, and increase systemic and ecological well-being.
Your vision is to optimize 1 billion lives by 2042. What steps are you taking to achieve this ambitious goal, and how can others contribute to this mission?
Thank you for this question. It is very close to my heart, and it’s my purpose for life.
This vision is being accomplished piece by piece with five strategic focus areas, which are adaptable and flexible to the flow of change:
Training 10,000 MLO Professional Counselors who will bring these developmental MLO topics to any setting they choose (e.g., corporations, government, healthcare, AI, sustainability, education, or to families and other communities). We already have several graduates and MLO PCs certified and others in training.
Forming alliances with experts and organizations who have the means: knowledge and skills, global reach, funding, shared vision, and other capabilities to deploy any parts of MLO that they are capable of. We have made alliances with many organizations globally, including MKAI (Morality and Knowledge in Artificial Intelligence), Human AI Institute, Initiatives of Change, and many others.
Raising the funds we need to scale our programs to marginalized and underrepresented populations.
Measuring and presenting the impact of MLO at conferences in various industries, showing the necessity for MLO for continued success and sustainability.
Making MLO training a human right. The MLO Project.
We are well into these five focus areas and are actively open to partnerships.
Martin Buehler praised your ability to connect deeply with audiences and deliver relevant, actionable content. What’s your approach to creating a meaningful connection with diverse audiences?
Well, it’s not an approach, but a way of being. First of all being self-aware, not lost in personal goals and agenda. Knowing how to stay calm and collected when things go wrong, regulating emotions and staying present. Being compassionate to myself and others and acknowledging that it’s not easy to be human. Not being intimidated or lost in halo bias, seeing my own or someone else’s achievements as superior. Being vulnerable with my pains and suffering, but expressing them wisely as they may be useful to the audience, not an opportunity to process them. Always connecting the dots with each word I use be beneficial to the audience. Not assuming I know everything, asking questions for clarifications and being willing to say, I don’t know. But most importantly, not being afraid of challenging my audiences’ views and opinions and talking about subjects that are tabu, like death, or female (what I know of, lol) sexuality. Even more importantly, to raise their bar on happiness and reducing their loyalty to suffering.
These qualities and skills have been developed and refined through experience, curiosity and openness to real feedback.
Looking back on your career so far, what moment or achievement are you most proud of?
Pride may not be the best feeling I could express here. But what I’m infinitely grateful for is my ever-increasing intolerance for suffering. Suffering that is caused by ignorance, clinging, and aversions of my own mind. For an unwavering desire that has freed me of living through defective coding and becoming highly optimized in life’s intelligence to live peacefully, intentionally, and awake.
To learn more about Dr. Motaghy’s MLO Methodology, courses, retreats and the MLO PC certification go to: http://perfectlyhere.org
