When so much is changing, all at once, and the world no longer works the way it used to, it becomes easy to misinterpret what events mean. Add to this the reactions of stress, anxiety, and even fear that so much uncertainty can bring and it becomes easy to understand why people in a time of change can sometimes find it difficult to make sense of what is happening.
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.
One way to do this is by spotting when we are making assumptions — based on the way the world used to work, rather than the way it works now. Then we can look for other explanations that also make sense, and use these to find a clearer, deeper understanding.
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 still be making sense of the world according to the ways that world used to work. But our unconscious minds will already be making sense of the new patterns that are emerging. So if we learn to connect more strongly with our intuition we will become more able both to understand the new world that is emerging and find new ways to succeed within that world.
Pausing for a moment, before we rush to action, and applying these two simple tools will make us clearer and more confident about what is happening. It will bring us more options for how we might then move forward. And when we choose our best option we will be more confident that, even if it’s not perfect, it is the best solution available. That will bring us more clarity, more confidence, and more enthusiasm to take the actions that are needed.
In a changing world, all these things make us more likely to succeed. They bring us another step closer to becoming antifragile.
Does your world still work the way it used to — a year ago? A month ago? Do you take the time to check to see whether you are making unconscious assumptions? Do you call on your unconscious intuition to help you find solutions? Would you like to?
Adapted from Inner Leadership: a framework and tools for building inspiration in times of change.
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