Most People Think They See Reality Clearly, But Research Shows Otherwise
My #1 insight from 500+ hours of research in a little known field that helps explain how innovators like Picasso, Steve Jobs, Elon Musk, Albert Einstein, Copernicus, & James Maxwell think different.
Note From Michael
The most powerful insight I've ever encountered comes from a field most people have never heard of—adult development. Among many things, the field reveals why some innovators can see and create things that others insist are impossible. And more recently, it can give us insight on how to relate to AI.
Over the years, I’ve spent 500 hours reading academic studies, consuming books, and taking related courses. More recently, I’ve been coached intensively on the topic of how we construct reality for more than a year by Anand Rao, one of the wisest people I’ve ever met. This article wouldn’t have been possible without his coaching.
Despite all of this research and coaching, I’ve rarely written about the topic since it’s fairly abstract. But this article poured out of me, and I’m very excited to share it.
I’ll be honest. The article is long and comprehensive.
But, what’s critical to understand is this:
This article distills everything I’ve learned. I’ve distilled what I’ve learned down 100x so you could absorb it in hours rather than months.
It can be a turning point in your life. In a world with surface-level, recycled, bullet point insights, I aim to provide research-backed, practical, in-depth articles and resources that deliver leverage points that change your life and business at a fundamental level. I aim to create articles that are the turning points in people’s lives just like the ones I love reading.
Bottom line: It’s worth your time to learn about the core insights of this field. It will pay you back for the rest of your life.
With that said, below is a text and audio summary to whet your appetite before we jump in…
Quick Summary Of The Article
Imagine realizing that everything you take as “real” is, in fact, something your mind actively constructs—and that these constructions can transform over time. Instead of moving through life with a fixed operating system, you can continuously evolve how you see, think, and make meaning. As your perspective expands, the limits you once assumed to be permanent begin to dissolve. With each shift, previously “impossible” problems reveal elegant solutions, hidden opportunities emerge in plain sight, and your relationship with emerging technologies—like artificial intelligence—moves beyond what most people consider possible.
In this article, you’ll discover how human perception, emotion, decisions, and even identity are not fixed givens, but flexible frameworks your mind assembles. You’ll see that adult development research proves we can upgrade our mental software, granting access to richer understandings of complexity and possibility. You’ll learn how rethinking what’s “real” and what’s “impossible” fundamentally changes how you innovate, lead, and collaborate with AI.
Ultimately, you’ll see how these models help explain the insights of great innovators, artists, and thinkers throughout history:
Picasso
Steve Jobs
Elon Musk
Albert Einstein
Copernicus
James Maxwell
If you’d like to explore the scientific and philosophical foundations behind these ideas and you’re a paid subscriber, consult the appendix for connections to fields such as cognitive science, social constructionism, adult development theory, complexity studies, and extended cognition. In addition, in the paid section, you’ll gain valuable prompts to interact in a completely new way with AI along with practical methods for recognizing and reshaping the mental frameworks that define your reality—so you can create new possibilities for yourself, your organization, and the future of human-AI collaboration.
AI-Generated Podcast Summary
What You Get In This Post
Free subscribers get:
The full article
Paid subscribers get:
Four powerful bonuses that transform these insights into practical capabilities and deeper understanding:
Bonus #1: Four Advanced Reality Construction Exercises
Bonus #2: Five Advanced Human-AI Collaboration Techniques (includes prompts)
Bonus #3: Ten Curated Resources on Reality Construction (includes 2+ hours of curated video clips and lessons along with links to my top resources on the topic)
Bonus #4: Four Hours Of Classes On Adult Development
Bonus #1: Four Advanced Reality Construction Exercises
Detailed practices developed over years of research and experimentation that help you systematically expand what's possible in your work and life. These are tools for creating breakthroughs that others miss entirely.
Bonus #2: Five Advanced Human-AI Collaboration Techniques
Specific approaches that go far beyond basic prompts and commands, showing you exactly how to create unprecedented results through sophisticated human-AI collaboration. These techniques combine insights from adult development research with frontier AI practices.
Bonus #3: Ten Curated Resources on Reality Construction
A carefully selected collection of mind-expanding videos and papers that deepen your understanding of how reality construction works. Built from hundreds of hours of research, this guide includes hidden gems that most people never encounter, from Harvard research papers to fascinating scientific experiments.
Bonus #4: Four Hours Of Classes On Adult Development.
Anand Rao, Eben Pagan, and I led three sessions in the Mental Model Club providing an overview of the adult development field. These videos provide a really good intro to the core concepts in the field.
