"I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberativetly,
Henry David Thoreau
It seems every day we are bombarded by information. The noise somedays is deafening to the point of almost making one numb. Many have become oblivious to the technology impacting us and the change around us. The realization of the dependence on technology, subliminally and explicitly, growing and reaching into every aspect of life causes me to pause. All around, change is accelerating exponentially, and it is exhausting. I am reminded of a quote by Michael Hyatt: “The busier you are, the more intentional you must be.” For me, it’s time to stop, breath, look around, think, and strive to be aware and intentionally live.
Recalibrating life includes challenging my previously held beliefs and perspectives. I have become aware of bias and stereotypes that have shaped my previous world views and of the realization of experiencing energy and emotion caused by change. Each day now I am making a conscious effort to see the world through a different lens. I recognize how seamlessly technology is becoming a part of life but have also concluded that technology is to be a tool and not to rule. I am striving to heighten my awareness, to take time to observe and think so as not to be swept away by what some have called future shock. I cannot help but think that I am not the only one coming to this life juncture.
"From one view, one sees one perspective.
In connecting with other's perspectives,
an entire landscape emerges."
John C. Carver
Connection in the post pandemic digital age is crucial. Only through the sharing of thinking, observations, perspectives, and experiences can emerging 21st century norms and realties be processed and understood. It’s sort of like traveling in a car on the interstate at a high rate of speed, with four other people, each looking out a different window sharing what they see, giving those in that car a limited 360* perspective. Though this is good, imagine the perspective of that car, connecting and sharing with passengers in other cars locally, nationally, or globally. That sharing of perspective is powerful in recognizing and defining meaning and understanding of emerging realities and new norms.
Where to begin?
Scott Fortune, CEO of Upper Iowa Tool & Die and Innovation, is a friend, colleague, and engineer I greatly respect. He taught me that when presented with a question, look beyond the obvious and seek the underlying conditions. The examination of rational reasons for past practices and assumptions creates an outcome that either affirms prior direction and actions, or identifies the necessity to rethink and redesign along new norms. The key is to ask questions and look deeply to discern WHY.
Identifying WHY is foundational to begin to understand transformational change happening. It is not enough to observe and identify WHAT is happening, but seek to determine the human emotions of WHY it is happening. WHY is the bedrock actions, strategies, and beliefs are built on. Simon Sinek in Start With Why (2009) writes “If you don’t know WHY, you can’t know how” (p.70) and “A failure to communicate WHY creates nothing but stress and doubt” (p. 58). He continues: “The power of WHY is not opinion, it’s biology” (p. 55). Citing recent brain research
The newest area of the brain, our Homo sapien brain, is the neocortex, which corresponds with the WHAT level. The neocortex is responsible for rational and analytical thought and language. The middle two sections comprise the limbic brain. The limbic brain is responsible for all feelings... It is also responsible for all behavior and all our decision-making but has no capacity for language. When we communicate from the outside in, we communicate WHAT we do first, like facts and features, but does not drive behavior. But when we communicate from inside out, we’re talking directly to the part of the brain that controls decision-making, and our language parts of the brain allows us to rationalize those decisions (p. 55-56).
So, to understand WHY means to go beyond the WHAT of observations, facts, and figures.
“What” we do is shaped by “Why” we do it.
“Why” we do it is shaped by human emotions and experiences.
John C. Carver
One’s life story and circumstances are unique in shaping their lenses for observation, interpretation, and perspective. Connecting, sharing, collaborating, and recognizing the bias of one’s life story gives depth and perspective into interpreting what was, what is, and what could be. To share one’s story and realize filters and bias takes personal courage.
Observed facts and conditions,
interpreted through bias, stereotypes and life experiences = perceived reality that creates Mindsets.
John C. Carver
To discern emerging realities and to recognize challenges and opportunities requires new thinking and a courage to let go of previously held Mindsets. Mindsets are habitual or characteristic mental attitudes that determine how you will interpret and respond to situations. It is the lens by which one sees, processes, and understands the world around them. For one to move forward and evolve means to move from a static, inwardly focused, “That’s the way it has always been” mindset to an outward, flexible growth Mindset focus.
Futurist and my mentor Rick Smyre speaks of co-creating the future through Transformational Learning: “The concept of learning that integrates the need to expand knowledge, (to include trends and weak signals) ask appropriate questions within a futures context and connect diverse and disparate ideas for the purpose on continuous improvement” (Preparing For A World That Does Not Exist – Yet. 2016, p.215).
Or in other words, to define, connect, and find meaning in the next step in the evolution of mankind requires observations and processing of new conditions (trends and weak signals) that have potential but have not yet gone to scale, as a result of an ever changing WHY. Going forward into the 21st century means to embrace a new consciousness that recognises an alternative, emerging context and to discern the validity of historical Mindsets in the new norm. In short, to seek the WHY and in turn develop the capacity to learn, unlearn, and uplearn as context and knowledge changes. This starts individually, but the energy and power to shape comes from connection, sharing, and finding community.
Realizing one's bias and Mindset, finding community, reflecting on the past, identifying current conditions, looking for weak signals and different perspectives all open the consciousness to seeing the ever changing WHY and its impact on what was, what is, and what is next.
Trees have long been used to illustrate the human condition. Studying a tree’s growth rings tells the story of the tree's life experiences: the challenges of drought, fire, climate, and the environment it lived through. Examining a person's— or a civilization's— growth rings, one can come to understand the life-shaping events. We are living in a time of deep systemic change. Advances in technology are impacting and redefining just about every aspect of daily human life. Relationships, commerce, government, religion, medicine, education, and the environment are all being affected. Before us our tree of life is adding many new growth rings.
Going forward my intent is to start a Growth Rings movement, a conversation for the sharing of ideas, perspectives, and beliefs on WHY and WHAT is next for mankind. Your voice, participation, contrabution, and perspective is truely valuable.
Realizing the forces impacting us, together we can come to better understand and prepare for what is ahead of us. I am excited to connect, collaborate, and co-create with you.
2024 is the beginning of many new beginnings!
A special THANK YOU to colleague and fellow educator Ms. Kathy Rose for her edits and suggestions on this post. You have my greatest respect and I truly value our friendship.
