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The Future Is Where You Will Spend The Rest Of Your Life: Think About It!
| Guest post by: Roger Ingbretsen |
Article Overview: Thinking in future tense can help you seek and find the best possible solutions and be able to experience to a greater degree, a more productive and happy life.
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Free Download - Stay Employed In A Down Economy By Roger Ingbretsen |
The Future Is Where You Will Spend The Rest Of Your Life: Think About It!
You most likely have heard the old
saying, “You should be interested in the future because that’s where you’ll
spend the rest of your life.” Although this statement is often taken lightly,
there is much to be said for “over-the-horizon-thinking.” From a personal and
professional standpoint, you truly need to learn to think in future tense. This
does not mean you will develop some kind of crystal ball from which you will be
able to predict the future. What it does mean is developing the skills and
behavioral habits that energize you to continually try to understand and
interpret change that will possibly affect your future.
Your focus must be on both the world
of today and the world of tomorrow. Thinking in future tense is the process of
continually defining the gap of where you are today and where you want to be -
or more correctly - where you will be able to be tomorrow.
A creative way to think in future
tense is to imagine what a possible future may look like based on information
and projections in many areas of your possible future life. Learning about your
possible future requires you to become persistent at asking more questions,
inquiring beyond the obvious, reading voraciously, anticipating alternatives,
looking at all the possibilities and analyzing the implications of all that you
learn. Based on inquiry, the following facts, figures and observations are
presented in an attempt to paint a picture of the possible/probable future.
In the United States, between 2020 and
2025, the population will reach 380 million with 40% of the U.S population
being Hispanic, African American or Asian. Roughly a fifth of the population
will be over 65 years of age, 7 million over 85. “Good old girl” networks will
have replaced “good old boy” networks in the business environment.
Professional, political and judicial jobs will be split 50/50 between men and
women as well as between majority and minority backgrounds.
About four-fifths of all jobs will
be “knowledge based.” Companies will openly compete for millions of freelance
workers from a worldwide base of talent. Voice recognition, automated language
translation, artificial intelligence nearing human capabilities, and fast,
clear, true-color picture/voice communications will all be taken for granted.
Sixty to seventy percent of all U.S.
landfills will be full. Most major cities will be faced with severe water
shortages. “Genetically engineered/grown” food and human organs will be
available and accepted. Postscript: Much of what has been stated has already
started, emerging from the present to the future.
When you begin to explore the
possible, probable or preferred future, you can then begin to ask the right questions.
What are the opportunities and threats the future environment will pose for me?
What new work skills should I learn in order to stay competitive in a global
economy? Where can I live and maintain my desired quality of life? How can I
better prepare myself to work and live in a more diverse environment? What
beliefs must I change or modify so I can take advantage of the latest
breakthroughs in genetic technology? What health habits must I change so I am
best prepared for a longer life? How can I invest and save more wisely in anticipation
of a longer and a more fulfilling retirement? What and who do I want to become
in five, ten or twenty years?
Thinking in future tense can help
you seek and find the best possible solutions and be able to experience to a
greater degree, a more productive and happy life.
As you become a future tense
thinking person, you will quickly realize a need to improve certain
competencies. High on the list will be technical/professional reading and comprehension,
problem-solving and critical thinking skills, and interpersonal skills. Your
ability to read, interpret and use all forms of information, as well as network
effectively with people will be your combined ultimate weapons of survival.
Understanding and living productive lives in the future will require your use
of "headware" not hardware, brain not brawn, and heart not
heavy-handedness.
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About the Author: Roger Ingbretsen RSS for Roger's articles - Visit Roger's website Roger is a member of the International Coaching Federation. Additionally, he has completed many professional training programs attaining numerous certifications, a few of which include: The Harvard Law School “win-win” negotiation process, the Center for Creative Leadership “360-Degree Feedback” evaluation process and “Coach the Coach” program, the Zenger Miller “Team Training Certification Seminar” and “Executive Coaching” practices from the Professional School of Psychology, California. He is also a qualified administrator of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator personality inventory.
Click here to visit Roger's website   Involvement Creates Commitment Why Succession Planning Break The Rules Think And Be Adaptive The Role Of Leadership For Now And The Future Tips When Taking Over Or Transformational Leadership |
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