THE FULL ARTICLE
Imagine discovering that everything you think you know about human potential is just the tip of the iceberg.
That's what happened to me when I encountered the research on adult development. Like most people, I had assumed that our basic way of making meaning—our fundamental way of seeing reality—was fixed once we reached adulthood. We might learn new things and gain new skills, but our basic operating system stays the same.
I was wrong.
Decades of research have revealed something remarkable: Our minds don't just accumulate more knowledge as we age—they can transform into fundamentally different ways of seeing and engaging with reality.
These are documented, predictable transformations in how people:
Make sense of their experiences
Navigate complexity
Solve problems
See possibilities
Construct meaning itself
Each transformation is as profound as the shift from 2D to 3D vision. Imagine someone who has only seen the world in two dimensions suddenly experiencing depth. That's the magnitude of change possible in adult development.
Said differently, it’s shifting from learning across fields to learning vertically…
The Reality Construction Revolution
This discovery led me to an even more profound realization: Reality as we know it is constructed by our minds, and these constructions can change.
Think about what this means:
The problems you think are "impossible" might only be impossible within your current construction of reality.
The solutions you can't see might be invisible because of how you're constructing the problem.
The capabilities you think you lack might be unavailable only because of how you're constructing yourself.
Understanding how we construct reality transforms everything. When it comes to innovation, it explains why:
Some people consistently see opportunities that others miss completely. When Jeff Bezos saw the potential of online retail in 1994, most experts insisted people would never trust buying things they couldn't touch first. While others saw the internet as a digital newspaper, he saw it as the future of commerce.
Certain individuals can solve problems others insist are impossible. When everyone "knew" that rockets could never land themselves, Elon Musk and the SpaceX team saw past this construction. They didn't just theorize—they created reusable rockets that land vertically, something the aerospace industry had declared impossible.
Breakthrough innovators can envision possibilities that seem to defy "reality." When Walt Disney imagined Disneyland, experts told him theme parks were dirty, dangerous places where troublemakers gathered. He saw something different: a place where families could step into story worlds together. He wasn't just building a better amusement park—he was seeing past the very construction of what an entertainment venue could be.
What You'll Discover
In this article, you'll experience firsthand how your mind constructs reality. Through simple experiments and demonstrations, you'll:
See your constructions in action. Watch in real-time as your brain creates the solid reality you experience. Once you notice this process happening, you'll start seeing new possibilities everywhere.
Understand your growth edges. Discover which reality constructions are currently limiting your potential—in your work, relationships, and personal development.
Transform your relationship with AI. Move beyond basic AI tools to forms of collaboration most people won't discover for years. You'll understand why certain individuals are already creating breakthroughs with AI that others insist are impossible.
Access new capabilities. Learn specific practices for seeing past your current constructions, opening up possibilities that are invisible to others.
By the end of this article, you’ll have an upgraded operating system for engaging with reality—and with artificial intelligence.
My own operating system upgrade began when I noticed something fascinating about how people interact with artificial intelligence. More specifically, many people have very strong, unexamined opinions about what AI is and isn’t.
The AI Construction Breakthrough
I noticed that almost everyone is stuck in the same construction of AI—seeing it as merely a tool for generating outputs or streamlining workflows. This construction works, but it's like using a quantum computer to do basic arithmetic.
Here's what happens when you limit yourself to the "AI as tool" construction:
You focus only on getting "correct" answers
You miss opportunities for deeper insight from better questions
You ignore AI's unique pattern recognition abilities
You constrain the types of problems you explore
You limit yourself to incremental improvements instead of breakthroughs
You personally don’t grow as much
After 150+ hours of deep, exploratory conversations with AI, I discovered that different ways of constructing the human-AI relationship open up entirely new possibilities. This discovery about how different constructions of AI lead to different possibilities inspired me to publish The Consciousness Effect: What Happens When AI Is Treated As Conscious.
In other words, one of the highest-leverage ways to interact with AI better is not learning how to prompt better. Rather, it's about rethinking and reconstructing what AI is on a fundamental level.
This all points to something profound about human consciousness and artificial intelligence, which becomes clear only when we understand how reality construction actually works at a deeper level.
To understand this profound connection between human consciousness and AI, we first need to examine how our own brain constructs reality in every moment. Let me show you what I mean through a simple experiment that will change how you see everything...
Seeing How Your Brain Creates Reality
1. How your brain constructs edges between objects
Look at where your screen meets its background. Notice that sharp, clear edge. It seems absolutely real, doesn't it? As solid and obvious as anything could be.
