By now we have all understood how insanely different the future (likely) will be from the present. Change is being driven at an ever increasing pace, digitally native companies becoming humongous and global only a few months after their conception, markets shifting at a dramatic speed (Hello China!) and societal systems barely keep up with what is happening in the world. We know that all these factors can change what we are doing and how we are operating at a moments notice. And yet – how much time do we spend thinking about this?
How much time do you take away from your day job to spend on analysis, discussion and deep thought about what this all means for you and your business? Good and bad?
I have the great privilege to work with some of the best entrepreneurs and corporate irritants out there – and even they barely find the time to stop, reflect and project.
This is a huge (and likely) costly mistake.
Decades ago I was fascinated to hear about Bill Gates’ famous regularly scheduled reading retreats – time he spent away from the company, locked up in a cabin, reading the latest thinking about where the world is going. Initially, I thought it to be eccentric and maybe even frivolous. After all the dude has a company to run! And not just any company!
Come to think about it – it might well be one of the best uses of his time.
I highly recommend putting regularly scheduled slots on your calendar where you spend time informing yourself about what the future holds, seek out opinions and challenge your assumptions. The payoff will likely be huge!
P.S. Did you know that you can listen to The Heretic, narrated by yours truly, on SoundCloud and many Podcasting platforms as well as an Alexa Skill?