When so much is changing around us so fast, 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’s 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 clearer sense of the situation we face.
One way to do this is by noticing when we are making assumptions based on how the world used to work. Then we can look for other explanations, based on how the world works now. This is a conscious, rational approach.
And the second way that we can see more clearly is by calling on the power of our intuition. In times of change, our conscious minds will try to make sense of the world according to the way it used to work. But our unconscious minds will already be spotting the new patterns that are emerging. And if we learn to connect more strongly with our unconscious intuition then we will become more able to make sense of how the world is going to work — 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 the actions we might take. And this means that when we choose our best way forward, even if it’s not perfect, we can at least be confident that it is the best option available.
All this will bring us more clarity, more confidence, and more enthusiasm to take the actions we choose. And in a changing world, that will not only make us more likely to succeed, it will also bring us a 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 your best way forward? Would it be useful to start doing these things now?
Adapted from Inner Leadership: a framework and tools for building inspiration in times of change.
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