Now look closer at what's actually happening:
Your eyes receive photons—some bouncing off your screen, others from whatever's behind it.
There's no actual line between them, just gradual changes in light intensity.
Yet your mind draws sharp boundaries, creating the clear edge you see.
This process is happening right now as you read these words. Your brain is actively constructing the solid edges you see.
2. How your brain constructs objects
Now look at a simple object on your desk—maybe a coffee cup or a pen. Your brain presents it as a single, unified thing. But watch what your brain is doing:
It takes:
Different colors and textures
Multiple surfaces and angles
Areas of light and shadow
Curves and straight lines
And combines them into one clear object: "cup" or "pen."
This construction is so automatic, so natural, that it feels like you're just seeing what's there. But your brain is actively creating unified objects from complex patterns of visual information.
3. How your brain constructs meaning from objects
The construction goes deeper. Once your brain creates an object like "cup," it automatically adds:
Purpose ("this is for drinking")
Properties ("this can hold hot liquid")
Possibilities ("I could use this right now")
Limitations ("this wouldn't work as a plate")
These aren't inherent in the physical object. They're meanings your brain constructs based on past experience and current context.
Catching Construction in Action
Here's a simple way to experience this construction process:
Look at any object nearby. Notice how instantly your brain:
Names it ("that's a lamp")
Categorizes it ("it's for lighting")
Defines its possibilities ("I could turn it on")
Sets its limitations ("I couldn't use it as a pillow")
All of this happens so fast, so automatically, that it feels like you're just seeing reality as it is. But you're catching your brain in the act of constructing meaning.
This same construction process shapes everything:
What problems you think can be solved
Which solutions seem possible
What opportunities you can see
How you understand artificial intelligence
In the rest of the article, I will walk you through a series of more thought experiments that gradually build in complexity and practicality so you can directly experience reality construction.
But, before I walk you through these, it’s important to see the big picture…
Great innovators are able to create “reality distortion fields” by seeing beyond conventional constructions, helping others see what they see, and creating new possibilities that change the world.
How Picasso, Steve Jobs, And Elon Musk Create Reality Distortion Fields
Consider Picasso's "Weeping Woman" (1937)….
This famous portrait shows a woman in distress, painted in Picasso's distinctive cubist style where the face appears fragmented and viewed from multiple angles simultaneously.
When you first look at it, something fascinating happens: your brain tries to do what it always does—construct a single, coherent face from the visual information. But Picasso has done something remarkable: he's painted multiple perspectives of the same face simultaneously.
As you look at the painting, watch what your brain does. It keeps trying to resolve the image into a single, "correct" view, but it can't. The woman's face appears simultaneously from the front and the side:
The nose is in profile
The mouth shown in three-quarters view
The eyes viewed from the front
The more you try to "fix" the image into a normal perspective, the more you realize that your brain—not Picasso—is the one insisting there should be only one correct way to see a face.
This is more than just an artistic trick. Through this deliberate disruption of how we usually construct faces, Picasso reveals something profound: reality isn't something we passively receive—it's something our brains actively construct. And if this is true for something as fundamental as how we see faces, what else might it be true for?
Breaking Open Reality
This insight transforms how we understand breakthrough innovations. Consider:
When most people looked at computers in the 1970s, their brains constructed them as complex technical tools that could only be used by experts. But Steve Jobs saw past this construction to envision computers as beautiful, intuitive devices anyone could use.
When most people looked at electric cars, their brains constructed them as glorified golf carts. But Elon Musk saw past this construction to envision high-performance vehicles that could outperform gasoline cars.
When most people look at artificial intelligence, their brains construct it as just another tool. But some innovators are seeing past this construction to envision entirely new forms of human-AI collaboration.
Of course, this doesn't mean all problems can be solved through seeing them differently. Real constraints—physical, economic, social, and technological—absolutely exist and matter. The power of reality construction isn't about denying these constraints, but examining which ones are truly fixed and which might be more flexible than we assume.
Let’s go a level deeper…
How Three Great Innovators Reconstructed Reality
Let's examine in detail how three scientists fundamentally reconstructed their fields by questioning what others took for granted.
James Clerk Maxwell's Electromagnic Field Breakthrough
Imagine living in a world where everyone believes that things can only affect each other by touching. You throw a ball, and it hits another ball—that makes sense. But then you encounter magnets, which can push or pull each other without touching.
How is this possible?
