The Genesis of a Servant Spirit
The title of "Mayor" is traditionally bestowed through ballot boxes and political maneuvering—a civic designation rooted in governance, bureaucracy, and often, the pursuit of power. However, the origin of "The World's Mayor" lies not in a campaign office or a voting booth, but in the intricate, often painful architecture of the human soul.
It is a title born of a specific, proprietary intellectual framework: the belief that leadership is not about ruling over a populace, but about elevating individuals into their areas of greatest strength. This philosophy posits that every human being is endowed with unique gifts, talents, and intellectual property by a Creator, and the failure to operate within this purpose creates a vacuum often filled by judgment, hatred, and division.
"The World's Mayor prefers to 'serve over sell'—a distinction that separates transactional leadership from transformational servanthood."
— Core PhilosophyThe seeds of Joshua T. Berglan's complex identity were sown in childhood, a period marked by internal suffering and unhealed traumas that he attempted to suppress. This early exposure to pain created a bifurcation in his psyche—an internal fracturing that would eventually manifest as Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID), a condition characterized by the presence of multiple distinct personality states.
Joshua describes living with "alters"—different people living inside him—whose shifting influence dictated his behavior and even the tone of his writing. For decades, he was unable to control the shifting in and out of these personalities, many of whom he describes as difficult to like. This psychological fragmentation, combined with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), complicated his interactions with the world in ways most could never understand.
Yet even as a child, the impulse to connect was primal. His mother, observing a young boy who "never met a stranger" and was perpetually seeking to help, would often prophesy that he would one day become a mayor. This was not a prediction of political office, but recognition of a relational orientation—a spirit that found its lifeblood in connection to others.
The Descent: The Devil Inside
To understand the magnitude of the World's Mayor's emergence, one must first navigate the labyrinth of his descent. As detailed in his memoir The Devil Inside Me , this was not merely "partying"; it was a systematic dismantling of the self.
Joshua battled severe mental illness while navigating a world fueled by cocaine, methamphetamine, and alcohol. For over twenty years, his drive to serve coexisted with a ferocious battle against the "Dark Passenger"—a personification of the internal forces driving him toward destruction. The mechanics of his addiction were ritualistic and extreme, driven by an unquenchable physiological and psychological compulsion.
His professional success in the skincare industry served as a carefully constructed façade masking a double life of extreme depravity and addiction. As an executive spending weeks at a time in major hubs like New York City, Los Angeles, Dallas, Miami, and Las Vegas, the "Dark Passenger" demanded risk, pushing him to chase the spotlight while silencing the "Quiet Whisper" of truth and caution.
This era was marked by profound loss: marriages dissolved, estrangement from children, bankruptcy, six incarcerations, and an HIV diagnosis that served as both a physical and existential reckoning.
"The journey through 'shadow prisons' and the loss of almost everything was not the end of the story, but the grueling training ground for a radical empathy that would later define his global mission."
Yet within this chaotic ecosystem, the "Mayor" mindset remained dormant but alive. Even in the throes of addiction, the only spark that provided genuine life was the act of helping another in need. This dichotomy became the foundational soil for his future—a realization that one's ability to serve is not negated by their scars, but amplified by them.
The Surrender: The Jail Cell Epiphany
The ultimate turning point occurred within the confines of a jail cell—one of six incarcerations Joshua experienced throughout his life. It was here, stripped of his resources, reputation, and substances, that he experienced a profound spiritual awakening that would redefine everything.
Reading the Gospel of John, something shifted. The words that had been mere text transformed into a lifeline. In that moment of total desperation, Joshua experienced complete surrender:
"God, my life is yours. I surrender it all—the addictions, the pain, the lies, the fear—all of it."
— The Prayer That Changed EverythingThis was not merely a religious conversion but a fundamental restructuring of his identity. He describes the darkness being pierced by light, and the demons of his past losing their grip. Approximately ten years ago, Joshua gave his life to the Lord —and this moment in jail marks the genesis of "The World's Mayor," a figure defined not by power, but by service to the broken.
San Diego & The 6 AM Revelation
The transition from a broken addict to a visionary leader crystallized in San Diego. Stabilizing after a period of homelessness, Joshua found himself in the vibrant district of Little Italy. The pivotal moment occurred during a "Gratitude Walk" at 6:00 AM.
Walking the quiet streets, vocalizing gratitude for his survival, a thought intruded with the force of revelation: "You should run for mayor of San Diego."
He researched the job description—advocating for citizens, empowering communities, fighting for well-being—and realized, "I've been doing this my whole life." He shared this epiphany on his "Morning Gratitude" livestream, and his audience immediately began calling him "Mayor."
Seeking backing, he met with a tech entrepreneur who delivered a pivotal reality check: "You cannot be the Mayor of San Diego if your goal is to impact the world. Your vision is too big for a city."
"Well, if I am not going to be the Mayor of San Diego, I will be the Mayor of the World."
— Joshua T. Berglan, San Diego 2018He purchased TheWorldsMayor.com immediately. It was not a title of ego, but a mantle of responsibility. The mission: to inspire others to adopt the mayor's mentality—a universal stewardship of human potential.
The Fire: Disability as Catalyst
In January 2024, Joshua faced a new and debilitating crisis: the onset of frequency-induced tremors. This condition, which remains difficult to diagnose, rendered him unable to broadcast, act, or even be around electronic devices without experiencing violent physical reactions. The tremors would jolt his head, twist his neck into painful contortions, and send his arms flailing uncontrollably.
This disability forced him into isolation, cutting him off from his family, his work, and the world. He lost his primary means of revenue and connection. This crisis threatened to dismantle the brand he had built.
However, Joshua reframed this isolation as a period of incubation. Unable to rely on his traditional methods of communication and revenue generation, he turned inward. Believing he might be dying, he wrote nine books during 2024, including the seminal Media Company in a Box and The Bridge to Media Empowerment. The urgency of legacy drove him to codify everything he had learned.
"This physical limitation became the catalyst for the Legacy Architect framework, proving that one's value is not in their physical utility but in their intellectual and spiritual capital."
Rather than succumbing to silence, Joshua utilized Artificial Intelligence as a prosthetic for expression. AI tools allowed him to continue writing, producing, and organizing his thoughts even when his physical body could not execute the tasks. This experience reinforced his advocacy for AI not as a replacement for human creativity, but as a critical tool for accessibility and inclusion.
Achievements and Statistics
The Manifesto: Core Principles
The origin story of the World's Mayor culminates not in a position of power, but in a philosophy of empowerment designed to navigate the complexities of the 4th Industrial Revolution.
The Mayor Mindset
Leadership defined as the active positioning of others into their strengths. A rejection of zero-sum thinking: if I help you win, the world gets better, and I win by default.
Serve Over Sell
In a world obsessed with transaction, focus on transformation. Revenue follows value, not the other way around. Give, equip, and lift up.
Media Sovereignty
The "Kill Switch Protocol"—own your platform, own your data. Through "Media Company in a Box," become inoculated against Digital Serfdom and algorithmic suppression.
The Power of the Scar
Sell the scar, not the wound. Trauma is not a liability—it is fuel for the story and the ultimate point of connection with the underserved.
Continue the Journey
The World's Mayor is not a character Joshua plays—it is the inevitable result of surviving the devil inside, surrendering to something greater, and choosing to build a bridge for others to escape their own hells.