Much has been written about the shadow side of our personalities, the part of ourselves we repress for whatever reason. Perhaps we pushed it down because we judged it to be insufficient, weak, or inappropriate. Whatever the cause, we tamp it down and cultivate other aspects of our personality.

The result is that there are aspects of ourselves which are unexplored and undeveloped. These juicy bits are dark yet enthralling to most.  A comic strip and 1930s radio show was built on our fascination, in which the title character was a crime fighter with psychic powers.

Dark and mysterious, plumbing the unknown depths of human power - don't we all have a duty to go down there ourselves and learn what we are made of? Well, it doesn't sound like a high ride, does it? But, wait!! There is gold down there.

Being the complex creatures we are, we not only repress bad stuff - we also push down all the qualities of goodness we have a hard time looking eye-to-eye.  Yes, all those pishaws and brushes aside may have done a little damage that is worth repairing for the payback it provides.

Robert Johnson, the prolific psychoanalyst, calls us to look at the profound qualities that are unexplored and un-mined in our psyches. He implies they have been put away by well-intentioned but fallible intents. And he implores us to consider there is real treasure within, if only we would go hunting for it. He says, "The gold is related to our higher calling and this can be hard to accept at certain stages of life."

In its simplest form, you can think of the golden shadow this way. Someone says to you, "Wow, you did a great job with that speech! You are a powerful orator. You should be really proud of yourself." In response you say, "Oh, it was nothing really" and with that little quip you tuck away from your own gaze one of your  real-life super-hero powers: your ability to speak and move people with words.

Now, you may love your speaker-self. Maybe the hidden quality I am referring to is a different one for you. My point is that there are aspects and talents you carry that spend too much time in your toolbox and not enough time in the light of day.  And, yet there they are, ready for the day you recognize what amazing qualities you have and bring them out to wield as part of your array.

On closer look at Johnson's words, we see he speaks not of personality attributes, but of a "higher calling." You know, I have to say, the most visionary leaders I have worked with each had a distinctive drive that I would represent as nothing short of a calling. Some attributed it to their relationship with the divine. Others were less spiritual and but nonetheless saw it as a powerful, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity they could deliver on. But, in all cases, there was a sense of profound purpose that extended beyond mere goal-making and drove them to bring out their best in order to make a difference in the world.

And then there are those leaders who plug along, making ends meet, or taking the organization to another level, but stop short of anything they would be proud of in their most private moments. I think, for those who feel that there is more in life than is currently being had, the golden shadow is an excellent place to go exploring.

When I worked for Shell helping transform the oil and gas drilling environment, I learned that it costs just as much to build a rig to explore as it does to build a rig to extract. Exploration is just as hard as mining, so there is a healthy respect for the effort and cost involved. When it comes to exploring your golden shadow, don't take it lightly. If you have reason to believe there is gold down there, invest in the expedition. The world is hungry for your results.