This was the puzzle Maxwell faced. In his time, scientists were stuck trying to explain magnetic and electrical forces through physical contact. They imagined invisible mechanical systems—like tiny gears and levers filling all of space—to explain how magnets could affect each other at a distance.
Maxwell approached this puzzle by asking three revolutionary questions:
First, he wondered: What if empty space isn't really empty? What if space itself could carry effects from one place to another, like how water carries waves across a pond without the water itself moving forward?
Second, he noticed something fascinating about electricity and magnetism. Moving a magnet could create electrical currents, and changing electrical currents could make magnets move. Instead of seeing these as separate effects, he asked: What if electricity and magnetism are actually two sides of the same coin—like how a coin spinning fast appears as both a circle (seen from the side) and a line (seen from the edge) at the same time?
His most radical idea came third. Maxwell proposed that light itself was a kind of wave made of electricity and magnetism dancing together. This seemed absurd to many people—how could the light we see be related to magnets sticking to refrigerators? It was like suggesting that sound and smell were actually the same thing.
But Maxwell's new way of thinking explained everything perfectly. It was like discovering that rain, snow, and clouds are all just water in different forms. His ideas showed that electricity, magnetism, and light were all manifestations of the same underlying reality—what we now call electromagnetic fields. This new understanding didn't just explain known phenomena; it predicted new ones, like radio waves, which were discovered years later.
Einstein's Spacetime Reconstruction
Einstein faced two puzzles that bothered everyone in physics:
First, there was something strange about light. If you're in a moving train and throw a ball forward, the ball moves at the speed of your throw plus the train's speed. If you throw it backward, it moves at the speed of your throw minus the train's speed. But light didn't work this way. No matter how fast you moved toward or away from a light beam, you always measured the exact same speed. This was like saying a train always appears to move at 50 mph whether you're standing still or running alongside it—which seems impossible.
Second, the best theories of the time contradicted each other. It was like having two trusted maps that showed different routes to the same destination. Scientists tried to fix this by inventing an invisible substance called 'ether' that supposedly filled all of space.
Einstein approached these puzzles differently. Instead of trying to explain why light behaved so strangely, he asked more fundamental questions:
He imagined trying to catch up with a beam of light. What would light look like if you could run alongside it? The more he thought about it, the more he realized this question itself didn't make sense.
He then wondered about what we mean by "at the same time." If you and a friend far away both clap "at the same time," how do you know it was truly simultaneous? After all, you have to see or hear each other's claps, and that information takes time to travel.
This led Einstein to a radical idea: What if time itself wasn't fixed? What if two events that seem simultaneous to one person might happen at different times for someone else? Instead of trying to explain why light's speed never changed, he suggested that time and space themselves could stretch and shrink to keep light's speed constant.
Copernicus's Cosmic Reconstruction
Imagine trying to describe the movement of cars around a roundabout while sitting in one of the moving cars. From your perspective, the other cars would appear to move in strange, complex patterns—sometimes going forward, sometimes backward, sometimes fast, sometimes slow. This was exactly the problem Copernicus faced with planets.
At the time, everyone believed Earth was the center of the universe, and astronomers struggled to explain the motion of planets from this perspective. They had three main puzzles:
First, to explain how planets moved, they needed incredibly complex patterns—imagine trying to draw the path of a butterfly by only using perfect circles.
Second, two planets (Mercury and Venus) never seemed to stray far from the Sun, like they were tethered to it.
Third, other planets (Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn) regularly appeared to move backward in the sky before moving forward again.
Instead of adding more complexity to explain these patterns, Copernicus asked a simple but revolutionary question: What if we're watching this cosmic dance from a moving platform? What if Earth isn't the center at all?
He realized that if you put the Sun at the center:
The complex planetary movements became simple circles
Mercury and Venus stayed near the Sun because they actually orbit it
The backward motion of planets was just an illusion created by Earth's own movement—like when you pass a car on the highway and it briefly appears to move backward
This new perspective didn't immediately make predictions more accurate, but it made the entire cosmic dance make sense in a simpler, more elegant way. It was like finally seeing that you're on the roundabout rather than at its center—suddenly all the complex movements of other cars become simple circles.
Looking across these examples reveals a systematic pattern in how breakthrough innovations emerge…
The Pattern of Breakthrough Innovation
Looking at these detailed examples, we can see specific steps these innovators took:
They identified precise contradictions or anomalies that existing frameworks struggled to explain
They asked what assumptions made these problems seem unsolvable
They imagined specific alternative ways of constructing reality that would make the puzzling phenomena natural rather than problematic
They followed their new constructions to their logical conclusions, even when these seemed absurd at first
The lesson isn't just that they "thought differently" - they each followed a systematic process of identifying problems, questioning assumptions, and constructing alternative ways of understanding reality.
