One Choice, One World The Rise of the Well-Being and Happiness Economy

The world today is mired in a state of unprecedented chaos. Humanity is plagued by climate change, stark wealth inequality, and rampant political conflict. How did we get here? More importantly, how can we turn the chaos to our advantage and see in it an opportunity to create a more sustainable future? In this provocative and groundbreaking work, fourth-generation family business steward Frederick Tsao outlines an original vision for a new consciousness of life in the quantum era. To confront global challenges, we must forge a common worldview grounded in the recognition that humanity is a part of one holistic system for all life on Earth. A new well-being and happiness economy will emerge therefrom. Integrating the best of Eastern wisdom and Western science with decades of deep experience, Tsao articulates a new definition of well-being as a life journey to systemic coherence. He argues that each of us must make one conscious choice to undertake an inward journey to find inner peace and love. Along this journey are infinite possibilities for inner coherence and harmony—to come into alignment with the world around us, caring for each other and the one planet we inhabit. Businesses will be at the very forefront of this transformation. From economics and politics to technological innovation and the way governments are run, every aspect of human culture will be reshaped to prioritize our collective well-being and happiness. As each one of us has a part to play in this paradigm shift, One Choice, One World invites you to join the movement and embrace the collective awakening now. The future is in our hands!

Frederick Tsao is the fourth-generation leader of IMC Pan Asia Alliance Group, born in the East and educated in the West. He became chairman in 1995 and transformed the family business from a traditional shipping company to a multinational conglomerate. Fred has published over 30 books in Chinese, concluding that we are amidst a major consciousness shift and at the dawn of a new era. He advocates that business should transform and reform our era. For this, he founded OCTAVE Institute, a comprehensive integrated life journey approach towards well-being.

Contents Preface xiii Introduction xix Part ONE: the Global Awakening 1 Chapter One From the Evolutionary History of Humanity to a Change Theory 3 The Emergence of a Common Worldview Integrating Western Science and Eastern Traditions 3 Our Change Theory 12 Experiencing Chaos As We Evolve to a New System 14 Awakening to Humanity’ s Evolutionary Energy 18 The Signs of Awakening to a New System 23 New Consciousness of Life, Ethics, and Our Responsibilities 41 Reaching the Tipping Point 44 Chapter Two The Particular Example of China 49 What the Rise of China Tells Us About the Relationship Between Well-Being and Governance 49 The Chinese Cultural Paradigm 54 Evolutionary Force in the Course of Chinese History 58 From Primitive Chaos to the Heyday of Ideas: Laying the Foundation for a Worldview 59 The Inheritance of Worldview and Modern Development 67 Democratic Centralism as the Fundamental Principle 68 People-Centered Core Ideas 70 The Guiding Theory of Family, State, and World 71 Five-Year Plans Show the Way 73 The Culture of Harmony and Stability as Prosperity 74 From a Characteristic Chinese Socialist Market Economy to a Community of a Shared Future for Mankind 76 Chapter 3 A Vision of Quantum Leadership 85 The Emergence of Quantum Leadership 85 Quantum Leadership and a Shift in Consciousness 89 Quantum Leadership and the Quantum Paradigm 91 The Ontological Divide 96 An Inner Life Journey 101 How Do We Get There? 104 A Practice of Self-Cultivation 108 Part TWO: The Era of an Economy of Well-being and Happiness 115 Chapter 4 From the Cosmos, the Universe, and Us to a New Theory of Well-Being 117 Revisiting Humanity’ s Existential Question 117 Moving Toward a Renewed Model of Well-Being 122 Living Well to Achieve Mindful Living 127 A Design for the Economy of Well-Being and Happiness 134 Infrastructure Design and Planning for Living 145 New Relationships with Our Environment and Energy 151 Self-Employment and Entrepreneurship 153 New Technology Powers Media and Social Media 155 Moving Toward a New Economic Paradigm 157 Chapter 5 A Renewed Economic Model of Social Transformation and Integration 159 A New Culture Drives the New Economics 159 Global Trade Integration 172 Creating One Currency Based on Direct Trade 178 Integration Needs Technology 182 The New Role of Business 184 Shaping a Different Economic Paradigm 189 A Vision of the Future Well-Being and Happiness Economy 191 Part THREE: Our future is Now 195 Chapter 6 Discovering One Choice, One World 197 Awakening 197 Sharing My Story 198 My Journey 200 A Time of Discoveries 206 Creating Octave 209 My Calling 211 Endnotes 215 addendum The Chinese Historical Path 225 Timeline 227 China’ s Path from the First Dynasty in Chinese History, Established in 2070 BCE, to the Present Government of the People’ s Republic of China 229 Index 241 About the Author 251