August 05, 2009

The Future: What Do You See?


"The future is an opaque mirror. Anyone who tries to look into it sees nothing but the dim outline of an old and worried face."

Jim Bishop
Author/Columnist


Meaning, I suppose, that there is little or no point in attempting to foresee the future??

Is that what those who look forward are doing; attempting to see the future?


I don't think so. I think it is more like looking out the windshield as you drive, trying to be ready for whatever comes your way.


Do you and are you?


3 comments :

  1. And what if they were attempting to "see the future"? What's wrong with that? How different would that be from "trying to be ready for whatever comes your way"?

    I think management's first and most important job is to attempt to do whatever they can to guage what the future will be.

    If all Bishop sees is "an old and worried face", he's not paying much attention.

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  2. No one can see the future. All you can do is see what will likely affect whatever is of concern to you, and plan accordingly.

    Not everything you think will happen, will as you assume, but even that doesn't matter. You just need to have a plan.

    Active, not reactive.

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  3. In my early 20's I spent a summer with just one rule. No plans. Just get up each day and go and do whatever I wanted. It was to be the adventure to end all adventures.

    The result was, not much. Most days I didn't get up all that early, mostly because I had no reason to, and when I did, nothing happened.

    I learned that even being spontaneous requires planning, and planning is all about the future.

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