When I wrote Powered by Change, the predecessor to this book, I was aware that the methodologies found within it would resonate with some people more than others. Obviously, I was honoured that the book became a Sunday Times Bestseller, however, the real test came from companies applying the tools practically, which hundreds of organizations have.

So, why is there a need for a sequel? Surely Powered by Change is ‘enough’?

The truth is; to really understand and benefit from Powered by Change, one needs a thorough comprehension of how the human brain approaches decision-making.

Businesses are not inanimate objects, they are collections of humans. A ‘business book’ is, by default, a book about humans and how humans think and behave.

In addition to addressing the business practices and themes presented in the first book, there needed to be a companion guide to help individuals and organizations to understand and leverage the powers of their minds. I feel duty-bound to provide readers with the tools necessary to make the decisions needed to survive and thrive in our perpetually changing world. It would be remiss of me to ignore the pressing requirement to understand how to make, and follow, challenging decisions. With all our worry, fear, regret and remorse, I also feel that us humans suffer from a significant misuse of imagination.

This book is as much of a prequel as it is a sequel. You can read either in advance of the other. If you are reading this book first, rest assured that before you arrive at the original Powered by Change frameworks of, for example, why a company needs a purpose, how its people run on a belief syntax, and how an organization can construct a range of products and how a company can create effectively operating processes; it would be very beneficial to have a heightened awareness of how one can control and develop the brain processes that are going to drive those decisions.

In short, before the four blades of the metaphorical windmill on Powered by Change’s cover can begin to turn, a deep understanding of human thought infrastructure is very beneficial. That should, I hope, justify the order of this book first. However, the converse is also true. If you have arrived here after the first book, you can now double down on the metaphorical windmill you have built and, essentially, incorporate that windmill into your mind. This is Advanced Thought and what this book is all about.

Since the first book in 2018, I have witnessed the need for a book containing a body of understanding that will help individuals and organizations to digest and use Powered by Change in the most effective manner. That realisation could only be aimed at enabling the further understanding of the human brain, our most important muscle but one that is neglected in all the gyms around the world.

Everything starts with a thought.

We tend to assume that the past is a predictor of our future, but there is no future other than the one we are building now. The only future that exists stems from the decisions that we make. Waiting for the future to arrive and then changing the way that we think is disingenuous. We have to change the way that we think now in order for our futures to be better. Powered by Change’s virtual windmill that can weather the winds of perpetual change can only be built if we cast aside the blinkers through which we look at that task. That is the reason why this book had to be written.

The Rise Of Advanced Thought is the fruit of all the effort I went to following the launch and real-world application of Powered by Change, researching the science behind how human thought and decision-making processes work.

I began to dig very deep into how we think. What processes drive our behaviour, and how can we understand, influence and change those to drive much better business decisions?

Yes, we need to assemble our windmills, but we must also assemble our thoughts. Our internal windmill.

As a companion to the four blades of the Powered by Change windmill, there are five physiological thought muscle qualities that are little understood. Those five thought muscle qualities are:

• Clarity of Response

• A Strength to Persist

• A Recognition of the Likely Impact of Actions

• A Flexibility of Thought

• True Alignment with Personal or Corporate Values

These will be detailed later in the book, and comprehending these will enable the thought process to be seen as a way of training a human muscle to perform much more effectively rather than as an obscure, theoretical piece of neuroscience.

All this should come with a warning. Advanced Thought requires a considerable level of personal accountability. The tools outlined in this book will help in the task that you ask your mind to perform, but they are just that: tools. The decisions that you need to make are in your domain, and some of them may be difficult to take. Even when you are driving with the aid of a satellite navigation system, it is still necessary to follow the directions. Sometimes, the inertia that I have observed with us manipulating our thoughts and then acting on them is due to us really wanting a “quick fix”. Our need for instant gratification has intensified in a world of digital connectivity, where double-clicking on an internet link can appear to be the easiest solution. In my experience, however, this is rarely the best thought-out option available. Outsourcing our intellect and knowledge in this fashion will limit our effectiveness in the long run, not enhance it.

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"The Rise Of Advanced Thought is a remarkable read, in more than one way. This book opened brand new avenues for me in so many ways. MacDonald is incredibly generously sharing his life’s experiences and insights, in a book which is packed with actionable advice for how to think better, stronger, and with greater precision.

Actually, it is much more than just a book, it is a systematic approach for how to use the power of your brain to get what you want.

‍Simply put: The Rise Of Advanced Thought is a blueprint for personal transformation that will leave no one wanting".

Linus Bille, Founder - Eicorn AB