Embracing change is one of the greatest challenges we face as humans. Change is accelerating at an ever increasing pace and if we do not learn to embrace, or at a minimum accept, the changes taking place globally we will in all likelihood wake up one day and say to ourselves, “Was I sleeping? How did we get so far behind?”
Many of us are so caught up in our own lives that we are blinded by the realities of what is taking place outside our daily activities. We get so focused on ourselves that we lose sight of the bigger picture. Because of this self-centered focus many of us are unable to see the changes going on outside ourselves, changes that can have direct or indirect influence on our lives.
Nothing stays the same and if we are going to be a relevant as a community we need to collectively wake up to our changing world and figure out how we can be a part of these changes.
Our challenge is not to forget how we got to where we are and remember that to be relevant we must continually reinvent ourselves. We cannot live life in a bubble thinking that we can remain the same.
“When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.” Victor Frankl
When we think outside-of-the-box and look beyond what we know learning takes place and we increase our chances of being relevant players in our increasingly changing world.
Instant gratification is a growing phenomenon and it is preventing us from seeing how we contribute to a positive or negative future for the generations ahead.
Now more than ever the world needs for us to take a “long view,” a view that allows us to look toward the kind of future we want to create for our descendants. The decisions we are making today have the ability to create a positive impact on the future or our decisions have the ability to have a potentially negative impact.
When you allow your mind to imagine future scenarios as they connect to past events and current activities you will start to link and form new ideas and creative and innovative scenarios.
“Continuity gives us roots; change gives us branches, letting us stretch and grow and reach new heights.” Pauline R. Kezer
Today we need to be thinking about the future we are creating. This means that we will have to take calculated risks, think beyond our comfort zone, out-of-the-box, and collaborate with others.
With the pace of change accelerating and the desire for instant gratification growing, it becomes imperative to think out ahead into the future so we can make the best decisions today, decisions that will have a positive impact on the future.
When you are open to letting your imagination wander, enabling connections to be made, new and powerful solutions become possible.
We need to get serious about expanding and exercising our creativity as individuals and a nation. This means thinking differently about how we go about interacting, relating, and doing business with the world and ourselves.
“They must often change, who would be constant in happiness or wisdom.” Confucius
Let me know what you think.
Until next week, remember the only boxes that exist are the ones you create yourself.
