The 2024 NEXT Summit panel discussions kicked off with an inspirational talk by entrepreneur Csaba Lucas, who has coached Wall Street business leaders and Fortune 500 companies with his holistic approach incorporating ancient traditions, art, science, and business.
“I'm very humbled to be able to be here,” he started, before sharing his background with the audience for context. This included growing up in socialist Hungary, studying business, and his passion and skill for athletic endeavors like BMX riding and running—which led to a scholarship in Canada where he taught children on health and art-related subjects. Lucas later transitioned into kinesiology, working with professional athlete teams like the Los Angeles Lakers and Borussia Dortmund. After a decade in the profession, having always been interested in the arts from a very young age, Lucas obtained a performance art degree at Juilliard, later performing on Broadway.
“I had this business education, kinesiology background, and this artistic vein as well. All this turned into a mumbo jumbo, but most importantly, all of this had a bedrock: multicultural interest. Growing up in a socialist country versus a capitalist country already gave me this understanding that whatever we think matters in a society is majorly colored by culture,” he said. Using the case of happiness as an example, he highlighted how a study on Eastern European housewives showed they had never contemplated happiness, whereas in other cultures, it is considered very important.
Curious to learn more, he took a trip to Sub-Saharan Africa, the Amazon, and Sibera to live with a tribe for several months. “I wanted to search for the overlaps between all of these vastly different cultures: ways of looking at how to be human,” he explained. One example from this time became the subject of his morning talk at the NEXT Summit.
“There's an actual reason why we should all consider tracking lions without weapons. I know this sounds like a crazy idea, but I'm not joking, nor am I trying to be outrageous here,” he proclaimed, pointing to a picture on the setup screens of him in the Okavango Delta, “a land rich in untamed beauty and enigmatic wildlife,” Lucas added.
Taking the audience through his time following lion footprints with a master tracker, he spoke of “palpable excitement” and “an undercurrent of anxiety” but also drew interesting parallels for entrepreneurs. “Tracking lions without weapons is much like running a successful business: it demands a meticulous attention to detail, a vivid imagination, and a deep understanding of patterns,” he explained. “The process of tracking is a blend of art and science, logic and intuition. It requires a meticulous dance between the analytical and the instinctual.”
Lucas’ talk hit fever pitch when he recounted coming across of herd of baboons causing a commotion at the sight of him and his fellow traveller, which soon led to the duo being approached by two male lions.
“In that moment, my heart raced with a cocktail of exhilaration and trepidation. There were two potent predators potentially closing in on us, and my immediate Western tamed instinct was to retreat and just become invisible. But somehow, I managed to remind myself of the deeper purpose of this adventure. I was there to reconnect to the primal instinct that once defined our species. I needed to channel the apex predator within me, confront my fears, and reclaim the essence of what it used to mean to be human,” he passionately stated. “We, as humans, possess the inherent ability to recognize and disrupt patterns. This skill was pivotal in our success as a species. This ability enabled us to create civilizations, develop advanced technology, and also express ourselves in art and science. Yet this very same skill necessitates that we master the art of pattern recognition and pattern destruction—not only out there in the wild, but also within ourselves. Faced with the lions, I had to overcome my habitual pattern of thinking.”
Standing his ground, the lions settled, “a gesture of respect and acknowledgement of our presence” which created “a profound reconnection with our evolutionary roots,” as Lucas describes it. “It was a rediscovery of an almost forgotten blueprint for mastering one's own life. Now, in today's world, many of us are disconnected from this blueprint. We have become prey to patterns imposed by external forces. Patterns of consumerism, social media, unhealthy lifestyles. We have lost the ability to recognize and disrupt those patterns, leading us to a loss of control over our lives. We find ourselves ensnared in cycles of poor dietary choices, overconsumption of social media, and dissatisfaction with our lives, both professionally and personally,” he stated.
Drawing the parallel between his encounter with the African wildlife and modern-day life, the entrepreneur spoke of the mental and emotional resilience to be gained from reconnecting with our primal selves, mastering the art of pattern recognition, and reclaiming control over our lives. “By doing so, we can break free from the detrimental patterns that plague modern existence,” he enthused, explaining a toolkit he developed called the Core Survival Ability Benefiting Activities (CSABA) aid, “designed to help individuals to disrupt unwanted behavioral, social, and consumer patterns, guiding us to a place of self-control and empowerment.”
“It assists you in confronting the modern predators of our lives: social media, large corporations, fast food giants, and extremist ideologies. It is the means to relearn how to be an apex predator in our contemporary modern world, allowing us to remain in control of our lives and our well-being,” he explained. “Tracking lions without weapons transcends the realm of adventure. It emphasizes the importance of recognizing and disrupting patterns not only out there in the wild, but also within ourselves."
Lucas concluded his vision as blending cutting-edge technology with the deepest human inheritance, derived from a multitude of different cultures. With that, he set a captivating tone for the NEXT Summit: one of curiosity, multifaceted viewpoints, and endless potential.
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