How to Reinvent the Future and Stop Reliving the Past
Conversations that begin, “I remember when,” are about recreating the past. But you can’t create the future while longing for the good ole days.
The past is the future for leaders who stay the same.
Persistence drives people into the past when it reflects entrenched methods and reverse engineered goals.
Questions for reinvention:
#1. What will you do differently?
Intentions are a beginning, but new behaviors change outcomes.
Stop defining yourself by entrenched methods and comfortable behaviors. Methods that worked in the past often become moral imperatives. But irrelevance sets in if you don’t change.
3 Tips for doing differently:
- Begin with easy, but make sure it’s different. If you want new results, adopt different behaviors.
- Choose simple. Reject complex. Progress stalls when complexity arrives.
- Do what you hope to become. Do you aspire to lead? Find ways to lead right now.
#2. What didn’t you do – that resulted in failure?
Imagine you won’t be shouting for joy at the end of 2018. What didn’t you do – that resulted in failure?
One thing is sure if 2018 becomes a disappointment, you didn’t get enough help.
Who should be part of your journey? The future is about people.
Choose challenging relationships that disrupt strategies and expand possibilities.
“Show me your friends and I’ll show you your future.” Anonymous
5 more questions:
- What is your current legacy? What do you wish it was?
- What are you doing when you feel most energized and you’re bringing value to others?
- What will you let go? (Perhaps this is the most challenging question for 2018.)
- How must you develop yourself?
- Why does it matter?
What keeps leaders reliving the past?
With 2018 peeking at us, how might leaders take steps to reinvent the future?
“What keeps leaders reliving the past?” – insecurity, fear of modernization (I try not to use the word ‘change’, it makes people build walls around what they do and how they do).
“With 2018 peeking at us, how might leaders take steps to reinvent the future?” – Reliving the past is not always bad, as long as it is used as a basis, starting point for building to the future. Typing out loud – do most things if not all, originate from somewhere in the past?
Dan,
Great post overall, but I particularly like the questions you pose at the end. Will definitely use these as I plan for 2018 and meet with my team at work.
Thanks!
Jay
“Peek” into the past, occasionally necessary; looking back to find something you may have missed or get a perspective from where you stand today, may offer new insight.
The past is, with intention, what brought you to the place you are today; what you do “differently” today will bring you into your future tomorrows. Loved this post, a great way to begin is with 2019 in mind.
Happy New Year Dan!
Hi Dan
Great questions here. “What will you let go?” is a really challenging one. Sometimes it’s the things we’re really attached to that hold us back, and often we don’t realise it. It takes guts to look hard at things we think are helping us, and to accept the truth when they aren’t (and that’s on a personal as well as a business level). However, self-compassion can provide a seedbed for acceptance, which can then transform into ‘letting go’…
Have a great 2018!
Alison
Dan,
Who or what controls one success? Once we figure out the roadblocks success is around the corner. If ones past reflects success theres no reason to change the course, “If it’s not broke don’t fix it”!
“Change” is inevitable for us whether we like it or not, learn to roll with the punches and “plan the best path”, one with the least resistance, may not always be available at first, but it does simplify things as you mentioned.
Love your provocative quote: “The past is the future for leaders who stay the same.” Standing still is falling behind, as one of my clients and I like to stay. Nature doesn’t do it, and we humans shouldn’t either. However, when you’re wired for inertia and you’re comfortable with it, it can be hard to break away. That’s why it’s so important to question the status quo and ask questions like the great ones you included here.
What one learns from the Past, should serve as the Guide to one’s Future.
“Choose simple. Reject complex. Progress stalls when complexity arrives.” This is a great thought, esp in light of your previous post and the rejection of “proper channels” and other forms of needless bureaucracy. If transparency is the goal, complexity cannot be considered progress.