Here's one thing you know for certain - relentless change will always provide for a new and unexpected set of circumstances. It's your ability to roll with that change that will define you. With that in mind, when confronted by some change, by something uniquely new, and by the challenging circumstances around it, don't run away from 'it,' whatever 'it' might be.
Instead, deal with 'it.'
In other words, when challenged by the circumstances, change the circumstances. How do you do this? Here are a few ideas to get you going - take 'it' on rather than shying away from it:
- don't fight 'it'
- don't try to avoid 'it'
- accept 'it'
- embrace 'it'
- understand 'it'
- experiment with 'it'
- work with 'it'
- change with 'it'
- help to shape 'it'
- accelerate with 'it'
How do you do this? Whatever 'it' is, here are a few tipis:
- establish the right mindset about 'it' - mindset matters!
- prototype your ideas with 'it' faster - that gives you a chance to try more solutions with 'it'
- be iterative in your approach to 'it' - keep trying new ideas until you get 'it' right
- find partners who understand 'it' better than you do - learn from their speed, creativity, and disruptive thinking
- plug into the crowd around 'it' - the new hive mind is often defining 'it'
- fail faster with 'it' - experiment, fail fast, and learn how to recover from failure with 'it' faster
- structure for speed in your approach to 'it' - don't just try a few fast ideas, be fast!
- don't just do one big thing with 'it' - do many small things with 'it'
- redefine 'it' - make it fit your purpose, rather than the other way around
- be decisive about 'it' - don't let the challenge around 'it' fester in your mind
What could 'it' be? What might be challenging you?
Maybe it's a future trend - 'it' might be AI, machine learning, IoT technology, cloud robotics, robotic process automation, or digital twin technology. Or maybe it's innovative ideas, defining disruptive opportunities, or new leadership concepts that you need to adapt. Or perhaps, it's your own personal goals and ambitions - a new challenge that you are trying to take on.
Whatever the case might be, simply substitute 'it' with whatever it might be in the list above - so that you can challenge the circumstances that challenge you!
Sometimes Jim Carroll isn't sure what to do with 'it,' but will admit that as a futurist, he spends a lot of time thinking about 'it.'