Pub. 2 2019-2020 Issue 3

10 In Uncertain Times , You Have More Control Than You Realize Daniel Burrus T raditionally, when an individual or organization fears change, it has something to do with digital technology disrupting their status quo. Will something autonomous replace my job? What if something is created that puts me completely out of business? Aside from digital transformation, another wave of fear comes from new, fast-moving competition and the threat of loss of relevance and market share. I have discussed at length these fears and many more, and how to become more anticipatory, paying attention to the Hard Trends that are shaping the future both inside and outside of your industry, how to see disruption and change before they strike, and most importantly how to identify and act on the opportunities they represent. Few would have thought in the early stages of 2020 our economy would be in a downturn, we would be instantly converted to remote work or, unfortunately for some, laid off, and we would be quarantined to our homes due to a global pandemic. Real-World Dystopia Whether you’re in business or not, ever since the Great Recession about a decade ago, it seems the majority of individuals will not admit to their tendency to sleep with one eye open on the economy. This “hope for the best but expect the worst” attitude can be useful, but it can also be dangerous, both for your health and well-being and for your entrepreneurial ability to see and act on the many new opportunities disruptive change presents. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic has, to a great extent, suppressed our positive, innovative mentality as a species, and has sent many of us into a primordial tailspin of trying to get back to the way things were — the status quo. Due to fear, we are finding ourselves in