"Always remember that procrastination is just slow-motion failure. - Futurist Jim Carroll
Futurist Jim Carroll is writing a series, "25 Things I've Learned That Will Carry Me Into 2025." He is putting this together based on his 30-year career as a futurist, trends, and innovation expert, advising leaders of some of the world's most prestigious organizations on how to align to a faster future. He intends for the series to provide valuable guidance to others eager to learn how to move through a year that promises to be volatile, unpredictable, and full of uncertainty. Each day, the post will go out on multiple mailing lists, social media networks, and to the Website https://2025inspiration.jimcarroll.com
Be action-oriented.
Do things.
Do them now.
Don't wait.
These are the lessons I learned along the way, and as things get even faster every moment, they are more important than ever before. The fact is, in a world where change accelerates exponentially, your biggest risk isn't failure - it's hesitation.
Why do you think I have books with the titles The Future Belongs to Those Who are Fast; Ready, Set Done; and Think Big, Start Small, Scale Fast? I haven't gone with those titles simply because I think it's a cool framework - it comes from what I have seen as the key issue for my global clients for the last 30 years. People and organizations are overwhelmed with speed, bewildered by accelerating change, and sometimes, withering with fear at the velocity of tomorrow.
And they've brought me in to talk to them about moving fast.
So, let me oblige with my thoughts.
Think about this: every morning, you wake up to a world that's fundamentally different from yesterday. New technologies have emerged, market dynamics have shifted, and knowledge has forever changed. Are you changing with all of this, or are you waiting for the 'right time,' clarity on direction, or courage for your action?
Always remember this - There is no right time, there is only now. You can't wait for clarity - because you'll be waiting forever. And you'll never have more courage simply by thinking about it - you just need to do it.
Here's your new reality playbook:
Velocity beats perfection (at least most of the time). Stop seeking perfect information - it doesn't exist. The winners in today's economy aren't the ones with the best plans; they're the ones who dive in, figure it out, and scale fast. It's not about having all the answers; it's about moving while others are still planning.
Use fear as a trigger to move forward - not to freeze. Fear should be your compass pointing you to tomorrow, rather than a stop sign holding you back. That knot in your stomach? Uncertainty is keeping you up at night? That's not a warning sign - that's your opportunity radar! When you feel fear, that's your signal to accelerate, not brake. Remember: fear is a liar. Courage is your new currency in the economy of tomorrow.
Break the conspiracy of your comfort zone. Your comfort zone isn't your friend - it's your biggest threat. In a world of perpetual disruption, the most dangerous place to be is to be where you've always been. The future belongs to the change-makers, not the change-waiters. Are you charging at change to shape it, or are you letting change happen to you? Think about it this way - comfort zones can be death zones if you let them overtake your potential for opportunity!
Forget planning, start doing. The future isn't waiting for your perfect plan. It's not waiting for your comfort zone to expand. And it's certainly not waiting for your fear to subside. The only sustainable strategy is to act fast upon the unknown. Volatility rules this moment in time, and will be even more challenging in 2025. Accept that, and move forward.
Kick your speed up a notch. While others are still debating the perfect moment to act, the future-ready are already gathering real-world data from their third iteration. Moving forward with your innovative idea shouldn't be some sort of annual event or carefully planned project- it should be your hourly heartbeat. Experiment rapidly, gather insights on the fly, and whatever you do: fail fast, recover faster, and adapt even quicker.
Stop it with the grandiose structures. Forget the idea of the 500-page strategic plan. The future demands bold thinking coupled with lightning deployment. While others are perfecting their PowerPoints, you should be running your third pilot program. Your mantra? Act decisively with imperfect information, then scale rapidly as opportunities emerge.
Here's what you should do: a 15-point action plan.
- Act before you're ready
- Scale before you're comfortable
- Lead before you're certain
- Innovate before it's necessary
- Change before you're forced to
- Decide before you're paralyzed
- Experiment before you are perfect
- Challenge yourself before you're challenged
- Embrace your failure before you try to avoid risk
- Commit before you hesitate
- Think before you're told
- Dare before you doubt
- Imagine before you dismiss
- Ask before you assume
- Trust your instincts before you second-guess
The future doesn't wait for your comfort, your certainty, or your careful planning. The only sustainable advantage at this moment in time is your ability to change faster than your competition, to learn faster than others do, and to act decisively in the face of uncertainty.
Remember: In a world where the only constant is exponential change, the biggest risk isn't acting on what you don't know - it's waiting until you do know.
Procrastination is just slow-motion failure hidden in a brilliant disguise.
By then, it's too late.
Your future starts now.
Are you ready to get going?
Futurist Jim Carroll has been ‘preaching from the stage’ about the ‘need for speed’ for more than 30 years.