Are you futureproofing you?

futureproof progressfull Feb 21, 2023

Imagine sitting on a beautiful wooden bench looking out at one of your favourite views. Sitting next to you and smiling kindly at you, is your 80 year old self - what would they be saying to you?

Quite possibly, your 80 year old self would say to live more in the present, to find work you love and people to love and quite possibly to look for the opportunities, take more risks and stick your neck out - because, at the end of the day, we only live once

The thing is, we never do know what tomorrow will bring – but what is definitely true is that if we don’t take some risks, if we don’t challenge ourselves and re-imagine ourselves, life is still going to happen, even if we are standing still, the meter is still ticking, life is still happening

At Progressfull, we like to say...

As progress involves being willing to stick your neck out, how about we start thinking about whether we stick our necks out enough to achieve progress in the areas of our lives which matter to us most - at home, at work - in our whole life?

Why exactly is 'future you' so keen on you taking risks and sticking your neck out? The thing is, what our future self knows is that taking risks can catapult us forwards to success as well as dramatically increase the chances of us achieving our goals

'Future you' also knows that underneath every risk resides a fear of uncertainty and possible failure. When we take risks we step out of our comfort zone and step into the unknown - in other words - our stretch zone

Sticking our necks out and stretching involves confronting our fears and taking a leap of faith that everything will work out for the better. In reality, this doesn’t mean every risk is a blind gamble. 'Future you' would encourage you to understand the complexities of the risk involved so that you can take calculated risks that make sense in relation to where you want to make progress in your life

‘Current you’ tends to want to continue doing the same things and travel the road of least resistance - what’s easy, what’s instantly rewarding, what gets noticed now and recognised today. The key to moving towards your future goals and aspirations is considering what ‘future you’ would do today and tomorrow to move forward

‘Future you’ would want you to stick your neck out, take that challenge, put your hat in the ring, learn that new skill, take that new course. ‘Future you’ would know that you would gain a double dip of positive motivation – the mood-boosting perks that come with doing something new and the confidence you build in your sense of self and what you are capable of. ‘Future you’ would encourage you to stick your neck out – every time

As humans we are designed to be future-oriented - seeing and seizing opportunities is what keeps us moving forwards and making progress

It makes sense that taking those steps today, taking those risks today, secures us a brighter outcome in the future. Taking chances requires seeing the difference between the life you have now and the life you want, and understanding the work involved to make it happen. Growers plant new varieties of vegetables to ensure a more abundant harvest given changes in climates. Top athletes try new tactics to win the big game against new opposition. When faced with new diseases, surgeons study new techniques so they can save more lives

When we futureproof something, we design or change it so that it will continue to be useful or successful in the future if the situation changes

Start sticking your neck out by thinking how 'future you' would behave rather than how 'current you' would behave, so that you can continue to be useful or successful in the future, making progress in the areas of your life that matter most to you - at home, at work - in your whole life

Let’s listen more to our ‘future you’

With all the change we are faced with on a regular basis, a lot of people are wondering how to futureproof themselves, so we decided to create an Upskill to help you futureproof yourself

Our Futureproof muscles Upskill combines bite-sized videos, private podcasts, 121 Mentor sessions, bespoke Journals and purposeful self-reflection exercises for you to apply - at home, at work, in your whole life. Building Futureproof muscles focusses on your career and what it takes to win today and tomorrow in the word of work - building the mind-sets of winning well, standing out, connecting courageously and futureproofing me. You will grow your influence, your reputation and your future options, increasing your impact in your organisation and beyond

'Future you' will always encourage you to stick your neck out and go for it - so take a first step forwards now!