There is no shortage of impressive people, impressive businesses, impressive brands. I see lots of impressive websites, impressive blog posts, impressive advertising campaigns. But what I don’t see a lot of right now, is vision. And by vision, I mean the ability to look beyond the present and project a better future. We aren’t very good at coming up with big grand plans for ourselves, for our companies, for our brands.
Are We Victims of Static Cling?
I’ve often written here about the difference between a static and a kinetic world view. For me, a static world view is defined by operating from a posture where the world is exactly where it is. That things don’t change, that random events don’t occur. In essence, a static world view is one in which WE don’t change, and never can. And that infects and effects everything that someone with a static world view conceives of, or does.
A kinetic world view is one that allows for a world where things are constantly changing and moving around. Is life like a chessboard? Or is it more like a pinball machine? A chessboard is static. The rules don’t change, the board remains the same number of shapes and squares. No doubt, chess is a heady game. You can think yourself to death playing chess. Many have. But pinball is more like real life. Things pop up, the rules are constantly in flux, the pace accelerates. The game is never the same as soon as you start flapping about. MULTIBALL!!
I find that people who lack vision more often fall into the former camp. They are chess players. These are smart people, intelligent, ambitious and extremely capable. They can think ahead, but using today’s rules and boundaries. But what happens tomorrow when all of a sudden, your bishop turns into a Queen?
People who lack vision work with the world as it is. It may be called pragmatic. But in that sacrifice towards pragmitism and practicality, what is left out often enough is the ability to see future’s that don’t exist. It’s like crisis responding, rather than crisis prevention. I personally like to imagine lots of things that will never quite be. In my head, pawns become knights and Kings become pawns. All the freakin’ time.
How To Think Kinetically?
If I had the answer to this question I’d write a book and ask you to buy it. I think that this is a talent that can be learned, but it is one that is more essential than ever. So much is up for grabs these days. So much is changing. The rules are being rewritten daily. And we have the power of the pen. But how many people have the vision to see that?
Kinetic thinking is defined by an acceptance that things are constantly changing. That the world around us does not have to remain the same, and in fact, will not remain the same no matter how hard we might prefer it. Comfortable now? Are you prepared to be uncomfortable tomorrow? Can you afford that kind of disruption?
I meet too many people who can’t operate with a kinetic world view and who therefore, can’t visualize a bigger, better world for themselves. Sometimes I think it is fear. Right now there is so much fear. Fear over jobs, money the economy as a whole. Fear over the value of our country, fear over a society that seems to be running itself ragged. Fear is paralyzing.
Operating with a kinetic world view opens up so much, because in a world where everything is changing, we participate in visions.We become our own little visionaries! If we know things are likely to change, we can better position ourselves in that changing world.
So many people today accept today’s realities and import them onto tomorrow. It inhibits their planning, their strategy for life, for work. So many people lack vision about the world as it will be tomorrow. And they glumly accept their lot in life as if today is all we have and what is the sense in thinking about tomorrow. Or in changing what tomorrow brings?
The only thing that is certain is that tonight you’ll go to sleep and tomorrow you will wake up to a world that has changed in a thousand million ways around you. Why not change with it? Why not be the change that someone else has to wake up to?
Image Source: DairDair on Flickr
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