Gluck: So what you're saying is that most people are level two?
Schneider: Yes. Most people see a world of conflict, believing that the way to win is to compete and to beat somebody else. Unfortunately, the win-lose perspective dominates not only sports but business, and sometimes life in general.
Gluck: How do we get to the next level of awareness?
Schneider: Moving to level three requires taking responsibility for your thoughts, feelings, and how you live. Instead of being the victim and giving power to someone else, or being conflictual and angry and blaming everybody else, you say, "This person doesn't make me angry. This person just does what they do. I decide what that means. I decide how I'm going to respond. I take responsibility for my thoughts and feelings." You release others from responsibility for your life and take it on yourself.
Gluck: Say that again.
Schneider: At level one, your level of happiness is determined by what everybody else does. At level two, it's pretty much the same thing, except you're fighting through to win. At level three, you stop looking at others to create your reality for you. You become cooperative. You start to see people for who they are instead of trying to manipulate them or letting them take advantage of you. At level one, it's "I lose." At level two, it's "I win, you lose." At level three, it's "I win and I want you to win, too, but my main goal is for me to win." Level three is where you start to release the negativity holding you back. Level three is a light-year's jump for some people. Out of the 10% of people at level three and above, probably 99% of them have level three.
Gluck: Tell me about level four.
Schneider: At level four, you derive satisfaction putting others first. You don't take anything personally. What people do is about them. Instead of thinking about how to respond in terms of what this person did to me, level four is "What can I do to help this person?" A financial advisor at level four is going to be seen as trustworthy. Success comes from giving, servicing and caring for others. Financial planning is merely a means to do that.
Gluck: Level four is selflessness, being more committed to making you the winner than making me the winner.
Schneider: Yes. Now a lot of people say that, but don't really believe it.