"Show up!" - Futurist Jim Carroll
The future belongs to those who commit!
So show up!
What brings about this line of thought today? Because I noticed a lot of visits to this post yesterday:
"To win in the race to the future, you need to decide to show up at the starting line”
Read the post from February 2017. It's back when I was just starting this daily series years ago. Intrigued, I dug into my writing about the topic of showing up, and it's something I have covered a few times in the years since.
- "If you are going to show up at the starting line for the future, make sure that you don't show up late!"
- "Show up early!"
- "It's a better idea to create the future than to just show up for it."
- "Define your future, don't just show up for it."
So why not just show up? I mean, today! Show up!
Why does it matter?
Because the simple act of "showing up" is the most basic foundational principle for anyone who wants to succeed in a fast-changing world. It's a decision not just to participate in tomorrow, but a decision to engage with it, get involved, steer it, and direct it. It's the difference between being a spectator and being the architect of your own destiny.
I used Gemini to feed all of the above posts with a view to seeing what points I've raised about the importance of showing up. What I got was a list of 10 reasons why you must 'show up.' It's a good list!
- It’s the Prerequisite for Winning. You can't possibly win the race to the future if you refuse to even go to the starting line. Participation is the first and most critical step.
- It’s an Act of Engagement. Choosing to show up is the opposite of hiding your head in the sand. It’s a decision to face reality and new trends head-on, rather than hoping they’ll go away.
- It Puts You Ahead of the Curve. Showing up early to new trends, technologies, and ideas allows you to gain crucial experience, making you an expert by the time it becomes mainstream.
- It Prevents Missed Opportunities. Timing is everything. Showing up late for a key trend is often as damaging as not showing up at all, as you miss the critical learning and growth period.
- It Allows You to Shape the Future. Don't just show up for the future; show up to create it. Active participation gives you the power to influence and define what comes next, rather than just being a victim of it.
- It’s How You Contribute Value. Your mere presence isn't enough. You have to show up with ideas, initiative, and a willingness to contribute, transforming yourself from a passive observer into an indispensable innovator.
- It Forges a Proactive Mindset. Showing up is the physical manifestation of an "architect" mindset. It's the daily decision to build the life you want instead of just living in the one you're given.
- It’s a Stand Against Stagnation. Many organizations fail because they believe it's "not a good time to rock the boat." Showing up for difficult conversations and new ideas is the only way to spark bold moves and avoid obsolescence.
- It Fosters a Growth Mentality. To thrive, you must constantly learn and reskill. Consistently showing up for opportunities to grow ensures your skills remain relevant and valuable.
- It Builds Momentum. Inspiration requires action. When you show up and take a meaningful first step on an idea, you build the momentum needed to turn that vision into reality.
So what should you do today?
Show up!
Futurist Jim Carroll shows up every day. His Daily Inspiration post has shown up every single workday since August 2016.