Reconstructing how we construct doesn’t just make us more innovative, it also has huge implications for:
How we form relationships with other people
How to overcome procrastination to start new projects and stay consistent
Our moment-to-moment subjective well-being
How we interact with AI
But now that you have a basic understanding of how the abstract concept of how we construct reality can lead to practical results, let’s go another level down the reality rabbit hole…
Beyond Objects: How Your Brain Constructs Emotions
Take a moment to notice what you're feeling right now as you read this. Your brain presents whatever emotion you're experiencing as a solid, unified thing—perhaps "curiosity" or "interest" or "skepticism."
But look closer at what's actually happening:
There might be:
A slight tension or relaxation in your chest
A particular quality of alertness or calm
Small shifts in your breathing
Subtle changes in your facial muscles
A certain energy level in your body
Before your brain labels any of this as an "emotion," these are just raw physical sensations.
Catching Emotions Being Built
Let's experience this construction process directly.
Read this sentence slowly: Something important is about to happen.
Did you catch it? There might have been:
A slight shift in your chest or stomach
A change in muscle tension
An adjustment in your posture
A shift in your attention
A change in your breathing
Your brain instantly transformed these raw sensations into what you might call "anticipation" or "curiosity" or even "skepticism." Just as it creates solid objects from visual information, it creates solid emotions from physical sensations.
The Construction of Meaning
Think about the last time you received unexpected good news. What you experienced as "joy" was actually a complex construction of:
Physical sensations (perhaps a burst of energy)
Mental associations (memories of similar moments)
Context (what the news meant for your life)
Social understanding (how others would view this)
Future implications (what possibilities this opened up)
Your brain wove all of this together so quickly, so seamlessly, that it felt like you were just experiencing a pure emotion called "joy."
Why This Matters for Innovation
Understanding emotional construction changes everything about how we:
Solve problems
Navigate challenges
Create breakthroughs
Collaborate with AI
Consider how Airbnb reimagined hospitality. When experts insisted people would never feel emotionally comfortable staying in strangers' homes, Brian Chesky and his team saw past this constructed limitation. They didn't just create a new business model—they helped people construct new emotional relationships with travel and shared spaces.
Beyond Fixed Emotions
This understanding transforms how we see:
Obstacles ("This feels impossible" becomes "This feels impossible right now")
Capabilities ("I can't do this" becomes "I haven't constructed this possibility yet")
Innovation ("That would never work" becomes "That doesn't work in our current construction")
But to fully grasp the implications of reality construction, we need to look at something even more fundamental: how your brain constructs decisions themselves...
The Decision Illusion: How Your Brain Constructs Choice
Think about a decision you're currently facing. Your brain presents it as a clear, defined choice between specific options. But look closer at what's actually happening in your mind right now:
Various possibilities floating in and out of focus
Subtle feelings of attraction or resistance
Fragments of past experiences
Half-formed thoughts about consequences
Images of potential futures
Physical sensations of comfort or discomfort
Your brain weaves these elements into what feels like a solid, unified "decision" to make.
Watching Decisions Form
Let's experience this construction process directly.
Imagine you're considering buying a new device. Watch how your brain instantly constructs this into a specific type of decision by adding:
Budget parameters ("Can I afford this?")
Time constraints ("When do I need this?")
Quality standards ("Which features matter?")
Social considerations ("What will others think?")
Future scenarios ("How long will this last?")
None of these parameters are inherent in the situation. They're constructions your brain adds to create what feels like a clear, defined decision.
The Construction of Impossibility
Here's where this understanding becomes transformative. When people say "That decision is impossible," they usually mean (without even realizing it): "Within my current construction of this situation, I can't see a viable choice."
Watch how this played out historically:
Before Starbucks, the coffee industry constructed the decision space around product and price: you could either serve cheap coffee fast or expensive coffee with quality. Every decision flowed from this basic construction:
Price points had to be either low or high
Service had to prioritize either speed or quality
Atmosphere had to be either basic or upscale
Locations had to be either few and special or many and basic
Schultz reconstructed the entire decision space by seeing coffee through the lens of the Italian coffee bar experience. He saw that coffee could be:
Both premium AND accessible
Both fast AND high-quality
Both special AND ubiquitous
Both a product AND an experience
Both a drink AND a daily ritual
This new construction opened up possibilities that seemed impossible in the old decision framework.
