Getting over it
Getting over it is about changing the trodden path that we humans are pursuing alongside everyone else. Getting over the system that has proven to be a trap, whereby the prevalent pursuance of self-fulfillment at all costs, comes at a cost too high to bear. When personal advantage takes center stage, suspicion rises to the detriment of the much-needed connection to others. In a major economic shift, each jolt will represent a new constellation of circumstances that affects everyone directly and indirectly. Partnerships will shift. New criteria will determine potential advantages to be exploited. Trying to get back to a previous situation will not be possible because the preconditions have changed. The change reveals the need for a better understanding of coexistence and the danger of relentless egocentricity.
The reoccurring causes of economic implosions. Despite an increased awareness of the socio-economic interdependencies across the globe, it seems that self-centered interests and an incessant demand for more, continue to dominate the socio-political scene. Ergo-centricity is the main reason for economic digressions. The reoccurring imbalance of wealth distribution versus productivity and the inability of the empowered leaders to make contravening decisions that would equalize the imbalance causes large-scale conflicts. Increased socioeconomic pressure triggers mass migrations. And because the economy is by and large a fictitious entity, no one is responsible for it and no one can fix it. The economic pressure in one region can change the course of events in another, regardless of any leadership considerations. A thriving economy needs a reasonable progression of fair expansion at all levels of society. A bitter-sweet observation, about reoccurring change. The future is unavoidable, to a large extent unpredictable, and full of surprises. The presence is short and inevitably obsolete. The past is all we have to correlate events and information for vague predictions. Change is imminent. It is written into the “script of life”. Change is an impetus that proactively engaged people to take advantage of it. Entrepreneurs who embark on proactive engagement are aware of the fact that there is no guarantee for success. A realization of one's peculiarities goes a long way to being credible and effective in what one is doing. Without recognition of our identity, there will always be uncertainty about our purpose, intentions, and our value to others. A personal identity works best when there are genuine and recognizable characteristics inherent in personal expressions.
The good news is that change also includes opportunities. We are used to the socio-economic environment that we grew up in. We peg the value of delivered productivity versus the monetary compensation to what we are familiar with. But in a changing environment, these values may differ vastly. Pegging the personal productivity values, assets, and liabilities in comparison to a situation in a new socio-economic context can be challenging, but it does have its virtues. While maintaining some continuity, adaptability is essential to cope with the new situation. Practicing adaptability while maintaining fundamental ethical values is a way forward. In virtually every socio-economic environment there is an opportunity to adapt and thrive.
Finding an uncharted passage in the age of overwhelming replicas. First second and third impressions contradict themselves, by the interpretation of received information. Whenever there is a sign that a competitor is succeeding, the tendency is to replicate the tactics in the hope of enabling progress. Measured by degrees up and down the scale, the common sense is that success or failure will be determined by what is generally acceptable.
Avoiding confrontations with reality. A driving force behind making arbitrary decisions is one's need to believe in the unlikely. These illusionary interpretations affect economic reality. The reckless pursuit of profiteering from the stock exchange has a trickledown effect that impacts everyone. Wishing that good fortune will just happen without taking risks is a fundamental default. To amass the courage and make contradictory decisions based on unverified information is a special gift that a few have.
The lack of information is a major stumbling block in being proactive. Unfamiliarity with a specific situation involving a proposition is a common trap for making the wrong decision. As the conversation about the circumstances progresses participants put the puzzle of changing information together including intuitive signals of caution. Deceptions will prevail for as long as financial gains are involved in a proposition. Virtually everyone and every institution participate in some deception. This is due to the inbuilt priority of seeking advantage. All the other objectives are secondary.
The decision-making process. One arrives at a decision based on predetermined parameters of what is and what isn't acceptable, but the final decision is by and largely arbitrary. And if the consequences of the decision did not meet expectations, it will be dismissed. Why do we need reasons? The reasoning is a post-event justification for decisions made. Being reasonable is part of democratic discourse. It allows a dialogue that indicates readiness to accept other opinions. Reasoning needs to come across as logical and believable to become accepted. Some reasons are based, on traceable consequences, and some, are made-up excuses. But the most difficult decisions to decipher are the emotional ones and these are by far the most crucial. A reasonable justification indicates that some contested issues needed to be debated. To make a better assessment of the mitigating circumstances that led to the decision, one could reverse the sequence of choices that led to it. Considering the lack of verified information and the arbitrary evaluation of propositions, it is difficult for anyone to make an accurate projection. Regardless of the number of conducted research and received consultations, it is hard to obtain impartial advice. This leads to the presumption that virtually all decisions are based on; intuition, sympathy, and trust. Taking the initiative rather than surrendering to the mitigating circumstances is probably the most difficult step to take.
