Surviving & Thriving in Uncertain Times
Wars all over the globe. The very real threat of more and worse terrorist attacks. Global warming. Sky high gas prices. International competition. Outsourcing. Lost jobs, lower wages. Companies and even entire industries going down the tubes. The list of potentially cataclysmic events is seemingly endless. And the average person is just trying to survive: to pay the bills and get somewhere financially and professionally. It gets harder and harder to cope, to carry on amid the global-not to mention local and national-uncertainty both economically and socially. Books have been written about the subject, so what can a short article possibly say about this vast topic? My goal here is to simply summarize the strategies-mental, physical, and financial-that you can adopt to maximize your chances of not only surviving the uncertainty but even thriving despite, or perhaps because of the risks and dangers in today's volatile world.
Negative Capability The poet John Keats had a theory that's a good starting point: you have to be able to deal with the negatives, the uncertainty, the ambiguity of life, "without any irritable reaching out after facts." Life is full of negatives that can be turned into positives if we remain mentally strong, not getting "irritable" just because "facts" are not readily available or apparent. We must adapt to what life throws at us by keeping calm through the storm, working smart, and being capable of coping with the inevitable negatives. It's like riding a wave: you simply can't let it break over your head or you'll wipe out.
Easier Said than Done? You might be saying that to yourself: "Well, that's easy for you to say but just how do you adapt and cope and keep calm and work smart and all that?" Allow me to suggest that once it is said then it is easier to do. The
great Russian social and literary critic Mikhail Bahktin had a theory he called "dialogic," which essentially teaches the power of words, of writing, of speaking in creating our realities. If we say it and write it, then it becomes more real. If we say it often enough, it takes on a life of its own. We can become what our words say we will become. So, start down the road to thriving in uncertainty by telling yourself-and others-that you will do exactly that. A cousin of this cognitive strategy is positive thinking. You can't do it if you don't think you can do it. If you think you can do it, you can do it.
Take Inventory in Writing Put it in writing. Start by blogging or journaling your thoughts, doubts, concerns, worries and fears. Get it down on paper or in a
PC file. List and detail what's holding you back, keeping you down, preventing you from succeeding-whether its anxiety over the uncertainty in life or a lack of skills. Look hard at yourself and ask yourself why you feel this way or why you're in this predicament. Then when you're done with the "why" questions, drop the "why" for good and shift your thinking to this question: "What now?"
The "why" will keep you in the past-stagnant and wallowing in self-pity and fear.
The "what now" will move you forward and give you the impetus to take charge.
Write a Game Plan List your goals and ideas on how to attain them. Putting them in writing and attempting to come up with an action plan will, once again, make it more real, more immediate, and more doable. The power of writing down your goals cannot be overestimated. Here are two essential aspects of a strong, effective game plan:
1) Understand your purpose. What exactly do you want and where exactly do you want to be in
six months, two years, and/or five years? Who are you and who do you want to become?
2) Set high expectations. You have got to believe in yourself. Don't just hope and pray things will work out; expect them to work out. Expecting good things to happen increases the chances that they will. Whether you think you can or you think you can't, you're right. Your inspired frame of mind will work to your advantage in making goals become realities.
Trust Yourself. This same positive attitude of setting high expectations should permeate your entire mental attitude. You simply must rely more on your gut instincts, trusting your insights and ideas to lead you in the right direction.
Be Willing to Take Risks. As my previous remarks imply, you've got to be willing to take risks in times of uncertainty. Danger and opportunity go hand in hand. Get out of your comfort zone and look for new paths, investments, activities, connections, and strategies. Keep your eyes and brain open 24/7 for a chance to expand yourself into new ventures.
Take Action. When you see a chance, take it. Act. You cannot sit on your
duff and wait for the world or your life to get better. You have to jump on
opportunities, acting "on purpose" and in concert with your instincts. Success
during tough times requires a proactive approach. Reactive and passive people
will fail.
Be Resilient Not all of your risk-taking and proactive seizing of opportunities will succeed. You will suffer setbacks, disappointments, and failures. So you must be resilient, tough as nails, and have a never-say-die attitude. Stress, pressure, and change will be your constant companions, dogging your every effort. Like a good boxer, when you get knocked down, you have to get up again before the ten-count.
Research and Apply Tried and True Techniques These days, a thousand good ideas are a Google search away. Take your game plan and brainstorm ways to flush it out by spending your free time on the internet, filling your mind with ideas and knowledge, rather than squandering your down time on mindless TV shows and entertaining activities. Haven't you had enough fun? Do you want to thrive or wither away having more fun? You thrive by thinking, preparing, and working. So drop the remote and get online to generate some grist for the mill.
For Example Here's the gist of just one great essay I found while researching this article. Thomas Raffa & Robert J. Cocchario wrote "Managing Financial Uncertainty" (The NonProfit Quarterly, Vol. 9, Issue 2, 2002) in which they detail the following eight strategies for achieving their stated goal:
- Open Communication: Talk to as many people as you can; develop as many connections as possible.
- Protect Trusted Relationships: Circle the wagons, so to speak, by making sure your best relationships are tight and people are watching your back.
- Focus on Core Mission & Strengths: Don't waste time on peripheral activities; identify your goals and tap into your strengths.
- Prioritize Activities: Get organized, doing the most important things first, last, always, and all the time.
- Make Realistic Contingency Plans: Don't get caught with your pants down; be sure you have a Plan B.
- Develop Resources Aggressively: Whatever you have, own, know, or can get your hands on, do so - and do so fast and furiously.
- Engage Strategic Partnerships: Find and hook up with people who can help you.
- Manage Cash Flow: Don't blow your money; save it, raise it, and use it on creating more wealth.
Abandon Your Comfort Zone What it boils down to is the absolute necessity for you to change some or all of your comfortable habits. You've got to develop new, more daring, and more active habits - meeting people, trying new things, taking big risks and basically working harder - which is the scariest prospect of all for many people. But without hard work, you're toast. Uncertainty eats the weak for dinner. So pump fear, become one with the big bad wave and ride the tsunami all the way to the high dry ground of success.