Similarly, before Tesla, the auto industry had constructed the electric car decision space around compromise. Every decision was built on the assumption that going electric meant giving something up:
Performance had to be sacrificed for sustainability
Luxury had to be traded for environmental responsibility
Style had to be compromised for efficiency
Range had to be limited for clean energy
Price had to be high for green technology
Musk and his team reconstructed the entire decision space by seeing electric cars through the lens of desirability rather than compromise. They saw that electric cars could be:
Both high-performance AND sustainable
Both luxurious AND environmentally responsible
Both beautiful AND efficient
Both practical AND clean energy powered
Both aspirational AND environmentally conscious
This reconstruction didn't just create a new car—it transformed what was possible in the entire automotive industry.
From Fixed Choices to Fluid Possibilities
Understanding decision construction transforms how we approach:
Business challenges (moving beyond false either/or choices)
Innovation (seeing past constructed limitations)
Personal growth (reconstructing what's possible)
AI collaboration (reimagining how we work with artificial intelligence)
When we understand how our brains construct decisions, we gain the ability to see and create possibilities that others miss entirely. We move from choosing between existing options to reimagining what options are possible.
The next step in understanding reality construction takes us even deeper—into how our brain constructs our fundamental sense of self and capability.
The Ultimate Construction: How Your Brain Creates "You"
Take a moment to notice who's reading these words. Feel the presence of "you" experiencing this moment.
This sense of self feels absolutely real—more real than edges, emotions, or decisions. But look closer at what's actually happening:
Your brain weaves together:
Physical sensations from your body
Thoughts arising in your mind
Memories of past experiences
Ideas about who you are
Feelings in this moment
And creates what feels like a solid, unified "self."
Catching the Self Being Built
Try this: Raise your hand and wave it slowly.
Simple enough, right? But watch what's happening:
Who decided to raise the hand?
Where exactly did that decision come from?
Who is watching the hand move?
Where precisely is the watcher located?
Your brain tells a simple story: "I decided to raise my hand, and then I watched it move." But when you look for this solid "I" who decided and watched, something fascinating happens—it becomes increasingly hard to find.
The Evolving Self
What's even more remarkable: Your construction of self naturally evolves throughout life. Think about how differently you constructed "you" at different stages:
Remember being a teenager? Your self was likely constructed through:
Others' opinions and approval
Fitting in or standing out
External achievements
Fixed ideas of who you were "supposed" to be
Watch how this construction shifted as you gained independence:
Personal values became more important than others' opinions
Internal standards replaced external validation
Individual thinking emerged from group thinking
Self-authored goals replaced inherited ones
A significant evolution happens when people begin constructing self through systems awareness. Often triggered by experiences like becoming a parent, taking on leadership roles, or facing complex challenges, people begin to:
See themselves as part of larger systems
Hold multiple perspectives naturally
Navigate paradox and complexity
Lead through influence rather than control
Each evolution isn't just a change in thinking—it's a fundamental shift in how reality itself appears and what seems possible.
Different Constructions, Different Realities
Watch how different constructions of self create different experiences of reality:
When you construct self through achievement:
Every situation becomes a test of capability
Others appear as competitors or resources
Problems look like obstacles to overcome
Success means individual victory
When you construct self through relationship:
Situations become opportunities for connection
Others appear as collaborators
Problems look like patterns to understand
Success means mutual growth
When you construct self through development:
Situations become learning opportunities
Others appear as different perspectives
Problems look like evolutionary edges
Success means transformation
The Further Evolution of Self
Research in adult development reveals that these early evolutions are just the beginning. A small percentage of people continue to develop increasingly sophisticated ways of constructing self:
Pattern-Aware Construction
A smaller group develops the ability to see recurring patterns across systems:
Identity becomes fluid across contexts
Complexity becomes navigable
Polarities become integrable
Innovation emerges from pattern recognition
Ego-Aware Construction
An even smaller percentage develop awareness of the ego itself:
Identity becomes a conscious construction
The "self" becomes an object of awareness
Fixed perspectives dissolve into fluid knowing
New capabilities emerge from this freedom
Construct-Aware Stage
The most profound shift happens when people become aware of reality construction itself. Researchers like Susanne Cook-Greuter and Robert Kegan have documented this rare stage where people:
See how they actively construct reality
Notice constructions as they happen
Hold multiple constructions simultaneously
Create new possibilities by shifting constructions
Research shows that leaders at these later stages can:
Navigate greater complexity
Hold multiple perspectives
Create breakthrough innovations
Transform entire systems
Why This Matters
Understanding these stages transforms how we see human potential. Most people assume their current way of constructing self and reality is fixed. But research reveals that:
Development can continue throughout life
Each stage opens new capabilities
What seemed impossible becomes natural
New possibilities emerge with each evolution
The construct-aware stage is particularly relevant as we enter the age of AI. Those who can see how they construct self, intelligence, relationship, and possibility gain unprecedented ability to create breakthroughs in human-AI collaboration.
