When so much is changing all at once, and the world no longer works the way it used to, it can be easy to misinterpret events. Add to this the stress, anxiety, and even fear that so much uncertainty can bring and it is no wonder if we sometimes find it difficult to make sense of what is happening.
What all this means is that, after we have connected deeply with ourselves, the second step to becoming antifragile is to pause and make clear sense of the situation we face.
One way to do this is by noticing when we are making assumptions based on the way the world used to work. Then we can look for other explanations, based on how the world works now.
And the second way that we can see more clearly is by calling on the power of our intuition. In a time of change, our conscious mind will tend to make sense of events according to the way the world used to work. But our unconscious minds will already be spotting the new patterns that are emerging. So if we learn to connect more strongly with our unconscious intuition then we will become more able to understand the world that is emerging and find new ways to succeed within that world.
Pausing to apply these two simple tools before we leap to action will make us clearer and more confident about what is actually happening. It will bring us more options for how we might move forward. And when we choose the best way forward we will be more confident that, even if it’s not perfect, it is the best option available.
All that will bring us more clarity, more confidence, and more enthusiasm to take the actions we have chosen. And in a changing world, that will not only make us more likely to succeed, it will bring us another step closer to becoming antifragile.
Does the world around you still work the way it did a year ago, or even a month ago? Do you pause to check whether you are making any unconscious assumptions? Do you call on your unconscious intuition to help you find the best way forward? Would it be useful to start doing these things?
Adapted from Inner Leadership: a framework and tools for building inspiration in times of change.
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