Here is the thing… It took you a few years to establish yourself professionally and attract a large enough customer base to ensure a sustainable position in your sector. You relate your success story to your abilities and wittiness, neglecting the circumstances and contributions made by others. Your customers have their preferences but they got to accept the conditions under which you delivered the proposition. A shift in the socio-economic situation will make your customers reconsider their options. And when the competition introduces a novelty that addresses systemic issues much better, you find yourself in a bind.
Proactive engagement is difficult to Justify. Proactive engagement is difficult to justify because the outcome is uncertain. Proactivity is based mostly on a hunch. Reactive engagement, on the other hand, may have a plausible justification because it is responding to a situation. Being proactive means taking uncharted steps which in turn means taking risks. Reactive engagement is the usual practice. It is based on previous presumptions. Some call it: "proven successful strategies". The mandate spells out what is to be expected as a reaction to a situation. Reactive accomplishments fulfill about 85% of the needs of others. These are the minimal deliveries of what is expected. The remaining 15% is proactive engagement. These can be added as an asset in future decision-making by the "other" because they will be remembered as extraordinary attributes. While taking proactive action, new correlations will emerge. Along the way, we are likely to encounter various indicators that have been ignored. Potential resources that are not directly related to what we are looking for but could nevertheless be applied to ancillaries. By being proactively engaged in a (β) format, we become more resourceful in finding solutions. We emerge as the first individuals to come up with solutions to a yet unsolved issue, regardless of our social or professional ranking within the organization.
What have you got to lose? The untried supersedes the known by an infinity. While an exploration of the unknown causes uncertainty and doubt about the potential outcome, it also leads to new ideas. Exploring the untried calls for the dismissal of previously set boundaries. For example, consider collaborations with an "arch enemy", in a foreign country. The acquired knowledge and information deriving from such a β exploration will be of immense benefit. It enables the expansion of the existing knowledge base. Proactive engagement is exhausting and always more challenging than following the trend, but it has unexpected ancillary benefits.
With people, and for people. It is important to remember that whatever we do is with people and for people. Whereby "for people" is the primary challenge. People have different needs and expectations. These needs may not match our understanding of what should happen to meet these expectations. Gauging our standing in the social context is a precondition to a workable collaboration and the subsequent deliverance of the needs and wants of others. Making an effort to curb the instinctive draw towards: “What’s in it for me first”, or “how can I profit from this”, has an unexpected positive side effect that is often overlooked. Shifting the embedded self-centeredness by only 5 degrees towards the South-East from the center will open considerations of “the others” as an integral part of one's progression.
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Embracing discomfort, to achieve an exceptional status. Inconveniences caused by shortages in goods and a decline in previously available services. Intuitive defensive reaction versus gaining insight about new unmet needs that could be addressed with a new alternative. The newly emerging social integration. The most beneficial consequence of the re-modeled social structure will be an increase in international integration and collaboration.
Prioritizing the benefits to others.
Replacing 5% of the obsessive pursuit of sales with an understanding of the recipients' situation.
Gaining a profound understanding of specific needs, blocked by the corporative mandates.
Risking short-lived reprimand from the superior, while gaining customer support.
Earning recognition from upper management for an increase in business through customer satisfaction, and being assigned to guide others in your organization.
Gaining recognition from customers that will extend beyond your current professional position.
What are the odds of beating the odds? Considering the vast unknown in any given situation, how about 50%-50%? Exploring the untried might not be blatantly obvious at first, but it might turn out to be the answer a large number of people were looking for. Eventually, a consensus about the validity of the idea will emerge. No need to be concerned about duplications. If the idea is a breakthrough, it will undoubtedly be duplicated. No matter in what professional sector, the value of any contribution will be measured against the accredited benefits received by customers.
Best regards,
Alex Goslar.