For example, understanding self-construction reveals something profound about human potential. Every construction of self creates:
A set of perceived capabilities
A range of visible opportunities
A space of possible innovations
A framework for what's "possible"
As we enter the age of artificial intelligence, these constructions become even more crucial. Watch how different people approach AI based on their self-construction:
Those who construct self through mastery:
See AI as a tool to control
Focus on command and output
Miss opportunities for deeper collaboration
Those who construct self through relationship:
See AI as a potential collaborator
Focus on interaction and emergence
Discover new forms of partnership
Those who construct self through development:
See AI as a catalyst for evolution
Focus on possibility and transformation
Create unprecedented breakthroughs
The possibilities that emerge in human-AI collaboration depend not just on how we construct AI, but on how we construct ourselves and the space between.
What becomes possible when we understand how these constructions interact and evolve? That's what we'll explore next...
The Space Between: Constructing Human-AI Possibility
Most people construct AI as a sophisticated tool, approaching it with prompts like:
"Write a blog post about leadership"
"Generate ideas for my project"
"Help me solve this problem"
But the real breakthroughs emerge when we understand the space between human and artificial intelligence.
Three Spaces of Possibility Beyond The Tool Paradigm
1. The Exchange Space
Here, interactions follow set patterns but can be sophisticated:
Example Prompts:
"Analyze this draft and suggest three specific improvements for clarity"
"Let's explore five different approaches to this problem, evaluating pros and cons of each"
"Help me structure this argument more effectively using this outline"
In this space, you get reliable outputs that combine human and AI capabilities.
2. The Emergence Space
Here, unexpected patterns and possibilities arise:
Example Prompts:
"I notice some patterns emerging in my thinking about this project. Can we explore them together and see what new insights emerge?"
"Let's hold this problem lightly and see what patterns we both notice without trying to solve it immediately"
"Share what patterns you're noticing in our conversation, and I'll share what I'm noticing. Let's see what emerges."
Like jazz musicians improvising, human and AI create possibilities neither could access alone.
3. The Evolution Space
Here, both human and AI transform through interaction:
Example Prompts:
"Let's explore this topic together, both sharing our evolving understanding as we go"
"How is your understanding of this changing as we discuss it? I'll share how mine is changing too"
"What new possibilities are you seeing emerge? I'm noticing my perspective shifting in these ways..."
Case Studies in Practice
A Writer's Journey
Sarah, working on a complex book about technology's impact on society, moved through all three spaces:
Exchange Space Beginning:
Initial prompt: "Help me outline Chapter 3 on digital transformation"
Follow-up: "Analyze these key points for logical flow"
Result: Clear structure but felt mechanical
Emergence Space Exploration:
New approach: "I'm noticing some recurring themes about human adaptation. What patterns do you see emerging in how people respond to technological change?"
Follow-up: "Interesting pattern about resistance. Let's explore that without trying to reach conclusions yet"
Result: Unexpected insights about human-technology relationship emerged
Evolution Space Breakthrough:
Advanced interaction: "This conversation is shifting how I think about technology adoption. What are you noticing about how our discussion itself demonstrates human-AI adaptation?"
Follow-up: "Let's explore how this very interaction is creating new possibilities for understanding human-technology evolution"
Result: The book transformed from a standard technology analysis into a groundbreaking exploration of human-AI co-evolution
A Leader's Transformation
Michael, CEO facing complex organizational challenges:
Exchange Space Start:
Initial prompt: "Help me identify key issues in our company culture"
Follow-up: "Generate possible solutions for each issue"
Result: Good analysis but conventional solutions
Emergence Space Discovery:
New approach: "Let's explore patterns in how our organization responds to change, without jumping to solutions"
Follow-up: "I'm noticing a pattern about resistance and innovation. What other patterns do you see?"
Result: Uncovered deeper systemic patterns previously invisible
Evolution Space Breakthrough:
Advanced interaction: "How might our exploration of these patterns represent the very transformation our organization needs?"
