From a young age, I have always been fascinated by human behaviour and the way people think. My first dream profession was to become a doctor, not just to understand the anatomy of the human body, but because I was deeply curious about the brain. I wanted to know why we think the way we do, why we behave the way we behave, and what lies beneath our actions. Due to financial constraints and limited opportunities at the time, that dream did not materialise. Yet, interestingly, the curiosity never left me. It simply found a different path.
Today, even though I am not a doctor, my work is deeply rooted in conscious living. I help individuals tap into their behaviour, habitual thinking, emotional patterns, and healing from within. Alongside this, I work with corporate teams to improve productivity, communication, and awareness. In many ways, I realised that I am still studying the human mind—just through lived experiences, conversations, and reflection rather than textbooks and labs.
Judgement Begins with Perception
While shopping for my next book, I came across Surrounded by Idiots by Thomas Erikson. The title itself is provocative. At first glance, it feels harsh, even dismissive. But as I began reading, it became clear that the book is less about idiots and more about us. It highlights how quickly we label others based on our own perceptions, filters, and unmet expectations.
The core idea is simple yet powerful: what we perceive as incompetence or difficult behaviour is often a mismatch in communication styles and personality traits. The problem is not always the person—it is the lens through which we see them.
We Are Not One Colour
The book introduces four personality types, often referred to by colours—Red, Blue, Yellow, and Green. What struck me most was the reminder that none of us are purely one type. We are a blend. Context, pressure, roles, and responsibilities influence which side of us shows up.
This challenged my own thinking. I realised how often we try to categorise people neatly, forgetting that human behaviour is fluid. When we box people into one label, we stop listening. We stop understanding. And most importantly, we stop being curious.
A Moment of Self-Reflection
Recently, I encountered a situation that brought these lessons to life. An individual approached me requesting my CV, certificates, and my coaches’ details. The request felt demanding, unstructured, and unprofessional. My initial reaction was discomfort. I found myself labelling the behaviour as odd and controlling.
Then I paused.
Through reflection, I recognised traits that the book would describe as Red—a strong need for control, urgency, and directness. At the same time, I acknowledged my own response. In my profession, official processes matter. Requests need to be formal, structured, and ethical. That is my Blue side—respecting rules, clarity, and systems. Yet, there was also my Red side—focused on outcomes and results.
In that moment, I realised it was not about who was right or wrong. It was about two different behavioural styles meeting without shared understanding.
Conscious Living Is Choosing Awareness Over Reaction
This is where conscious living truly begins—not in theory, but in everyday interactions. The book reminded me how quickly we judge without understanding the why behind behaviour. When we slow down, reflect, and respond with awareness, we shift from reaction to intention.
In my work, whether with individuals healing from within or organisations striving for productivity, this awareness is critical. Behaviour is not random. It is shaped by experiences, needs, fears, and values. When we learn to see beyond surface behaviour, we create space for empathy, clarity, and better communication.
The Real Lesson: Look Inward First
Perhaps the most powerful lesson from this book is not about identifying others’ personality types, but about recognising our own. Before calling someone difficult, unprofessional, or incompetent, the real question is: What part of me is being triggered? What expectation am I holding? What lens am I using?
We are often quick to judge and slow to understand. Yet growth—personal and professional—requires the opposite. Understanding human behaviour is not about labelling people; it is about learning how to meet them where they are, without abandoning who we are.
In the end, this book did not teach me who the idiots are. It reminded me how human we all are—and how powerful awareness can be when we choose to live consciously.
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