Future-Proofing – is it possible?
What do we mean by future-proofing?
Initially, the technology industry created this word to design software, content, and more linked products to be still used in the future even when technological change occurs. However, it has now morphed across our wider lives into protecting ourselves from external change.
We will use future-proofing in the context of looking at how we can enhance our ability to protect ourselves and our business from any future external influence through our internal actions. So the time has come for us to focus on a new level of thinking, which has been here the whole time.
"To have more of what you want, spend time, noticing what you are not noticing"
The Covid world has forced us to live in a way that none of us would have predicted or prepared for. Writing this from the UK (Oct 2021), we have a petrol shortage due to Covid and Brexit's combination as we have no European drivers to support the logistics industry. The global pandemic is affecting every aspect of our lives, not just our health.
Did we or can we future proof ourselves? We believe our ability to be aware of and build a protective shield is possible and use the thoughts process to future-proofing in several ways.
Like most things, this starts with you. You might think that it is the wrong time to think about more of what you want right now. The mistake you could make in the statement is to assume it is based on consumerism or worldly things; it is quite the opposite.
The example is if you read the news, embrace social media debates, read the negativity that is all around us right now, you will only notice this. Based on the presupposition that where you spend your time mentally, what you read and surround yourself with is most likely to drive your thoughts. This thinking is not an argument to ignore the facts; it is to strike a balance between staying connected personally and making sure you focus on the future.
The facts allow us to begin to see the counter activity we need to start- individually before we apply it to our business (roles/careers).
The negativity hides the positive and also skews our focus.
We have to come together to deal with the pandemic. We have to find our way through our economic challenges. We will all have to find ways to make sure that we get through this for our families, loved ones, businesses, the future, our friends, our communities.
Future-proof the want
If the want isn't comparisons, consumerism, our first world wants, then what is it? The want we refer to is:
Better Health
Inclusivity
Balance and Security
Friends networks
Community connections
Holidays
Recovery time
Rest
Increased confidence
A wealthier future
Better relationships
Business balance
Equity
Better career
Support & Guidance
Transparency
Better skills
Better beliefs
Diversity
Ultimately all can relate to self and business, and as we have shared, this has to start with you to influence your actions to benefit the many others you lead or help daily. We have to delve into science and learn how our brain is the starting point for future-proofing efforts to achieve this.
The Brain Bit
A little filter called the reticular activation system( RAS) is on the bottom of the brain stem. This tiny filter controls the sensory information transmitting through your senses and interpreted by your brain. All done in large by the subconscious side of our mind processing 2 million bits of data. The vast volume of information around you is being filtered by our brain automatically. So, what if we were to tap into this directly via the power of intentional, conscious thoughts?
Brain hacking your way to future-proofing
Your conscious thoughts directly link to the RAS filter, and we can activate it with the things we concentrate on, regularly obsess and think about each day. This process of thought is a straightforward HACK to our mental mainframe.
Notice what you are noticing.
We use our language to persuade ourselves not to notice the things we experience, believe, see, hear by saying something like, I am so busy I didn't listen to you. I forgot to do that because I was snowed under. Many more ways we communicate internally and externally to miss the obvious. These personal convincers mean we ignore what we are seeing, and the filter can get overwritten.
We are creating a direct way to change our thoughts and change our outcomes in the process.
Watching this video Terry Moore demonstrates that a slight difference made in one place can make a huge difference in another
Which way do you tie your laces?
Did you test it out?
Will you now change it?
Whatever your decision is, it shows that our improvement in our skill, habit or thinking will reap small rewards if repeated over time. Therefore, improving our thoughts will yield different results when and if we stick to them. Your focus is up to you.
Have you ever said, "I always do it this way? " or "This works for me every time?" To start future-proofing, we have to notice what we dont notice, and then we have to ask ourselves a fundamental question why do I do it that way? The most significant part of this is that you have to want to do it differently. Back to the want list!
What you put into your Reticular Activation System is a daily choice.
It is controlled by you and what you do and what you make meaningful. So for the next 30 days, put the following five things to the test.
3 Things to do now to change your daily thoughts
Have a daily routine Tried and tested, repeated for thousands of years by many great minds. But, the truth is, the correct routine will produce great results. (Recognise you may say you have a daily routine, yet you miss a day here and there and say - ah, a day doesn't matter!) It's not a daily routine, is it?
Daily and Routine mean consistency.
Daily and Routine mean doing every day.
Daily and Routine mean notice what stops you and what you do to do to keep it Daily and Routine.
Notice what you don't notice.
Start NOW, not tomorrow, NOW.
It is time to seize this day, this moment and support the action you want. Do it today! Or even allow the day to capture you. Future-proofing ourselves takes effort, time, consistency and patience. The longevity of action means we see steady progress. The immediacy and instantaneous result aren't visible, which is why it's easy to fall back into the negative fact trap- which only survives on reactionary and not longevity.
If we future proof ourself, and all those we surround and care for, start with us seeing today as the opportunity to do something by changing our thoughts and take the small, consistent actions necessary. Prepare your MIND The time you dedicate to the results you want in your world, life, business, the community will be reflected in the results you are attaining.