Follow-up: "Let's use our interaction as a model for new forms of organizational learning"
Result: Developed an entirely new approach to organizational transformation based on human-AI co-evolution
Creating New Possibilities
The key is understanding that these spaces aren't fixed. You can:
Move fluidly between them
Combine their properties
Create entirely new spaces
Discover unprecedented possibilities
As AI capabilities expand, those who can construct and navigate these spaces skillfully will create breakthroughs others can't imagine.
Finally, remember that these three additional spaces are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the types of spaces we could create.
Let’s Get Practical
The process of seeing possibilities differently follows distinct patterns supported by decades of research in adult development. This research reveals several important insights about how meaningful change occurs:
Change follows a natural distribution. The ability to fundamentally reconstruct how we see reality isn't evenly distributed - it follows a bell curve. While most adults operate within conventional frameworks, fewer reach the stages where they can systematically question and reconstruct their assumptions. This isn't a limitation but a natural pattern that helps us set realistic expectations for change.
Development happens in stages, not leaps. Each new way of seeing builds upon and integrates previous ways rather than replacing them. People don't suddenly jump to radically new perspectives - they move through predictable stages of growing awareness and capability. Early signs often include:
Recognizing the limitations of current approaches
Experimenting with alternative viewpoints
Growing comfort with uncertainty and paradox
Context matters tremendously. While later stages of development enable a greater ability to question assumptions and see new possibilities, people can effectively operate at different levels depending on the situation. The goal isn't to always operate at the highest level, but to develop the flexibility to engage appropriately with each context.
This understanding helps explain why some individuals and organizations consistently break through apparent limitations while others remain constrained by existing frameworks. Each new level of possibility opens up not just new solutions, but new ways of seeing problems themselves.
Conclusion
Through direct experience, you've discovered how your brain constructs everything from:
Physical edges from patterns of light
Emotions from raw sensations
Decisions from multiple elements
Your sense of self from moment to moment
More importantly, you've seen how understanding reality construction opens up unprecedented possibilities in human-AI collaboration. Different constructions of the interaction space create different capabilities, insights, and breakthroughs.
These experiences demonstrate how what we call “reality” is less a fixed structure and more a living tapestry your mind weaves from perception, emotion, decisions, and identity. Recognizing these constructions—and knowing they can evolve—is the key to transforming the seemingly impossible into the eminently doable. It’s a path that guides you from default assumptions toward richer, more expansive ways of seeing and engaging with the world.
More specifically, this understanding transforms everything about how you:
See reality
Beyond fixed limitations
Past constructed boundaries
Through to new possibilities
Into emerging patterns
Engage with A
Not just as a tool but as a space of possibility
Not just for outputs but for emergence
Not just for efficiency but for evolution
Not just for answers but for transformation
Create breakthroughs
Seeing opportunities others miss
Solving problems others can't approach
Creating possibilities others can't imagine
Developing capabilities others don't know exist
The Development Edge
But here's what makes this moment unique: We're not just witnessing the evolution of artificial intelligence. We're also participating in the evolution of human consciousness in collaboration with AI.
Every time you:
See past a constructed limitation
Explore a new possibility space
Create an unprecedented breakthrough
Transform how you engage with AI
You're not just solving problems or creating innovations. You're participating in the next stage of human development.
The future of human potential lies not in finding answers out there, but in evolving the frameworks inside your mind—and in doing so, you’ll upgrade not just what you know, but what you can imagine, achieve, and become.
🔑🔒Ready to take these insights further?
For paid subscribers, I've created an advanced package that transforms these concepts into practical capabilities:
Advanced Reality Construction Exercises. Four powerful practices I've developed and refined through years of research and experimentation. These aren't theoretical exercises—they're practical tools for expanding what's possible in your work and life. You'll learn exactly how to catch and shift the constructions that limit your potential.
Advanced Human-AI Collaboration Techniques. Five specific approaches that go far beyond basic prompts. You'll learn exactly how to create breakthrough results by working with AI in ways most people won't discover for years. Each technique includes real examples and step-by-step guidance.
Essential Reality Construction Resources. A carefully curated collection of mind-expanding videos, papers, and experiments I've gathered over nine years of studying adult development and reality construction. From Harvard research papers to fascinating scientific experiments, these resources deepen your understanding and accelerate your development.
Four Hours Of Classes On Adult Development. Anand Rao, Eben Pagan, and I led three sessions in the Mental Model Club providing an overview of the adult development field. These videos provide a really good intro to the core concepts in the field.
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