Visualise Success
Every time you find yourself consumed with worry or anxiety about tomorrow, STOP and immediately visualise success instead. Change the channel broadcasting in your mind and energy instantly.
We created the Dollar Dream Club to help others create success through thought and manifestation. It's a six-month program, £1 a week, so a very economical coaching program. The how is vital; the ability to move your thought to a thought that will benefit you is a life skill for sure. Understand and accept that the negative is our human default; accept it in your head, then move to a more beneficial thought. I am not writing positive thinking as it can become a toxic overload of positivity, and you would miss the focus on whether this thought benefits me. Ask does this thought benefit me? Yes or NO. If yes, great, stay focused on it; if no, think of something that helps you. It may seem overly simple; it is as that is what works. Complexity and over-thinking do not create the complications that stop us from future-proofing. Commit to the effort needed. Ever been disappointed with diets, training plans and the results you were getting? Maybe you to quit too soon. But, instead, put the effort in and stick it out. If COVID-19 has taught us one thing, it is human endurability.
How to future proof your business (or teams)
After changing your RAS and personal focus, you can then translate this into business action. Future-proofing your business can be done with an RLC Framework. We work with clients to define their company why and build clear business cornerstones built on solid values and real business culture, giving reference points to question, challenge, and query decision-making.
If you dont have a Framework, a great starting point is a What If list consider this a premortem of situations. We are all great at reviewing and debating (even blaming shaming; never a positive outcome) when it goes wrong after an event, yet if we got better at premortem activities and discussions, we would have many future proofs benefits.
Better awareness of wants in the business
Increased transparency through knowledge
Better reactive and proactive decision making
Reduction of stress and anxiety as predictive possible (and worst case) outcomes are openly discussed
Reduces shame and blame business culture, therefore, increasing team engagement
Premortem activities work because we create new neural pathways of prediction and opportunity, which can reduce stress and anxiety in any problematic situation as the brain has had a chance to work through an outcome.
Ways to Create What If/ Premortem activity
S+C-(i)=O
Use our S+C-(i)=O Method (See video on our youtube)
Write down the situation
List the choices connected to that situation
Collect and document the interference that could occur/ does occur from that situation
The O is for an outcome as this is the one you may have the desired effect (want). To expand on this for your premortem, what if the activity as many outcomes as possible too.
Catastrophe Activity
Create a list of every what if that could happen. Be specific about the situation. for example, if you are launching a new product, then list every single thing that could happen, the wilder, the better (think global pandemic and the world shutting down, as a wild as none of us ever suspected that could happen!)
With each situation score it out of 13 (stops people from sitting in the middle)
Then, score it again out of 13 on what could be the best to the worst outcome, i.e. Death being 13 and 1 being desired, and the best result possible.
Creating your premortem score
You two scores per situation, multiply them together = your premortem score, and you then create a scale. Openly discuss your scale regularly and update the premortems regularly quarterly/90-day cycles is a reasonable timescale. Consistency is key to this, and developing it as an action for every project ( or critical decision making) is beneficial for everyone.
Summary
So can we future-proof ourselves and business - well candidly, no? We can be prepared; we can catastrophise and create premortems as a proactive activity to stimulate better thinking, better planning and more openness around good and bad ways to deal with any situation. Futureproofing means we have to accept that we dont have a crystal ball and can't see what will happen, just what might. Yet, we can be better prepared, feel more balanced in our choices and decisions, and be a winner for everyone as a future-proof outcome.
Examples of other premortem activities
https://www.copper.com/resources/branding-pre-mortem?utm_source=google_adwords&utm_medium=cpc&utm_content=&utm_campaign=DSA&utm_adgroup=All_Targets&keyword=&matchtype=b&network=g&device=c&placement=&adposition=&gclid=CjwKCAjwzOqKBhAWEiwArQGwaKX09MQd31oE-jWY0028TlQyZHvltKP4cNR3sn-kC8Py6ZWeVQX22BoCjYsQAvD_BwE
https://miro.com/miroverse/project-pre-mortem-template/?utm_source%3Dgoogle%26utm_medium%3Dcpc%26utm_campaign%3DS|GOO|NB|UK|ALL-EN|Core%26utm_adgroup=dsa%26adgroupid=120334252748%26utm_custom%3D11438766479%26utm_content%3D474555921012%26utm_term%3D%26matchtype=b%26device=c%26location=9046984&gclid=CjwKCAjwzOqKBhAWEiwArQGwaDAu4pRlqZ_b2As8zXF6S4bcKiJnAkLeP33KAmG4iUTfFN7pElj86xoCLjcQAvD_BwE
https://hbr.org/2007/09/performing-a-project-premortem
https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/strategy-and-corporate-finance/our-insights/bias-busters-premortems-being-smart-at-the-start
https://clearleft.com/posts/tiny-lesson-how-to-run-a-premortem-workshop
https://pipdecks.com/pages/premortem
